LAUREN NAPIER: EXTEMPORANEOUS EXPERIMENTALISM >>>

Sparsely placed vocals. Heavy on the bass. Inspired by creativity. That would sum up CJ Boyd: a solo artist with an emphasis on extemporaneous experimentalism within his songs. When asked, CJ Boyd provides a long list of influences that includes both the musical and the non musical, like Jean Luc Godard, Thelonious Monk, and Harpo Marx. Boyd describes his songs as “largely improvised … the order, exact temp, and all the details of the song are left to the moment” making the live show unpredictable in its melodies and idiosyncrasies. He might even play his current favorite song, “We Know Time,” which meshes different time signatures “until it almost isn’t in any time.” You’ll be surprised.

Boyd will play Sizizis 24hr Coffe Shop in Olympia tonight, and then make his way to Tacoma for a show at The New Frontier on Saturday.

[Sizizis 24hr Coffee Shop, with Derek M Johnson, Margaret Rhodes, Thursday, March 12, 8 p.m., all ages, donations, 704 Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.236.9988]

[The New Frontier Lounge, with Pablo Trucker, 9 p.m., $5, 301 E. 25th St., Tacoma, 253.572.4020]

PHOTO: Myspace/Marc Steiner