Author Archives: Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Music listings – 10/15 through 10/21

1. On Ka’a Davis and his Famous Original Djuke Music Big Band

Date: Monday, October 15, 2012
Time: 7:30-open rehearsal & 9pm-performance
Venue: The Stone (is located at the corner of Avenue C and 2nd Street)
Ticket: $10
Genre: big band jazz/improve

There are 5 Mondays this October,and every one of them will feature the On Ka’a Davis and his Famous Original Djuke Music Big Band  directed by  On Ka’a Davis. Drawing inspiration from the outer realms and more into the squat politics of the East Village basement jam…polyrhythmic complexity and primal passions…an incessant pulse beat that tears the roof off the cerebral avant garde…another world never imagined possible from the undying, ever growing counter culture crucible of downtown New York.

Featuring: On Ka’a Davis (director, guitar, violin, electro), Andrew Lamb (tenor sax), Avram Fefer and Nick Gianni (saxes, flutes), Nonoko Yoshida (alto sax), Matt Cole (baritone sax), Welf Dorr (bass clarinet), Cavassa Nickens and Albey Balgochian (basses), Peter Barr, Dalius Naujo, Kenny Wollesen and Eric Eigner (drums), Evans Thompson (piano), Naomi Watanabe (percussion), Brandon Terzic (ngoni) and Dave “Smoota” Smith (trombone). Continue reading →

Recommended Drum Book & CD: Swiss Chris “Modern Drum Set Stickings”

Texy by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Let me introduce you to one of my great drummers and let me tell you what I know about him: Swiss Chris, who’s real name is Christoph Flueck, is originally from Switzerland. I met and played with him for the first time in Greg Tate’s  Burnt Sugar Orchestra in Harlem in 2008. Later he invited me to play with him at his Aung San Suu Kyi benefit concert in Williamsburg later that year. We both enjoyed playing together. I liked his modern drumming approach: fusing drumming and sample manipulation and his ability to play polyrhythms. Like me he loves improvisation. With all this said it was very easy for me to ask him to join my band, called the Tehran-Dakar Brothers at that time, later in 2009. He also recorded with me on my new CD SoSaLa Nu World Trash. 

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Music listings – 10/8 through 10/14

1. On Ka’a Davis and his Famous Original Djuke Music Big Band

Date: Monday, October 8, 2012
Time: 7:30-open rehearsal & 9pm-performance
Venue: The Stone (is located at the corner of Avenue C and 2nd Street)
Ticket: $10
Genre: big band jazz/improve

There are 5 Mondays this October,and every one of them will feature the On Ka’a Davis and his Famous Original Djuke Music Big Band  directed by  On Ka’a Davis. Drawing inspiration from the outer realms and more into the squat politics of the East Village basement jam…polyrhythmic complexity and primal passions…an incessant pulse beat that tears the roof off the cerebral avant garde…another world never imagined possible from the undying, ever growing counter culture crucible of downtown New York.

Featuring: On Ka’a Davis (director, guitar, violin, electro), Andrew Lamb (tenor sax), Avram Fefer and Nick Gianni (saxes, flutes), Nonoko Yoshida (alto sax), Matt Cole (baritone sax), Welf Dorr (bass clarinet), Cavassa Nickens and Albey Balgochian (basses), Peter Barr, Dalius Naujo, Kenny Wollesen and Eric Eigner (drums), Evans Thompson (piano), Naomi Watanabe (percussion), Brandon Terzic (ngoni) and Dave “Smoota” Smith (trombone). Continue reading →

The outcome of the “Musicians for Mali” benefit concert at the City Winery (NY) September 22, 2012

Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Artists reach areas far beyond the reach of politicians. Art, especially entertainment and music, is understood by everybody, and it lifts the spirits and the morale of those who hear it. (Nelson Mandela)

Toubab Krewe  the Africa-inspired band, Afropop Worldwide and the New York based Malian Cultural Center produced the “Musicians for Mali” benefit concert on Saturday September 22nd at the City Winery.

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Kickstarter Campaign: globalFEST – 10th anniversary of the groundbreaking world music festival + non-profit organization. Now year-round.

Text by globalFEST

globalFEST (gF) began as a creatively curated bright spot for global music lovers in the dark days of early January in NYC. Over its first decade, gF’s groundbreaking annual 3‐stage, 12‐band world music showcase/festival has become one of the most catalytic world music events in North America and the premier gateway event for emerging and established artists from around the world.

globalFEST is also a party, turning winter doldrums into a multi-continent romp at one of downtown New York’s most historic venues, spotlighting artists who represent diverse global styles, ranging from traditional and folk to hybrid acts that incorporate classical, rock, jazz, electronic dance music and hip‐hop. Since 2003, gF has provided more than one hundred groups from around the world access to stages across North America. globalFEST is committed to keeping ticket prices low – with no increase in the past decade – to encourage festival-goers to explore new and unfamiliar sounds and discover new favorites.

The last six months have marked milestones in both organizational and programmatic development for globalFEST. Now an independent 501c3 non-profit organization, gF has grown from an annual showcase/festival into a year‐round resource for cultural curators, global music artists, and the live music industry as a whole.

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