Cornelia Street Announces 4th Annual BJU Festival & Upcoming Events

This Weekend At Cornelia Street Cafe

Fri Mar 05 

9:00PM & 10:30PM THE 4TH ANNUAL BJU FESTIVAL
9PM: Dave Smith Quartet
Dave Smith, trumpet; Nate Radley, guitar; Gary Wang, bass; Jordan Perlson, drums
David Smith is a Canadian-born trumpeter currently residing in New York City. His debut album as a leader, "Circumstance", was released in October of 2006 on the Fresh Sound New Talent label (FSNT 267), and a followup is forthcoming in early 2010. While the roots of his music are in classic jazz, he combines elements of classical harmony and counterpoint resulting in a very original compositional style. His approach to the trumpet is also unique, intervallic and harmonically sophisticated yet lyrical and emotional. In addition to his own recordings, he is featured as a sideman on numerous recordings including for Fresh Sound New Talent (Alan Ferber Nonet, Delphian Jazz Orchestra) Steeplechase (Kim Bock Quartet, Russ Spiegel Sextet) ArtistShare (Jon Gordon) and Interplay Records (Cecilia Coleman Quintet) as well as numerous independent releases (Paul Carlon Octet, Sarah Lynch, Numinous).
http://www.davesmithtrumpet.com/

10:30PM: Alexis Cuadrado - Quinteto Ibérico
Alexis Cuadrado, bass; Jeremy Udden, sax; Brad Shepik, guitar; Dan Tepfer, piano; Richie Barshay, drums & percussion

Born in Barcelona and residing in Brooklyn, New York since 1999, Alexis Cuadrado is an active member of the city's jazz scene. Cuadrado has released three CDs as a leader: Puzzles (BJURecords 2008), Visual (Fresh Sound, 2004) and Metro (Fresh Sound, 2001). These recordings feature all-original compositions and have received rave reviews and enthusiastic reactions from fans around the globe.

As a composer, Cuadrado has worked in a large variety of contexts. In addition to writing for his working quintet, he has created pieces for jazz big band, saxophone quartet, string quartet and solo bass. He has also has scored two short films. Over thirty of his compositions can be heard on published recordings. Cuadrado's music aims to stretch the limits of form, meter, harmony, and improvisation all in the context of contemporary jazz.

Alexis Cuadrado is a co-founder of the Brooklyn Jazz Underground and BJURecords, a bandleader/composer collective that strives to promote originality and create awareness of innovative jazz artists from Brooklyn.
More info: http://www.alexiscuadrado.com/

Cover $10 per set/$15 for the whole night
Festival pass for three nights $35

The Brooklyn Jazz Underground is an association of independent artists with a shared commitment to creativity and community. Through cooperative efforts, the BJU aims to build a greater awareness of original music emerging from Brooklyn, NY.

"Consider this the opening shot in the latest revolution to hit New York's improv scene." - Time Out New York

"These days integrity counts for a lot. That's what keeps jazz relevant in a fragmented music industry. Musicians like Cuadrado and The Brooklyn Jazz Underground understand that it takes more than talent."
- NPR.org/music

THE BROOKLYN JAZZ UNDERGROUND SAMPLER, VOL. 4 Available NOW at http://brooklynjazz.bandcamp.com
http://www.brooklynjazz.org

Sat Mar 06
8:30PM THE 4TH ANNUAL BJU FESTIVAL
8:30PM: Adam Kolker Trio
Adam Kolker, saxophone; Ugonna Ukegwo, bass; Billy Mintz, drums
Adam Kolker (saxophones, clarinets, flutes) is a multi-talented performer, composer and arranger.He performed and recorded with latin-jazz artist Ray Barretto from 1994 through 2002 (with whom he received two Grammy nominations). He has also appeared with such groups as the Village Vanguard Orchestra, the Maria Schneider Big Band, Bruce Barth, Judi Silvano, David Berkman, Kenny Wheeler's Large Ensemble, Lucia Pulido, Alan Ferber's Nonet and many others. He has recorded with Bruce Barth, John Hebert, Peter Herborn, The Story, Ben Sher, Allan Chase, Bobby Previte, Gunther Schuller, Bruce Saunders, Frank Carlberg, and others. Adams first release as a leader, Crazybird, on A Records (with Tim Hagans, Kevin Hays, Jeff Ballard and Doug Weiss), reached the top ten on the CMJ Charts, and received critical acclaim from such publications as Jazz Times, JazzIz and the Village Voice. Other CDs include "Sultanic Verses" on SatchmoJazz Records (with Bruce Barth, Billy Hart, Ray Barretto and John Hebert), "Change Of Time" -- a trio comprised of Kolker, Russ Lossing and John Hebert , and performing music based on Bela Bartok's "Mikrokosmos" on OmniTone Records also received critical acclaim, including 4 1/2 stars in Downbeat Magazine. Meditacions," also on Satchmo and co-led with Catalan drummer Xavi Maureta, received the award for "Best Modern Jazz CD" from the Catalan Jazz Society in 2002. Adam's most recent CD is "Flag Day," with John Abercrombie, John Hebert and Paul Motian. It has received high acclaim (see reviews) from the New York Times, Jazz Times, Stereophile, Downbeat to name a few.
http://www.adamkolker.net/

9:45 PM: Sunny Jain
Sunny Jain, drums, percussion; Donny McCaslin, saophones; Marc Cary, piano; Gary Wang, bass

From the resounding hall of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, to the intimate setting of Smalls Jazz Club in New York City, to the thunderous applause of India's festival stages, Sunny Jain is an internationally respected drummer, composer and educator.
http://www.sunnyjain.com/

11 PM: Rob Garcia
"Rob Garcia wields his sticks like a quill, drumming like a discerning composer. Which he is." - Jeff Potter; Modern Drummer. On his third recording as a leader drummer/composer Rob Garcia delivers compelling originals and a modern version of Ray Noble's "Cherokee" (in thirteen!), that he has been hearing in his head for about ten years. Garcia, who has worked with a startling array of top jazz artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Joseph Jarman, Anat Cohen, Woody Allen, Brad Shepik, John Benitez, Chris Cheek, Joe Lovano, Myra Melford, Dave Binney, Ben Monder, Diana Krall, Reggie Workman, Bob Berg, Bill McHenry, Howard Johnson, Sonny Fortune, Bruce Barth, Wycliffe Gordon, Chris Potter, among others, is very much a musician confident in his intuition and highly attuned instinct, as evident in his powerfully engaging drum solos on the CD, and the fact that much of the music on Perennial was composed in a stream of consciousness way.

Garcia, who majored in psychology at NYU, and has studied yoga, meditation, holistic healing and spirituality, describes his creative aim and music's healing power, "music can go beyond the intellect and touch people on a very deep level," Rob explains, "I strive to integrate all the aspects of my being into everything I do." Naturally the music on Perennial is informed by the journey and exploration he has embarked on in these areas. The opener "Joe-Pye Weed" (a wild flower) uses a progression of pentatonics, giving it a country feel and "Seasons of Stone" reflects on the deep untouched elements of the human psyche. The title track is a cyclical tune that was written by "just getting my mind out of the way and letting things come", explains Garcia. "A Flower For Diana", and the entire recording, is dedicated to Garcia's late mother.

Perennial was born and raised in Brooklyn. The recording is a superb addition to the ever growing Brooklyn jazz canon and a new valuable piece of the multi-faceted soundtrack to this vibrant scene. It features Dan Tepfer (piano), Noah Preminger (tenor saxophone), Chris Lightcap (bass), Rob Garcia (drums, & piano on track 10)
http://www.robgarcia.com/

Cover $10 per set/$20 for the whole night
Festival pass for three nights $35

The Brooklyn Jazz Underground is an association of independent artists with a shared commitment to creativity and community. Through cooperative efforts, the BJU aims to build a greater awareness of original music emerging from Brooklyn, NY.

"Consider this the opening shot in the latest revolution to hit New York's improv scene." - Time Out New York

"These days integrity counts for a lot. That's what keeps jazz relevant in a fragmented music industry. Musicians like Cuadrado and The Brooklyn Jazz Underground understand that it takes more than talent."
- NPR.org/music

THE BROOKLYN JAZZ UNDERGROUND SAMPLER, VOL. 4 Available NOW at http://brooklynjazz.bandcamp.com
http://www.brooklynjazz.org

Sun Mar 07
8:30PM THE 4TH ANNUAL BJU FESTIVAL
8:30 PM:Alan Ferber Nonet
Performing music from his new Sunnyside Records CD, due out in April 2010
Alan Ferber - trombone Dave Smith, trumpet; Jon Gordon, alto sax; Dan Pratt, tenor sax; Adam Kolker, bass clarinet; Nate Radley, guitar; Dave Cook, piano; Alexis Cuadrado, bass; Quincy Davis, drums
Alan Ferber joins the new resurgence of talented young trombonists with vision and leadership." (Mark F. Turner, All About Jazz) Since moving to Brooklyn in 1999, Ferber (a Northern California native) has built a solid reputation both as a forward-thinking improviser and composer. It didn't take him long to catch the attention of renowned eight-string guitarist, Charlie Hunter. In 2001, Hunter asked him to join his Quintet with whom Ferber toured with for a year. Upon returning to NYC, Alan has rapidly become one of the city's most highly demanded sidemen. He played lead trombone in the U.S. premiere of the "Sweet Ruby Suite" with Kenny Wheeler and his Large Ensemble. He has performed extended engagements with the Lee Konitz Nonet, Don Byron's Large Ensemble, the Benny Wallace Nonet, and the John Hollenbeck Big Band in clubs ranging from The Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, Birdland, and Iridium. In addition, his compositions and arrangements have received awards from ASCAP and CAPA. Alan Ferber has two recordings as a leader. His most recent release on Fresh Sound New Talent (Alan Ferber Nonet, "Scenes From An Exit Row") has been described as "extremely uplifting, enlightening, and just plain gorgeous" by All About Jazz New York and graced many "Best new releases of 2005" lists. Featuring nine of New York City's most in-demand young players, Ferber's music brings out the strongest qualities of each band member and truly reflects the strength, energy and creativity of the city's current jazz scene. After playing regularly for six months at Smalls Jazz Club in Greenwich Village, the Alan Ferber Nonet went into the studio to record a follow-up record for Fresh Sound New Talent. Due for release in the Winter of 2007, the CD will be called "The Compass.
http://www.alanferber.com/

10 PM: Dan Pratt Organ Quartet
Performing music from their new Posi-Tone Records CD, Toe The Line, due out in March 2010
Dan Pratt, saxophone; Jared Gold , organ; Alan Ferber, trombone; Quincy Davis, drums

Dan Pratt has the rare talent of writing tunes that bring out the strongest qualities of himself and his sidemen. The result is a band whose communication is instinctive and whose unity is undeniable. A band fronted by sax and bone, heard through the filter of the classic rhythm section of Hammond B3 organ and drums, and just as modern today as it was in the days of Jimmy Smith and Larry Young. That band is DPOQ.
http://www.danpratt.com/

Cover $10 per set/$15 for the whole night
Festival pass for three nights $35

The Brooklyn Jazz Underground is an association of independent artists with a shared commitment to creativity and community. Through cooperative efforts, the BJU aims to build a greater awareness of original music emerging from Brooklyn, NY.

"Consider this the opening shot in the latest revolution to hit New York's improv scene." - Time Out New York

"These days integrity counts for a lot. That's what keeps jazz relevant in a fragmented music industry. Musicians like Cuadrado and The Brooklyn Jazz Underground understand that it takes more than talent."
- NPR.org/music

THE BROOKLYN JAZZ UNDERGROUND SAMPLER, VOL. 4 Available NOW at http://brooklynjazz.bandcamp.com
http://www.brooklynjazz.org

Mon Mar 08
8:30PM COMPOSERS COLLABORATIVE: SERIAL UNDERGROUND
(Ed Schmidt, theater; QUATTRO MANI: Alice Rybak; Susan Grace, piano; CYGNUS: Thelonius Griffin, rapper, baritone; Liana Stillman, soprano; Nehemiah Luckette, baritone; William Anderson, guitar)
Serial Underground, "the subversive nightclub series" (Time Out NY)
Allan Kozinn (New York Times) contextualizes CCi's monthly performances in the basement of the Cornelia Street Cafe - "... part of the ecology of urban night life." CCi artistic director, Jed Distler, curates the programs abetted by director Arnold Barkus and lighting designer David Lovett.
Tonight:
Another monologue written and performed by Ed Schmidt (theater). More info: http:// http://www.edschmidt.info

QUATTRO MANI play Celestial Mechanics by George Crumb (piano)
More info: http://http://http:/www.bridgerecords.com/management-page.php?artist=Quattro Mani

presents Rapproachment: Urban Hip Hop & the Classical Scene with Thelonius Griffin rapper, baritone. Liana Stillman, soprano, Nehemiah Luckette, baritone and William Anderson, guitar.

Box office: 212.663.1967 (advance purchase discount available)
Admission at the door: $15 + one drink minimum

Jed Distler, host. http://www.composerscollab.org

Spoken Word

 

Sat Mar 06
6:00PM THE LIAR SHOW
(DANIELA SCHILLER, The Moth GranSlam Finalist; BTK Band; CYNDI FREEMAN, "A gem." NYTheatre.com; CARTER EDWARDS, Upright Citizens Brigade; BRAD LAWRENCE, Monsters In The Wood)
Seek Truth. Get a T-Shirt.
4 Storytellers, 3 True Stories, 1 Pack of Lies.

Uncover the liar and win a prize worth its weight in fool's gold.

Andy Christie. Cover $15

Sun Mar 07
6:00PM THE FORBIDDEN EXPERIMENT: CAN CULTURE EMERGE FROM SCRATCH?
(Ofer Tchernichovski, biologist; Deborah Latz, singer; Daniela Schaechter, piano; Oleg Osenkov, bass; Elisabeth Keledjian, drums)
The forbidden experiment: Can culture emerge from scratch?"
Ofer Tchernichovski, Professor of Biology at CUNY, has been performing multi-generational experiments with songbirds. He writes:

"What would happen if human infants were raised in an isolated environment without any exposure to human culture? What would happen if we let such a naive colony evolve over generations? We performed the analog experiment with songbirds. Songbirds learn to sing by imitating their parents and neighbors, and different colonies vary in their song culture. Without exposure to parents and neighbors, birds develop abnormal songs. We performed a multi-generational experiment, and discovered that abnormal isolate songs evolve into normal songs within 3 to 4 generations. How does this happen, and what are the implications for human culture?"

Deborah Latz is one of Cornelia Street's favorite songbirds. She sings in English, French and German, and these different languages and musical cultures inform her art. She has just returned from a European tour, where she played in Paris with legendary pianist Alain Jean-Marie, and in Livorno at Jazz Club Il Paradosso. Critics have called her "one of the finest balladeers of our time" (Jazz Society Of Oregon) and "undeniably unique" (jazzimprov.com). AllAboutJazz-NewYork says, "Her free vocal line is clear and perfectly centered. Her technical facility is most evident, however, when she sustains a pitch at a pianissimo for several measures". She exemplifies the handing down of various musical and linguistic traditions, through iconic figures such as Marlene Dietrich and Edith Piaf to the legendary composers who contributed to the great American Songbook.
Roald Hoffmann, Diana Reiss, hosts. Cover $10

CORNELIA STREET CAFÉ
29 Cornelia Street, NYC, New York 212-989-9319
http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com
between West 4th and Bleecker Sts, Greenwich Village
1 Subway to Sheridan Square; A, C, E, B, D, V, F to West 4th St.