1. Elliot Sharps’ Carbon
Date: Monday, April 25, 2011
Time: 9pm & 11pm
Venue: Zebulon (258 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211)
Ticket: donation
Genre: post-rock/experimental/improve
Elliott Sharp – 8 string guitarbass, soprano saxophone, electronics, Shelley Burgon – electric harp, Marc Sloan – electric bass and Joseph Trump – drums & percussion. – A central figure in the avant-garde and experimental music scene in New York City since the late 1970s, Sharp has released over eighty-five recordings ranging from blues, jazz, and orchestral music to noise, no wave rock, and techno music. Read more.
2. FRANK PEROWSKY BIG BAND
Time: 10pm
Venue: Nublu (62 Avenue C, New York, NY 10009)
Ticket: $10
Genre: big band Jazz
In the mid-’50s Frank Perowsky left Des Moines, IA, for New York City to study calrinet at Julliard and soak up the city’s enormous jazz scene at such clubs as Birdland, where he witnessed performances by such luminaries as Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, and more. Following his graduation, Perowsky began touring with the big bands of Lee Castle and Woody Herman and recording with Les and Larry Elgart, Tito Rodriguez, and Johnny Richards. Read more.
3. Orchestre National de Jazz with Daniel Yvinec and John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble
Date: Monday, April 25, 2011
Time: 6:30pm
Venue: Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012, ph: 212- 505-3474)
Ticket: $15
Genre: Jazz/avantgarde
Orchestre National de Jazz with Daniel Yvinec w/special guests Theo Bleckmann, Kate McGarry and Uri Caine.
Daniel Yvinec is the first Artistic Director appointed to head the Orchestre National de Jazz for a six-year mandate, and follows the other musical directors who, through nine different projects undertaken since the birth of the Orchestra in 1986 (25th birthday in 2011), have chronicled the history of this unique “institution” created on the initiative of the French Ministry of Culture. Read more
4. Karl Berger’s Stone Workshop Orchestra
Date: Monday, April 25, 2011
Time: 7:30 & 10pm
Venue: The Stone (is located at the corner of Avenue C and 2nd Street)
Ticket: $10
Genre: Contemporary Jazz/improve
During the ‘70- and ‘80’s, the Woodstock-based Creative Music Studio was considered the premier study center for contemporary creative music. Founded in 1971 by Karl Berger , Ingrid Sertso and Ornette Coleman, CMS brought together leading innovators in the jazz and world music communities. Unprecedented in its range and diversity, CMS was an acknowledged phenomenon in the international music world.
The Stone is proud to host a new series of CMS workshops in 2011: a new improviser’s workshop orchestra gets underway EVERY MONDAY NIGHT IN 2011 led by composer/pianist/vibist Karl Berger. Conducted in the tradition of the legendary Creative Music Studio (www.creativemusicstudio.org), original compositions, themes by the likes of Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman, and world musical melodies will be utilized for orchestral explorations and contrasting solo/duo/trio flights. This series supports the Creative Music Studio Archive Project.
The musicians are: Art Bailey (accordion), Mike Pride (drums), Jorge Sylvester, David Schnug (alto sax), Stephen Gauci (tenor sax), Catherine Sikora (tenor and soprano sax), Skye Steele (violin), Sylvain Leroux (flutes), Brian Drye (trombone), Patrick Glynn, Adam Caine (guitar) Dominic Lash, David Perrott, Adam Lane (bass), Ingrid Sertso (vocals), Karl Berger (piano, melodica, conducting) and surprise guests.
5. Balkan Beat Box
Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Time: 8pm
Venue: Webster Hall (125 E. 11th St.; New York, NY 10003)
Ticket: $20
Price: Balkan Beat/electronica
With their roots firmly planted all around the Mediterranean rim and their solid rock+reggae foundations, this New York-based band are the new sensation.
Their name, their personal history and the enthusiastic media & audience reactions suggest a link with the so-called Gypsy Rock movement, but their scope is reaching way beyond that: Balkan Beat Box really transcend categories (pop, electronic dance music, world, rock) by creating a new breed of 21st century music, deeply connected to their folk upbringing yet forward-thinking, which appeals to audiences across the geographical and stylistic borders. Read more.
6. Femi Kuti & the Positive Force
Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Time: 8pm
Venue: Highline Ballroom (431 W 16th St, New York, NY 10011, 212-414-5994)
Ticket: $25
Genre: Afro Beat
Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti known as Femi Kuti, is a Nigerian musician and the eldest son of afrobeatpioneer Fela Kuti. Femi was born in London to Fela and Remi Kuti and grew up in the former Nigerian capital, Lagos. His mother soon left his father, taking Femi to live with her. In 1977, though, Femi chose to move in with his father. Femi eventually became a member of his father’s band. Like his father, Femi has shown a strong commitment to social and political causes throughout his career, but he differs from his father in his religious views.
He created his own band Positive Force in late 80s with Dele Sosimi (Gbedu Resurrection), former key-board player of Fela Anikulapo Kuti. His international career began in 1988 when he was invited by the French Cultural Centre in Lagos and Christian Mousset to perform at Festival d’Angoulême (France), New Morning Club in Paris and Moers Festival in Germany.
7. Battles
Date: Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Time: 8pm
Venue: Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012, ph: 212- 505-3474)
Ticket: $20
Genre: post-rock/experimental/electronica
BATTLES came together in New York in 2002 drawing together disparate strands of hardcore, avant garde tonal minimalism, neo-classical, techno and post rock, featuring drummer John Stanier (Helmet), guitarists Ian Williams (Don Caballero) and Dave Konopka (Lynx) and Tyondai Braxton. After a string of EPs, the group signed to WARP and released their debut MIRRORED in 2007. Read more.
8. Darius Jones & Matthew Shipp
Date: Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: JAZZ STANDARD (116 East 27th Street, New York, NY 10016-8942, (212-576-2232)
Ticket: $20
Genre: Jazz/improve
Darius Jones – alto saxophone and Matthew Shipp – piano
Pianist Matthew Shipp is one of New York’s most talked–about talents, one who has “not only stretched the definitions of jazz, but also exponentially advanced his own ideas about it conceptually and technically.” (Thom Jurek, AllMusic.com). Alto saxophonist/composer Darius Jones “has the capacity for a proud, rafters–raising tone on alto saxophone, and as an improviser he’s fearless but disciplined.” (Nate Chinen, The New York Times). These two intrepid sonic explorers join forces for the first time on the expansive 13–part song cycle Cosmic Lieder, set for April release on AUM Fidelity. The duo will perform extensions and variations of the music on Cosmic Lieder, as well as wholly new compositions, tonight on our stage in a muchanticipated appearance.
9. Robert Glasper Trio+Vijay Iyer Trio
Date: Thursday, April 28, 2011
Time: 8:00pm
Venue: Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU (566 Laguardia Place at Washington Square South,
New York)
Tickets: $25, $35,
Genre: Jazz
Jazz pianists Vijay Iyer and Robert Glasper with their respective jazz trios make the possibilities for new sound seem endless. Each artist blends his own compositions from unique cultural backgrounds and styles. This double-bill event presents a unique opportunity to hear what’s next in jazz from two of music’s brightest young stars. Iyer is a singular talent – a forceful, rhythmically invigorating performer and an exceptional, forward-thinking composer drawing from African, Asian and European musical lineages to create original music in the American creative tradition. Glasper has made waves throughout the music world as leader of both the acoustic Robert Glasper Trio and the electric, hip-hop-oriented Robert Glasper Experiment. Hailed by listeners and critics, Glasper has garnered the respect of the toughest audience of all: musicians from across the jazz spectrum.
10. Willie Martinez & La Familia Sextet
Date: Thursday, April 28, 2011
Time: 9pm
Venue: The Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe (236 East 3rd St, between b & c, NYC, NY 10101)
Ticket: $7
Genre: Latin Jazz
Willie Martinez has been a familiar face in New York City’s eclectic music scene for well over twenty years. As well as being a much sought after drummer, percussionist and vocalist, he is also a gifted arranger and composer.
Mr. Martinez performs regularly with his group La Familia Sextet; an ensemble that features his original compositions and arrangements. The sextet features Willie on drums and vocals, Renato Thoms on congas and percussion, Misha Tsiganov on piano, Jennifer Vincent on bass, Max Schweiger on baritone sax & flute, and J. Walter Hawkes on trombone.
This ensemble represents the very best in New York style Latin jazz. The baritone sax and trombone frontline is a unique treatment in this genre, and combined with the infectious rhythm section, smokes to the very last note.
11. The Cuban Cowboys
Date: Friday, April 29, 2011
Time: 9pm
Venue: BAM Cafe (30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217)
Tickets: free
Genre: surf guitar and hillbilly punk to power chords
The Cuban Cowboys specialize in marrying son, mambo, and other Afro-Cuban forms with distortion-heavy indie rock gilded in pop miscellany—from surf guitar and hillbilly punk to power chords. The end product is, to quote the Cowboys, a “capricious mixture of tradition and revolt,” resulting in a kaleidoscope of on-stage exuberance and decidedly fresh indie sounds that make for “one of the best shows in the local pop scene” (Daily News).
12. Cheikh Hamala Diabate
Date: Saturday, April 30, 2011
Time: 8pm
Venue: Barbes (376 9th Street, Brooklyn, NY)
Ticket: $10
Genre: Malian trad music
Cheick Hamala Diabate is a Malian griot and a master of the ngoni, a traditional instrument. He started his career at a young age playing with Malian musical greats, including Toumani Diabate (a first cousin), Oumou Sangare, Ali Farka Toure and Salif Keita. Upon coming to the US, Cheick Hamala was intrigued by the resemblance between his ngoni and the American banjo, even sharing tunings and picking styles. He has since learned to play the banjo at a virtuosic level, including collaborations with Bela Fleck and Bob Carlin. Cheick’s album of banjo duets with Carlin, From Mali to America, was nominated for a grammy in 2007 for Best Traditional World Music Album.
13. Sarah Bernstein Quartet and Ursel Schlicht Trio
Date: Saturday, April 30, 2011
Time: 8pm
Venue: IBeam Brooklyn (168 7th St., Brooklyn, NY)
Ticket: $10
Genre: Jazz
14. Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats
Date: Sunday, May 1, 2011
Time: 8pm
Venue: Iridium (1650 Broadway New York, NY 10019, 212-582-2121)
Ticket: $25
Genre: Funk
Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats is an American instrumental funk rock band from Los Angeles, California. It consists of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith, guitarist Jeff Kollman (from Cosmosquad), bassist Kevin Chown (Uncle Kracker, Ted Nugent), and keyboardist Ed Roth.
The group formed accidentally with Jeff, Ed, and Chad being the backup band for Glenn Hughes. The trio would do impromptu instrumental jams while warming up for Hughes’ sessions and they decided to form a group adding bassist, Kevin Chown.
15. Casimir Liberski
Date: Sunday, May 1, 2011
Time: 7pm
Venue: Miles Cafe (212 E. 52nd St. 3Fl. (b/2nd & 3rd Ave.)
Ticket: $19.99
Genre: Trip Hop?Jazz
Casimir Liberski (born 28 January 1988) is a Belgian jazz musician who plays piano and electric keyboard. Casimir has been active on the European Jazz scene since his early teens, touring much of France and his native Belgium with his trio while still finishing high school in Brussels. He also fostered a friendship early in his life with jazz great Ornette Coleman (the jazz saxophonist). In 2005, Casimir composed an original score to the movie Bunker Paradise, directed by his father, acclaimed Belgian film director Stefan Liberski. He received a Presidential Scholarship to Berklee College of Music in 2006, and currently resides in New York City, where he works as a free-lance pianist. He has performed and recorded with a long string of musicians, including Stanley Jordan, Denardo Coleman, Evan Marian, Charnett Moffett, Rodney Holmes, Tyshawn Sorey, and Nasheet Waits. The line up is: Casimir Liberski – piano, Nick Jozwiak – bass and Jeffrey Fajardo – drums
