JUERGEN FRIEDRICH & More Play Cornelia Street Cafe This Weekend

Music This Weekend At Cornelia Street Café Fri-Sat Oct 15-16 9:00PM & 10:30PM

JUERGEN FRIEDRICH, JOHN HÉBERT, TONY MORENO, WITH SPECIAL GUEST: BEN MONDER
(Juergen Friedrich, piano; John Hébert, bass; Tony Moreno, drums; Ben Monder, guitar)

When Juergen Friedrich was in New York in 1998 to receive the Gil Evans prize, he met John Hébert and Tony Moreno at a session and between the three of them they hit it off so well musically that they decided immediately to record a CD together. Since then Juergen Friedrich, who lives in Cologne and has since become a professor of piano in Hamburg, and the two Americans who are much in demand in the New York scene among many different musical partners (from Uri Caine to Ravi Coltrane) meet each other at least once a year to go on tour and make recordings.
"It is fabulous what the pianist Jürgen Friedrich achieves on this Trio-CD. ... 'Seismo' is an almost painfully sensitive meeting, with indications being sufficient on many occasions in order to disclose fragile beauty which is possible by a combination of a piano, drums and bass." Jazzthing, Germany

"There's an alluring sense of discovery about the trio of Friedrich (piano), John Hébert (bass) and Tony Moreno (drums). The group, a serendipitous accident, continues its exciting chemistry on this second Pirouet album ..." Ray Comiskey, The Irish Times)

Ben Monder studied music at Queens College and the University of Miami. After returning to New York in 1984, he spent most of his time working with R&B and wedding bands and practicing jazz in his room. His big break came in 1986 when Jack McDuff called him (personally!) to join his band "The Heatin' System" for some extended road trips to the Midwest and West Coast. It was during this period that Ben developed an unprecedented tolerance for alchohol and had his first experience of being yelled at on the bandstand. He parted amenably from the McDuff aggregation (although Jack has departed this world still owing him $75 for the last gig) for an opportunity to perform in Vienna, home to many of his musical heroes, with a "fusion" unit. It was thrilling to solo over extended 1 chord vamps and eat wiener schnitzel, knowing that the ghosts of Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert could be sitting just an arm's length away! He returned to the States a man of the world and, although it was 6 years before he would return to Europe to perform, began to play more and more "jazz gigs" around New York. A regular gig at the renowned club "Augies" proved important to his development, as well as providing free wine and chicken soup. However, his unothodox approach and sullen demeanor so alienated the perpetually besotted owner that after a year he was barred from ever playing there again, with anybody. It was around this time that the Hasidic drummer/vocalist Yitzhak Bitton started calling him for duo gigs in a Crown Heights hotel basement. Some highlights from the next couple of years include a winter playing lifelike renditions of Louis Prima numbers, Italian Rhumbas, and Disco medleys 4 nights a week with a lounge band at the Glen Island Casino. Ben fondly remembers the high point of each night being his feature on Donna Summer's "Bad Girl." In 1990 or ‘91 he recorded the critically ambiguous "Right Brain Patrol," a date led by the enigmatic yet diatonically leaning bassist, Marc Johnson. Subsequent tours led to greater visibility for the young Monder, yet the exposure to the constant anti-semitic diatribes of the percussionist proved stressful to his sensitive constitution. Anyway, our hero was soon fired. Some other famous people he's played with are Paul Motian, Lee Konitz, Toots Theilemanns, and Dave Liebman. He has played on over 90 CDs as a sideman and has 4 of his own.
Cover $10 http://www.pirouetrecords.com

Sun Oct 17th 8:30PM
Jane Ira Bloom TRIO
(Jane Ira Bloom, soprano sax & live electronics; Mark Helias, bass; Bobby Previte, drums)

Soprano saxophonist/composer and former NASA artist Jane Ira Bloom brings her trio to Cornelia Street with long-time bandmates bassist Mark Helias and drummer Bobby Previte. They recorded over the summer and will play compositions from Bloom's latest "Wingwalker" project that jetison the band into zero-g and beyond. Don't miss these seasoned sonic explorers as they navigate the space ways.
"A powerful trio of fearless jazz explorers...who share a commitment to beauty and adventure, Bob Blumenthal

"Bloom is a jazz wizard" George Kanzler, Hothouse

"Bloom tries to capture in music the poetry she imagines of soaring in space." Fred Bouchard
Cover $10 http://www.janeirabloom.com

Mon Oct 18
8:30PM MORRISON MOTEL
(Ted Alexandro; Amy Schumer; Hannibal Buress; Matt McCarthy; Liz Miele; Andy Pitz; Zero Boy, vocal acrobat)
Almost seven years running as "one of the city's best alt-comedy shows" - The NY Post This month's Motel comedians include: Ted Alexandro - "Late Show with David Letterman", "Late Night with Conan O'Brien", 2 "Comedy Central Presents" half-hour specials, Montreal Comedy Festival.
Amy Schumer - "Last Comic Standing", "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon", "Curb Your Enthusiasm", "30 Rock", co-hosts "A Different Spin" on FUSE.

Hannibal Buress - "Live at Gotham", 2010 ECNY Best Male Comedian, "The Awkward Kings of Comedy", current writer for Saturday Night Live.

Matt McCarthy - "Live at Gotham", "John Oliver's New York Stand Up Show", hosts "Action Pack" on AMC, new CD out: "Come Clean".

Liz Miele - "Late Night with Conan O'Brien", "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart", "Live at Gotham", NY and Boston Comedy Festivals.

Andy Pitz - "Late Night with David Letterman", "Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson", tours nationally and internationally, CD: "Believe You Me".

Zero Boy - Vocal acrobat uses a unique blend of voice and mime, NPR's "The Next Big Thing", Burning Man & Howl Festivals.

$10 door, $7 item minimum, cast subject to change.
John Morrison, Host.