Medium Bio
Kyle Motl is a bassist, composer, and improviser described as a “spectacularly adventurous and dynamic musician” whose playing is noted for both “iridescent delicacy as well as abrasive force” (The Wire). A frequent soloist, his performances “promise to change us by revealing things we could never have imagined” (Free Jazz Collective).
As a composer and bandleader, Kyle’s ensemble music has been praised for its “speculative, many-layered evolution of imagination,” (Free Jazz Collective) and for “constantly confounding expectation” (Jazz da Gama). Treesearch, with violinist Keir GoGwilt, brings together chamber music, jazz, and improvised excursions in “its own brand of in-the-moment invention, mingling rich tones, rhapsodic gestures, and companionable jousts” (The New Yorker). Recent collaborations in improvised music include projects with Rhonda Taylor, Patrick Shiroishi, Niloufar Shiri, Michael Foster, Carlos Dominguez, and Earl Howard. In the free jazz tradition, Kyle continues years of work in trio and quartet with Abbey Rader. Along with Nathan Hubbard, Kyle was a member of the Peter Kuhn trio. A new trio with Dan Clucas and Nathan Hubbard is featured on Daydream and Halting from FMR Records. He has performed alongside luminaries including Roscoe Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith, Kidd Jordan, Mary Halvorson, Anthony Davis, and others.
In the area of contemporary concert music, Kyle works regularly with both emerging and established composers and champions new works for the bass. He has performed with ensembles from the International Contemporary Ensemble to Ghost Ensemble, and was improvising bass soloist on the premiere of Anthony Davis’ Central Park Five with the Long Beach Opera. 2022 sees the release of Hydra Nightingale on Infrequent Seams, consisting of solo premieres by Caroline Louise Miller, Anqi Liu, Jessie Cox, and Asher Tobin Chodos.
Kyle holds a DMA from UC San Diego, an MM from Florida International University, and a BM from Florida Atlantic University. His work across composed and improvised idioms can be heard on labels including NoBusiness, Confront Recordings, FMR Records, Infrequent Seams, Microfest, 577 Records, Notice Recordings, Cronica Electronica, Tripticks Tapes and more.
200 words
Kyle Motl is a bassist, composer, and improviser described as a “spectacularly adventurous and dynamic musician” whose playing is noted for both “iridescent delicacy as well as abrasive force” (The Wire). A frequent soloist, his performances “promise to change us by revealing things we could never have imagined” (Free Jazz Collective).
Kyle’s ensemble music has been praised for “constantly confounding expectation” (Jazz da Gama). Current work includes Treesearch with violinist Keir GoGwilt, and projects with Anthony Davis, Kjell Nordeson, Rhonda Taylor, Patrick Shiroishi, Niloufar Shiri, Dan Clucas, Nathan Hubbard, Michael Foster, Earl Howard, and Carlos Dominguez. He has performed alongside luminaries including Roscoe Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith, Kidd Jordan, Mary Halvorson, and others.
Kyle works regularly with both emerging and established composers and champions new works for the bass. He performs with ensembles including the International Contemporary Ensemble and Ghost Ensemble, and has been soloist with the La Jolla Symphony and Long Beach Opera. 2022 sees the release of Hydra Nightingale, consisting of solo premieres by Caroline Louise Miller, Anqi Liu, Jessie Cox, and Asher Tobin Chodos.
Kyle holds a DMA from UC San Diego, an MM from Florida International University, and a BM from Florida Atlantic University.
100 Words
Kyle Motl is a bassist, composer, and improviser described as a “spectacularly adventurous and dynamic musician” whose playing is noted for both “iridescent delicacy as well as abrasive force” (The Wire). His solo music “promise[s] to change us by revealing things we could never have imagined” (Free Jazz Collective). Kyle’s work inhabits territories composed and improvised, including projects with Treesearch, Patrick Shiroishi, Clucas/Motl/Hubbard, and Anthony Davis, and work with ensembles including the International Contemporary Ensemble and Ghost Ensemble. His recent album, Hydra Nightingale, features works by Caroline Louise Miller, Anqi Liu, Jessie Cox, and Asher Tobin Chodos.