NYC Live music update

On Monday I headed to Sycamore, home of the Radio Zero series, where I caught a set by the Danny Fox Trio. As I've written before, I have tremendous appreciation for groups that perform without reading onstage. Danny's music is pretty complex, too. Adam Schneit accurately described their group concept as a kind of modern Ahmad Jamal Trio, with lots of different grooves and sections navigated by musical cues. They've developed a really unique approach and they always seem to have new music.
Nice to see a good crowd on a Monday night, too! The Radio Zero series is really doing great, next month is curated by Kenny Warren, I'll be playing on March 18th with Two of Anything.

Last night I went to (gasp!) Manhattan to see Ethan Iverson's piano recital at Weill hall. Ethan is a longtime student of Sophia Rosoff, who helps present these concerts with the Abby Whiteside Foundation (Whiteside was Sophia's mentor). The concert featured two classical works, jazz standards, and Ethan's original pieces. I've never seen a program like this, it was very inspiring. I really need to check out more music by composer Louise Talma. Ethan opened and closed the concert with Talma's Alleluia in Form of Toccata, a wonderful neo-classical perpetual motion piece, a style that I love. The other classical piece was Stravinsky's Serenade in A, a piece that I've studied for a while and was eager to hear Ethan's interpretation. He sounded great, especially his rhythmic feel.

I was a little stunned when Ethan announced that he would take requests for the jazz standards he would play. I thought to myself that if I was playing in a recital setting like that I would want to be as prepared as possible in the material I chose. Ethan took five or six requests and then played continuously, improvising segues through the different tunes. This is definitely in the spirit of Sophia's teaching. In my lessons with her she would talk about how there really shouldn't be any difference between approaching jazz and classical music. Being in the moment while you play, getting out of the way and letting the music happen is a philosophy that Fred Hersch follows in his playing. This takes a lot of courage! It's something I'll be thinking about a lot as I prepare for my solo piano show next month..

RADIO ZERO Benefit for Sandy Relief concert tonight!

////TONIGHT, Thurs 29 Nov 2012
8 pm-10:30 pm
at the Sycamore
1118 Cortelyou Road, Brooklyn. Q train to Cortelyou.

I'm excited to participate in this performance tonight with the other wonderful improvising musicians in the Radio Zero music series.

Including:
Martin Urbach - Drums
Kenny Warren - Trumpet
Patrick Breiner - Saxophone and Clarinet
Adam Schneit - Saxophone and Clarinet
Will Mcevoy - Bass
Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic - Bass
Erika Kapin - Violin
Juan Pablo Carletti - Drums

Radio Zero Improvisors Pool benefit for Hurricane Sandy Relief (all dollars go to Jazz Foundation)
Many amazing bands will play. Some have never played together before. We will be pulling names from a hat and forming duos, trios, quartets, quintets, and more based on chance! Pure improvisational bliss. Art will flow as will your generous donations of cash, non perishable foods, blankets,etc.
$10-20 suggested

The Jazz Foundation is a great organization. They have a good track record of helping displaced New Orleans musicians post-Katrina.

Tonight at Sycamore: RADIO ZERO SERIES VOL. 3

This week's RADIO ZERO series concert promises to be an exciting evening with the Mavi Yol Quartet and Nashaz! Two groups playing original music incorporating Arabic music, jazz, and improvisation.

The RADIO ZERO series is happening every Monday at Sycamore (1118 Cortelyou Rd) in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. The month of June was curated by me.

8:30PM MAVI YOL QUARTET

Senem Diyici - Voice, Percussion
Alain Blesing - Guitars
Bruno Tocanne - Drums
Can Omer Uygan - Trumpet

On tour from France!

Mavi Yol 4tet evolves constantly between jazz, free improvisation and traditional music from Turkey. A musical complicity nurtured by their exceptional qualities of improvisers allows the 4 musicians to explore an infinite number of musical horizons while remaining in the heart of emotion.

9:30PM NASHAZ

Brian Prunka - Oud
Kenny Warren - Trumpet
Apostolos Sideris - Bass
George Mel - Percussion

Nashaz plays original music drawing on the Arabic tradition with a jazz perspective.


Here's a collage of video from last week's concert:

Announcing the RADIO ZERO music series at Sycamore!

This Monday, June 4th marks the beginning of the RADIO ZERO music series, hosted by Sycamore in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn.

Every Monday we'll be bringing you exciting music from the Brooklyn improvised music world and beyond. Each month will be curated by a different musician, so expect lots of variety and a great hang!

I curated the month of June, and I'm playing a few times, including tomorrow night with Old Time Musketry!

There is no cover charge for these shows, but there is a $10 suggested donation, all of which goes to the musicians. The full calendar for June is below, we hope to see you!

Monday June 4th

8:30PM SPOKE

Dan Loomis - Bass
Justin Wood - Alto Saxophone
Danny Fischer - Drums
Andy Hunter - Trombone

Improvised music in the creative cauldron of New York City.

9:30PM OLD TIME MUSKETRY

JP Schlegelmilch - Accordion, Wurlitzer
Adam Schneit - Saxophone, Clarinet
Max Goldman - Drums
Phil Rowan - Bass

OTM presents a joyous music that draws on the exuberant spirit of early jazz, the poignant melodies and soulful grooves of rock and folk music, the energy and spontaneity of free improvisation, and a willfully experimental attitude towards combining these elements into a unique vision of American music.

Monday June 11

8:30PM CARLO COSTA QUARTET

Carlo Costa - Drums
Jonathan Moritz - Saxophone
Sean Ali - Bass
Owen Stewart-Robertson - Guitar

Textural improvisation, sonic landscapes conjuring strange distant forests teeming with life.....

9:30PM DOWN TO THE VALLEY

jonathan goldberger - guitar
owen stewart-robertson - guitar
aryeh kobrinsky - bass

Ambient Americana

Monday June 18 (an evening of Middle-Eastern-infused improvised music!)

8:30PM MAVI YOL QUARTET

Senem Diyici - Voice, Percussion
Alain Blesing - Guitars
Bruno Tocanne - Drums
Can Omer Uygan - Trumpet

On tour from France!

Mavi Yol 4tet evolves constantly between jazz, free improvisation and traditional music from Turkey. A musical complicity nurtured by their exceptional qualities of improvisers allows the 4 musicians to explore an infinite number of musical horizons while remaining in the heart of emotion.

9:30PM NASHAZ

Brian Prunka - Oud
Kenny Warren - Trumpet
Apostolos Sideris - Bass
George Mel - Percussion

Nashaz plays original music drawing on the Arabic tradition with a jazz perspective.

Monday June 25th

8:30PM DOUGLAS BRADFORD TRIO

Douglas Bradford - Guitar
Nicholas Anderson - Drums
Zach Lober - Bass

Guitarist Douglas Bradford unveils his new trio project!

9:30PM TWO OF ANYTHING

JP Schlegelmilch - Wurlitzer, Synth, Compositions
Jason Nazary - Drums and Electronics
Aryeh Kobrinsky - Bass
Jeremy Viner - Saxophone

Analog sounds? check. Digital? check. Acoustic? double-check.