The A-List: My tips for arty things to see + hear for Oct. 22-25

I’ve known Jeremy Phillips for close to nine years, and it’s only through his current show at Little Animals that I’ve finally had that “A-ha!” moment with his work. Seemingly disparate bodies of paintings (and some collage) have one substantial connecting thread: Jeremy is an obsessive-compulsive.

He fixates on a concept, theme, shape, pattern or idea, then pulls on that thread to the exclusion of all else, creating varied iterations of it until the itch is sufficiently scratched and he decides its a series ready to be seen.

To my eyes, “Going Gray” is his most mature and fully formed body—more than a dozen textured paintings of granular yet minimalist detail, broken up by two large and one small immersive collages of typewritten text. All of it will pull you in. Tonight (if you’re reading this Oct. 22) is the closing reception, so get there if you have the time.

There are so few bassoon players roaming jazz circles that Michael Rabinowitz was able to secure the web address jazzbassoon.com (jazzbassoonist, he said, was already taken). But Rabinowitz is able to muster so much range from his instrument you’d swear you were hearing a bari sax at some turns, a clarinet at the next.

My interview with Rabinowitz, who recently built a home in Marshall, revealed a lot of great stories from his many years in New York City jazz circles. But you have to grab a seat for this concert to appreciate the breadth of dexterity. Along with Rabinowitz compositions, you’ll also hear tunes from pianist Steven Davidowski, who made a name for himself another lifetime ago as a member of The Dixie Dregs.

Promising more installation than mere exhibition, Hunter brings her multidisciplinary practice to a show incorporating images, video, sound, sculpture and performance. Hunter says her work explores identity, memory, belonging and the continual process of constructing and deconstructing the self.

From her artist statement: “I view our experiences as layers that accumulate within us, shaping who we become while remaining connected to what came before. The body becomes both a subject and a material—a place where physical, emotional and personal histories intersect.”

If you can’t make the reception, there’s no rush—the show is on view through Dec. 5.

We all know the happy ending of The Wizard of Oz—that is, if your version of happy includes the death-by-melting of wicked witches. But how was Dorothy’s life, say, 10 years after her fateful dreamtrip? That’s the question local playwright Will Storrs mulled as he wrote this family-friendly staged sequel.

Here’s his setup: The Wizard’s power has grown and he has waged a war against a new crew of witches. A new character—a savvy witch-hunter named Gale—is hot on the trail of Wicked Witch of the East’s murder. Stuck in a bar and surrounded by revolutionaries, witches, and the Wizard’s snooping spies, Gale must survive the night if Oz will see its dawn.

Bring a couple blankets, wool caps and a couple cozy lawn chairs, along with anything else to keep you warm. These are the closing performances.

There’s never been a greater variety, volume and quality to Asheville’s improv comedy scene, and one of the tried-and-true evenings is this nearly monthly showcase anchored by the Asheville quintet Middle Rage (disclosure: without me, it’s a quartet).

In addition to the hosting troupe, which is leaning into a surrealistic form sure to inspire as many laughs as questions, this evening of Rage also features the founders of Asheville’s upstart company Joyride Improv and the seasoned men’s trio Promise Ring.

Show me another singer-songwriter also billing herself a surrealist-archaeologist. Gillet was born in Belgium, raised in Singapore and grounded in an international musical vocabulary. It all comes together in her solo performances, where Gillet loops and layers her cello parts and vocal lines, slaps and rubs on the body of her cello as textured percussion while singing on top of it.

For a preview, here’s a cut from her NPR Tiny Desk concert.