If you’re looking to venture off the beaten path, a night at The Lawrence Percolator is just what you need. Another of their Pass The Hat series took place Saturday night with a mix of international and local musicians.

To start off a night of improvised music local ensemble Horse Head played a set that was sometimes jarring, sometimes coming together harmoniously but always seemingly developing organically in the moment.

Between sets, the intimate group was treated to a documentary about the visiting artists and the development and significance of improvisational music in New Orleans called Liquid Land. International guests Simon Berz and Klaas Hübne along with Helen Gillet out of New Orleans treated the group to a live sample of the film’s subject.

These artists played with an intensity and passion that can sometime be missed in larger settings and the crowd couldn’t help but be drawn into a participatory musical event.

Words and photos by Lillian Wright-Smith