Nick Zoulek: "Enter Branch"

Nick Zoulek builds worlds out of brass, breath, and reeds. Based in Chicago, Zoulek is a saxophonist whose music feels physical, visceral, and urgent. Tender one moment, tectonic the next, his sounds are simultaneously alive and mechanized. Allan Kozinn wrote in The Wall Street Journal, “Zoulek’s performance, on saxophones in every range, is stunningly virtuosic, whatever the genre.” A musician of “pure mindfulness and talent” (PopMatters), his intuitive playing results in a “no-holds barred engine of avant-garde exploration.” (Portland Press Herald)

Zoulek’s new album, Enter Branch, unfolds as a narrative of growth. It bridges his vivid approach to the saxophone with a cast of collaborators from across the musical spectrum, including Sean Carey (S. Carey, Bon Iver), spoken-word legend J. Ivy, Nathalie Joachim, Nick Photinos, Chris Porterfield (Field Report), ~Nois, and the Tontine Ensemble. These artistic voices merge with Zoulek’s prismatic performance style. His solo saxophone sound is raw, almost impossibly layered. This is not achieved through digital effects like looping or delay, but rather through a tapestry of circular breathing, extended overtones, vocalizations, and unrelenting arpeggios. Every tone of the saxophone is live and unedited, recorded in full, uninterrupted takes, and shaped with experimental mic setups. Even the cracks of the saxophone’s sound create a root system of expression, woven with strands of vocals, bowed strings, ambient drones, seismic depth, and unfiltered warmth from his collaborators.

Zoulek is thrilled to bring Enter Branch to Crosstown Arts, collaborating with members of the University of Memphis Rudi E Scheidt School of Music to bring his music to life.
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