Strange & Beautiful: The Music and Art of John Lurie

From the late ’70s through the early aughts, John Lurie was a leading ambassador of NYC cool. As mastermind of the eclectic and enchanting Lounge Lizards, the self-taught saxophonist helped cement what came to be known as downtown jazz. On camera, Lurie’s dry witticisms proved the perfect foil for a then-unknown Jim Jarmusch. But a long-term bout with Lyme disease forced a premature end to Lurie’s composing, performing and acting. (The upside? His ascending career as a painter of images as droll and mysteriously inviting as his sonic output.) During this wide-ranging fest, former collaborators join up with noteworthy admirers to pay tribute to Lurie—who won’t be playing—with fresh interpretations of work from his immense catalog. The Sept 9 show features Lurie's string-quartet works; the Sept 16 program features Lurie interpretations by Sex Mob and Inner Greatness, including Deerhoof's Greg Saunier; the Sept 25 bill features Antibalas taking on Lounge Lizards repertoire; and the series culminates at Town Hall Sept 27 with a career-spanning retrospective featuring Flea, John Zorn and various Lizards alums.