Loft Sessions

Following the great tradition of “Loft Jazz” which began in New York in the 1960’s, Alain Kirili and Ariane Lopez-Huici welcomed, hosted and shared many concerts, poetry readings and dance performances in their home & art studio in both Paris and New York. See below a few of them, showing their committed love and support for the Free Jazz and Improvisation Scene, and revealing how creatively essential and fundamental these “dialogues between the arts” were for them, at home.

“Depuis les années 50, c’est une grande tradition dans le quartier d’avoir des « lofts sessions » : on utilise l’espace d’un loft pour la musique de pointe. Donc c’est une avant-garde qui est associée à l’avant-garde des arts plastiques. Et dans ce quartier la que ça se passe, donc j’ai voulu assumer cette tradition-là et protéger en premier lieu cette musique.”

Alain Kirili, New York, 2008

excerpt from Alain Kirili, sculpteur de tous les éléments, a documentary film by Sandra Paugam, 2009

Alain Kirili and Ariane Lopez-Huici telling us all about the Loft Sessions

in Concert without Public: Ned Rothenberg, Alain Kirili and Ariane Lopez-Huici by Roulette, 2021

“Alain Kirili : One day, thanks to Ariane, we decided together to open our loft six - seven times a year to organize concerts with musicians.

Ariane Lopez Huici :  We came from France in 1978, and this place, here at White Street is full of heart and souvenirs. It’s a loft, it’s an artist’ space, the place where we work, but also a living place, where we do a lot of cooking.

This place vibrates from all the great musicians who came here.

This place has a soul.

Alain Kirili, & Ariane Lopez-Huici New York, 2021

WHITE STREET LOFT SESSIONS : Tom Buckner & Earl Howard, 2009

WHITE STREET LOFT SESSIONS : Leena Conquest, Daniel Carter and Roy Campbell, 2008

WHITE STREET LOFT SESSIONS : Jim Staley & Joe McPhee, 2008

excerpt from Alain Kirili, sculpteur de tous les éléments, a documentary film by Sandra Paugam, 2009

WHITE STREET LOFT SESSIONS : Joe McPhee and Jay Rosen, 2018

WHITE STREET LOFT SESSIONS : Ray Anderson and Mark Dresser , 2018

WHITE STREET LOFT SESSIONS : Daniel Carter, Joe McPhee and William Parker, 2018

WHITE STREET LOFT SESSIONS : Mary Halvorson and Joe Morris, 2018

WHITE STREET LOFT SESSIONS : Erik Friedlander, 2018

A Concert without Public

Ned Rothenberg, Alain Kirili and Ariane Lopez-Huici

White Street Studio, 2021

Roulette is honored to stream an intimate concert by acclaimed musician Ned Rothenberg filmed in the downtown Manhattan studio of artists Alain Kirili and Ariane Lopez-Huici. Closed to the public and existing without an audience, the performance creates a unique dialog between Kirili’s sculptures & drawings and Rothenberg’s playing.

Ned Rothenberg: alto sax, clarinet, shakuhachi

Alain Kirili : sculpture and drawing

Ariane Lopez-Huici : photography

A Concert without Public

Ned Rothenberg, Alain Kirili and Ariane Lopez-Huici

White Street Studio, 2021

(photos & videos © Ariane Lopez-Huici)