05/18 - Friday :: Cameron Brown's Dannie's Calypso

Russ Johnson (Trumpet)

Jason Rigby (Saxophone)

Lisa Parrot (Saxophone)

Cameron Brown (Bass)

Tony Jefferson (Drums)

An evening of homage to Cameron Brown's friend and band mate - the late, great drummer, Dannie Richmond, whose work with, and faultless knowledge of leader Charles Mingus's complex arrangements remains essential to the history of post-war jazz.

Jazz bassist, composer and educator Cameron Brown began his career in the 60s, recording in Europe with George Russell and Don Cherry, who remain life-long influences and inspirations. Mr. Brown anchored some of the most important groups of the 70s-90s, with Sheila Jordan, Roswell Rudd, Archie Shepp and Beaver Harris. He has enjoyed special relationships with master drummers: Art Blakey, Dannie Richmond, Philly Joe Jones, Edward Blackwell, Idris Muhammad and Joe Chambers.

In 1979, Brown joined saxophonist George Adams, pianist Don Pullen and drummer Dannie Richmond to form the George Adams-Don Pullen Quartet. For 8½ years, until Richmond's untimely death, Brown filled the bass chair with these core musicians from Charles Mingus's last great band. Says Cameron, "It was the band of my lifetime. I loved Don. I really felt like Pullen was genius, and to be standing next to Dannie Richmond every night was the ultimate graduate school."

Synopsis: Living the Falcon is the story of The Falcon, an eclectic hot spot for music in the Hudson Valley. With its motto, "Support Living Artists," owner Tony Falco supports performers with a donation box, setting a new standard for intimate music venues.

Living the Falcon was finalist in the Elli Jaffe Film Competition presented by the Gillespie Forum. The competition recognized films that addressed public issues. A 15-minute version of the documentary screened at Upstate Films in Rhinebeck on May 13.

About the filmmakers: Jon O'Sullivan and Ryan Rivard are upcoming graduates of Marist College (Class of 2012). O'Sullivan and Rivard began production on the documentary in October 2011 as part of their thesis project. They have collaborated on four short film in the last three years, including "Maybe Tomorrow," winner of the Audience Choice Award at the 2011 Sleepless in Lake Placid film competition. The filmmaking duo recently received the Distinguished Service Award for Communications and the Arts at Marist, and have completed work on a narrative short film, "The Arsonist's Affair," that received eight awards at the college's film festival, including Best Film.

05/19 - Saturday :: Chris Bergson Band

Website :: www.ChrisBergson.com

With MOJO Magazine's #1 Blues Album of 2008, Fall Changes, and #2 Blues Album of 2011, Imitate the Sun, New York guitarist/singer Chris Bergson has established himself as "one of the most inventive songwriters in modern blues music." (Richard Skelly, All Music Guide), creating his own blend of blues, roots and soul.

"Bergson is the real deal...reminiscent of The Band at their best...high octane funk...wonderful stuff indeed!" - Blues In The Northwest

"A powerful spirit with flavours of Ray Charles and Tom Waits... These guys could strip down the engine of a soulbluesmobile and put it back together blindfold." - MOJO

"Outstanding. Deeply soulful vocals and dynamic fretwork." - Blues In Britain

"Chris Bergson plays the kind of guitar you can build a house on - it's B.B. meets Steve Cropper meets John Scofield." - ROLL Magazine

"Upon first hearing guitar man Chris Bergson and his gravely southern drawl, which is a combination of Levon Helm and Gregg Allman, you can hardly believe this guy is from New York City. Imitate the Sun displays an artist dedicated to bringing blues and classic R&B into the future while honoring the past." - No Depression.com

"Ten helpings of satisfying blue-eyed soul, sad bastard storytelling, and tasty ensemble textures - where Bergson's voice, then guitar, prove to be both wise leaders, and worthy centers of attention...Bergson's lower-pitched tenor tends to emphasize taste and ornament over range, and his semi-hollow Gibson tones put him between the late Little Milton and Warren Haynes's current sound du jour..." - Jambands.com

This show will feature organist/tenor saxophonist Craig Dreyer (Keith Richards), bassist Ben Rubin (Marshall Crenshaw) and drummer Tony Mason (Charlie Hunter).

Born in New York City but raised in Somerville, Massachusetts, Chris Bergson returned to Manhattan in 1995. While backing jazz singers Annie Ross, Dena DeRose, Sasha Dobson and Norah Jones, he released Blues for Some Friends of Mine and Wait for Spring on Juniper Records in 1997 and 2000, respectively. In 2002 Bergson was appointed a Jazz Ambassador of the USA by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and he toured Africa with his trio. Evolving to further embrace the blues while also adding pop influences, he followed up with Blues (2003), Another Day (2005) and his triumphant artistic breakthrough, the widely acclaimed Fall Changes (2007) -- MOJO’s #1 Blues Album of 2008 -- that established him as an eloquent, evocative and lyrical songwriter with a sharp urban vision. Recorded at Levon Helm’s Woodstock studio, it led to Bergson being personally invited to perform at the famed drummer’s Midnight Rambles while opening the way for more stateside festivals and subsequent tours of Europe. The Chris Bergson Band's latest CD Imitate the Sun was named MOJO's #2 Blues Album of 2011. Bergson has performed and/or shared the stage with Hubert Sumlin, Levon Helm, Norah Jones, John Hammond, Little Sammy Davis, Etta James, Bettye LaVette, Annie Ross, Al Foster, and Matt Wilson, to name just a few.

Website: www.TheTresAmigos.BandCamp.com

Fresh off a 14-state, cross-country tour, The Tres Amigos are one of New York City's hottest folk acts, presenting high-energy original music and forgotten gems in bold, acrobatic performances. Behind those matching mariachi shirts are virtuosic musicians and songwriters, delivering the goods in sunny three-part harmony, with all the vibe of your uncle’s old ‘45’s. The average Tres Amigos performance careens effortlessly from bluegrass, to country, to early jazz, with a tinge of latin influence thrown in— a testament to the diverse and interconnected origins of American music.

Recent performances include a 3-night run at The Blue Note in NYC, the 1st annual Rockabilly Mountain Meltdown festival in Olean New York, the Blue Plate Special Radio Show in Knoxville TN, Ashkenaz in Berkeley CA and all sorts of festivals, BBQ joints, radio stations, dive bars, and retirement communities in between. The Tres Amigos are promoting their first CD, entitled "The Tres Amigos Sampler Platter."

Hailing from the rolling hills of North Carolina, vocalist/guitarist Justin Poindexter is the descendent of a long line of country singers. His songs and guitar pickin’ have been featured in award-winning films and albums, and in hundreds of venues from Georgia roadhouses to Lincoln Center in New York City. Justin is the recipient of numerous grants for his music research and composition, including grants from the Semans’ Art Fund and the Howard Hanson Institute for American Music.

Vocalist/accordionist Sam Reider is to The Tres Amigos what the green chili is to the tamale. His wild and constantly surprising playing has been lighting up stages all across the country. Raised in the musical hotbed of San Francisco, Sam's voice and keyboard stylings have been featured on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz on National Public Radio and in a variety of touring bands and orchestras.

An alumni of the North Carolina School of the Arts and the Juilliard School, vocalist/saxophonist/percussionist Eddie Ray Barbash is the virtuosic fuel of The Tres Amigos machine. Winner of many awards for saxophone performance, Eddie Ray has performed in festivals all over the world including New Orleans’ Jazz Fest and the Monterey Jazz Festival. In his duel role as percussionist, Eddie wields the stradivarius of washboards, the Zinc King.

05/20 - Sunday Brunch :: 10-2 :: Classy Duo

05/24 - Thursday :: Tillery with Rebecca Martin, Gretchen Parlato and Becca Stevens.

Website: www.TilleryGals.com

Individually, Rebecca Martin, Gretchen Parlato and Becca Stevens are three of New York’s most acclaimed and respected vocalist/songwriters. Together, as Tillery, they’re a potent collective force that’s more than the sum of its already formidable parts.

The threesome’s seamless creative chemistry and organic personal rapport makes for a powerful collaboration that’s been wowing live audiences since the trio first joined forces in 2010. United equally by an abiding friendship and a mutual admiration for one another’s talents, Tillery finds these three unmistakable individuals converging into a distinctive and deeply compelling whole.

05/25 - Friday :: The Tres Amigos Spring Extravaganza with Jonathan Baptist and Jesse Scheinin

Website: www.TheTresAmigos.BandCamp.com

Fresh off a 14-state, cross-country tour, The Tres Amigos are one of New York City's hottest folk acts, presenting high-energy original music and forgotten gems in bold, acrobatic performances. Behind those matching mariachi shirts are virtuosic musicians and songwriters, delivering the goods in sunny three-part harmony, with all the vibe of your uncle’s old ‘45’s. The average Tres Amigos performance careens effortlessly from bluegrass, to country, to early jazz, with a tinge of latin influence thrown in— a testament to the diverse and interconnected origins of American music.

Recent performances include a 3-night run at The Blue Note in NYC, the 1st annual Rockabilly Mountain Meltdown festival in Olean New York, the Blue Plate Special Radio Show in Knoxville TN, Ashkenaz in Berkeley CA and all sorts of festivals, BBQ joints, radio stations, dive bars, and retirement communities in between. The Tres Amigos are promoting their first CD, entitled "The Tres Amigos Sampler Platter."

Hailing from the rolling hills of North Carolina, vocalist/guitarist Justin Poindexter is the descendent of a long line of country singers. His songs and guitar pickin’ have been featured in award-winning films and albums, and in hundreds of venues from Georgia roadhouses to Lincoln Center in New York City. Justin is the recipient of numerous grants for his music research and composition, including grants from the Semans’ Art Fund and the Howard Hanson Institute for American Music.

Vocalist/accordionist Sam Reider is to The Tres Amigos what the green chili is to the tamale. His wild and constantly surprising playing has been lighting up stages all across the country. Raised in the musical hotbed of San Francisco, Sam's voice and keyboard stylings have been featured on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz on National Public Radio and in a variety of touring bands and orchestras.

An alumni of the North Carolina School of the Arts and the Juilliard School, vocalist/saxophonist/percussionist Eddie Ray Barbash is the virtuosic fuel of The Tres Amigos machine. Winner of many awards for saxophone performance, Eddie Ray has performed in festivals all over the world including New Orleans’ Jazz Fest and the Monterey Jazz Festival. In his duel role as percussionist, Eddie wields the stradivarius of washboards, the Zinc King.

Website: www.JonathanBatiste.com

Jonathan Batiste is an iconic artist, unique in this generation. With his voice on piano and dapper sense of style, he has ignited the NYC music scene. He is from a celebrated lineage of musicians. He has performed in over 40 countries, has appeared in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Concertgebouw, has released several CD’s, among them “Times In New Orleans”, “Live In New York: At The Rubin Museum Of Art”, and “MY N.Y.”, and EP’s “The Amazing Jon Batiste EP” and “In The Night EP”. On T.V. he has been featured in the NBA All-Star Game Half-Time Show 2008, the HBO series “Treme”, and BET. He has collaborated with Wynton Marsalis, Prince, Jimmy Buffett, Harry Connick Jr, Roy Hargrove, Cassandra Wilson, The Gilt Groupe fashion line, and filmmaker Spike Lee among others. He is a “Movado Future Legend” award recipient and a “Steinway Performing Artist”.

Website: www.JesseScheinin.com

The Jesse Scheinin Band is creating something new. Made up of musicians from around the world, the band makes music that is equal parts jubilant and nostalgic, Stevie Wonder and Sigur Ros. ''There are a lot of talented kids out there, but there’s something special about [Jesse] that goes beyond what he’s playing on the saxophone,” were the words of renowned tenor sax player Joshua Redman, spoken while Jesse was still in high school.

Jesse had toured internationally before his 17th birthday. Upon entering Berklee College of Music, in Boston, Jesse became part of an eclectic scene, which included bluegrass musicians, songwriters, rock bands, and jazz players.

With all these sounds filling his ears, Jesse went looking for a style that would represent his full identity. In addition to playing sax, he began to write songs and sing.

He gathered a group of his friends, whom he had met at Berklee, to play the new music: Takeshi Ohbayashi, a pianist from Japan; Vishal Nayak, a drummer from India; Kenji Herbert, a Austrian/Japanese guitarist; and Joshua Hari, a bassist born in Mexico and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Having now performed at venues including Yoshi’s Jazz Club in Oakland, the Kuumbwa Jazz Center, and Club Passim in Cambridge, as well as at college house parties and high school workshops, The Jesse Scheinin Band is becoming a unique force.

Their performances inspire and engage audiences. They are a celebration of the joy of music.

05/26 - Saturday :: Pilc, Moutin & Hoenig

Jean-Michel Pilc (Piano)

Francois Moutin (Bass)

Ari Hoenig (Drums)

Jean-Michel Pilc's desire to expand his musical experience brought him to New York City in 1995. There, he formed a trio with Francois Moutin (bass) and Ari Hoenig (drums). Soon, they were performing in most jazz venues in NYC, including: Blue Note, Birdland, Knitting Factory and Sweet Basil. 

They recorded a one week engagement at Sweet Basil and, in 2000, released 2 CDs "Together - Live at Sweet Basil, NYC - Vol. 1 & 2" which received an exceptional critical acclaim in the US and in Europe. Pilc then signed a multirecord deal with Dreyfus Jazz. The trio's first album for Dreyfus, Welcome Home, was released beginning of 2002 and got rave reviews from the press, lots of airplay as well as high sales figures.

The trio quickly acquired a brilliant reputation on the international scene. In 2002 alone, they did a 5 week tour for the release of Welcome Home, followed by a 4 week fall tour of 7 European countries. They performed in numerous festivals & venues around the world (NYC, Philly, DC, Chicago, Boston, Montreal, North Sea, Tokyo, Juan, Marciac, Brazil, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, UK, Italy, Ireland, etc...).

Pilc's next album for Dreyfus, Cardinal Points, released in 2003, featured the same trio in the extended work Trio Sonata, created with generous support from  Chamber Music America's New Works: Creation and Presentation Program, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. JazzTimes said the album "should be studied in every music school in the galaxy..." choosing the CD as one of Top 50 Picks for Critics Picks 2003; and a four Star "Hot Box" review in Down Beat said it's "...ridiculously well-balanced, and trading in the kind of grace that still has the power to shake a room." 

The trio temporarily disbanded from international touring in 2004 with its members pursuing recording and performing careers of their own.  During that time, Hoenig also signed to Dreyfus Records as a leader and recorded 5 band CDs and a DVD (3 of them featuring Pilc). Moutin continued to record and tour intensively with the Moutin Reunion Quartet. Pilc released 4 more solo and trio CDs as a leader on the Dreyfus label, as well as a documentary about his life and music. He also joined NYU Jazz Faculty in 2006, while still touring internationally.     

     Now they are back together again as a new and powerful unit bearing their three names "Pilc Moutin Hoenig", combining their experiences with new found language, creativity and passion. Their first record under the collective name is "Threedom" (Motéma, 2011)

Photo taken at The Falcon by: Jim Rice

05/27 - Sunday :: The Saints' Swing Dance Night!

Website :: www.SaintsofSwing.com

Dance Instruction by Chester & Linda Freemen :: www.Got2Lindy.com dance lesson begins at 7pm

The Saints of Swing are an extraordinary collective of some of the tri-state area's finest performers. Providing a fresh and exciting experience in art and entertainment, the Saints of Swing specialize in eclectic and electric selections of foot-tappin' Swing classics... Hot N' Cool Jazz served up however you like it - from spicy New Orleans Dixieland style (complete with a dancin' tuba player!) to elegant New York City sizzlers... Motown, R&B... Ballroom favorites... and even 1,000,000-watt Gospel, Latin, and Klezmer classics!

05/31 - Thursday :: Jim Campilongo Electric Trio

Jim Campilongo (guitar)

Stephan Crump (bass)

Shawn Pelton (drums) (of the SNL Band)

Billboard Magazine calls Jim Campilongo, “an American treasure”, an accolade this guitarist’s artistry and influential career has richly earned him.

With nine albums of original material and guest appearances on dozens of recordings; from the Bammie-winner’s contribution on Cake’s million-selling “Prolonging the Magic” to (most recently) doing lead guitar duties with Martha Wainwright, Teddy Thompson and The Little Willies, his band with Norah Jones, He’s also had repeat appearances on David Letterman, Conan O'Brien and been interviewed on many major radio shows. Campilongo is also a published guitar teacher and contributing editor for Guitar Player Magazine. Campilongo’s virtuosity and originality has inspired a generation of guitar players. His songwriting uses a palette of the best in Blues, Country, Jazz and Rock with a sensitivity and wit that has also earned him the broad fan base most instrumental guitarist never enjoy.

In 2010 Fender Guitars bestowed Jim the honor of the Campilongo Signature Telecaster, a high quality instrument made by Fender’s elite Custom Shop.

Since 2005 the Jim Campilongo Electric Trio have performed every Monday at NYC’s Living Room. Time Out NYC recommended as “one of the city’s strongest” and “...Monday night means Jim Campilongo..."

Last Thursday of every month residency!

Website: www.Myspace.com/KyleMillerBlues

Kyle Miller began playing the guitar several years ago and began playing harmonica soon after that. "After cutting my teeth on classic rock and the like I discovered folk and blues music. The discovery opened up my eyes to what I consider the bedrock of american music: folk, blues, rock n' roll, and country. My interest in those genres would ultimately lead to my many attempts at writing my own songs. In 2008, I released an album of original songs entitled "Better Off." Since that disc I have continued to write songs but have not compiled another disc. I hope to do so soon and I also hope to put a band together of like minded, capable musicians. This search is proving difficult however. I have also been continuing to perform in order to develop my own distinct style as both writer and performer."

06/01 - Friday :: Dave Liebman Group

Dave Liebman (Saxophone)

Vic Juris (Guitar)

Tony Marino (Bass)

Marko Marcinko (Drums)

"Liebman is among the most important saxophonists in contemporary music . . . a leader and artist of integrity and independent direction." Downbeat Magazine

David Liebman is considered a renaissance man in contemporary music with a career stretching over forty years. He has played with many of the masters including Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, McCoy Tyner and others; authored books and instructional DVDs which are acknowledged as classics in the jazz field; recorded as a leader in styles ranging from classical to rock to free jazz; founded the International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ); a multiple Grammy nominee; inducted into the International Association of Jazz Educator's Hall of Fame; the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from the Sibelius Academy (Helsinki, Finland) and accolades listed above. He has been featured on several hundred recordings with over 100 as a leader/co-leader featuring several hundred original compositions.

06/02 - Friday :: Jay Collins & the Kings County Band

Photo by Jim Rice

Jay's www.JayCollinsBand.com

New York City horn-player, singer, and songwriter, Jay Collins learned his craft on the job. A professional since the age of 18, Jay is known for his saxophone and flute work with many artists including Gregg Allman & Allman Brothers Band (rock icons), Jacky Terrasson (jazz pianist), Bobby Sanabria (latin jazz), James Hunter (soul/blues), Andrew Hill (jazz legend), Levon Helm (of The Band), and the late LeRoy Vinnegar (jazz bassist).

Jay's rough and gritty voice serves him well when performing his own blues influenced songs, and he has developed thru years of work into a formidable band-leader and performer of his own music. "His soulful 'croak' deserves to be heard." says Timeout NY.

Jay Collins and the Kings County Band Band is a 6-member combo that uses New Orleans-style funk, classic jazz, rock, and blues to create a powerful brew of original music.

www.JimHayesBand.com

Jim Hayes is a singer/songwriter whose emotionally and politically charged music is meant to provoke and inspire the listeners to reflect deeply on what is really going on in our hearts and minds today. Jim uses his powerful voice and foot-tapping rhythms to bring his audience along with him as he sings of the longing for connection in a fragmented society.

Jim grew up in NJ but at a very young age became fascinated with the multi-cultural landscape of NYC. He felt NYC was itself an expression of co-existence and this fueled his social-political lyrics. Musically he is drawn to the blues masters such as John Lee Hooker and Ray Charles and lyricists like Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison and Tom Waits. Over the last several years he has opened for Leon Russell and played at such venues as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Hard Rock Café (NYC), and Starland Ballroom (NJ).

In the early 90s he played the East Coast rock scene and is now returning to his acoustic roots; a mix of blues, jazz, rock, folk and soul. He formed The Jim Hayes Band in the winter of 2011. They just released their first album, “When Your Time Comes,” which includes back up singer Kelly Hancock, drummer Tom Parsells and bassist Helena Holmes. From danceable songs such as the title track When Your Time Comes to the haunting Dylanesque solo track True Name. This album showcases The Jim Hayes Band’s ability to have fun and entertain while still speaking of the concerns in our society today.

06/07 - Thursday :: Akie B. & The Falcons ~ House Band!

The Falcon's House Band!

Mr. Bermiss is a Brooklyn native reared by former-activists in a musical household full of jazz and politics. He began singing in church, moved it to school for a while, and then took it up as a career. He flirted with going professional in high school but gave it up in the hopes of becoming a better musician. It was at bard, in 2001, that he began to seriously study piano. Under the auspices of John Esposito, Erica Lindsay, and the composers George Tsontakis and Kyle Gann, Mr. Bermiss began experimenting with form and function in music. He works as a jazz pianist and singer, teacher, and freelance journalist. Aside from singing and playing, Mr. Bermiss is a composer (with pieces played by the American Symphony Orchestra and the Colorado String Quartet) and children’s book author (”I Hate to Be Sick” — out on Scholastic). He is a shameless blogger, a lover of science fiction, a huge fan of criollo cigars and takes his bourbon: neat. Photo by Chris Owyoung.

06/08 - Friday :: Playing in Traffic

Steve Swallow (bass)

A significant jazz composer and a distinctively lyrical bassist, Steve Swallow has had a notably wide-ranging career, from early work on acoustic bass to his innovative use of the electric bass. His compelling compositions bridge the genres of jazz and rock. Steve Swallow has placed first in the Downbeat International Critics Poll since 1983 (electric bass), in the Downbeat Readers Poll since 1985, and has won the Jazz Times poll (electric bass) several times recently.

Swallow has long been many jazz critics' favorite electric bassist, for rather than playing his instrument in a rock-oriented manner, Swallow emphasizes the high notes and approaches the electric bass, to an extent, as if it were a guitar. He originally started on piano and trumpet before settling on the acoustic bass as a teenager. Swallow joined the Paul Bley trio in 1960 and with Bley was a part of an avant-garde version of the Jimmy Giuffre 3 during 1960-1962. Swallow recorded with George Russell and was a member of Art Farmer's quartet (1962-1965), Stan Getz's band (1965-1967), and an important edition of Gary Burton's quartet (1967-1970). The latter group (starting with the addition of guitarist Larry Coryell) was actually one of the first fusion groups, and it was during that time that Swallow began playing electric bass; within a few years he stopped playing acoustic altogether. Swallow spent a few years in the early '70s living in northern California during which time he mostly playing locally. After the late '70s he has been closely associated with Carla Bley's groups, although he occasionally works on other projects (including a reunion of the Jimmy Giuffre 3).

Ohad Talmor (Saxophone)

Now American, Ohad is originally from Israel but grew up in Switzerland and is long time Brooklyn NY resident. He plays regularly with his own project; NEWSREEL – a flexible group mirroring his multi-faceted musical identity and which features some of New York’s most creative musicians: Dan Weiss, Jacob Sacks, Miles Okazaki, Shane Endsley and Matt Pavolka. Talmor’s other projects include the Steve Swallow Trio (featuring Adam Nussbaum) and Mass Transformation – a Nonet featuring Austria’s Spring String 4tet, singer Judith Berkson, Pete McCann, Shane Endsley, Mark Ferber focusing on the Music of Anton Bruckner.

Talmor has also played with musicians such as Jason Moran, Josh Redman, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Chris Cheek, Dave Douglas, Carla Bley, Paul Motian, Joe Lovano, Chris Potter, Billy Hart and many others, most of whom do not have major recording contracts, which is just as well. Talmor has a privileged relationship with his old friend and mentor Lee Konitz, with whom he co-leads three projects: the Lee Konitz New Nonet, the Konitz-Talmor String Project and the Konitz-Talmor Big Band.

As a Composer and Arranger, Talmor is equally involved in writing for Jazz and Classical idioms. His music has been performed by various Jazz ensembles all over the world, including: Portugal's OJM Big Band, Switzerland’s Big Band de Lausanne, Brazil’s SoundScape Orquestra, the Brecker Brothers, Steve Swallow 6tet “L’histoire du Clochard” or Belgium’s Bruxelles Jazz Orchestra. His contributions in the Classical idiom include music for pianist Martha Argerich, Sao Paulo's Symphonic Band, the Spring String Quartet from Austria or Portugal National Orchestra. Ohad's latest Composition is a Concerto for Piano/Drums and Double Orchestras premiered in February 2010 by the Porto National Orchestra, the OJM Big Band and Jason Moran and Dan Weiss as featured soloists. Ohad Talmor holds a Composition Degree from the Manhattan School of Music, now deeply buried in a trunk in his basement. Everyday, Ohad spends a considerable* amount of time playing and studying the bansuri (Indian bamboo flute).

Adamn Nussbaum (drums)

Adam Nussbaum is a very versatile drummer who generally plays in advanced settings, Adam Nussbaum is considered a major asset no matter where he appears and one of the finest jazz drummers of the 1990s. Although he started on piano, bass and alto, he eventually settled on drums.

Nussbaum studied at the Davis Center and City College of New York, and by 1978 was making a strong impression in the jazz world, playing regularly with both Dave Liebman and John Scofield (1978-83). Other important associations through the years include Stan Getz (1982-83), Gil Evans, the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band, Gary Burton, Steve Swallow, Michael Brecker, Don Grolnick, James Moody, Sonny Rollins, Art Pepper, Joe Henderson, John Abercrombie, Sheila Jordan, Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz, NHØP and Charles Lloyd, along with countless others.

Photo by Jim Rice

06/09 - Saturday :: Alexis P. Suter Band

Photo by Jim Rice

Website: www.AlexisPSuter.com

Alexis P. Suter is a rising star on the roots, blues and soul scene. Her powerful bass/baritone voice, seasoned with raw emotion and a wide streak of attitude, has won the praise of the greats!

"She is one of those wonderful spirits, she's got her arms around you, you can feel that." - Levon Helm

"It's a rare thing to share the stage with great talent like that young lady." - B.B. King

"America’s number one contender for the new Queen of the Blues Alexis P. Suter!" - Dan Aykroyd

A true vocal phenomenon, Suter has been astounding audiences up and down the east coast for the past few years, backed by her tight, soul-rocking ensemble. The band is anchored by Ray Grappone’s solid, funky beats and Peter Bennett on bass. Guitarist Jimmy Bennett plays stinging guitar, Benny Harrison adds his passionate keyboard wizardry and soulful singers Vicki Bell, Glenn Turner and Linda Pino ramp up the intensity that has captured the attention of some of the best players around.

The Alexis P. Suter Band have had the honor of opening the show at the acclaimed Levon Helm Midnight Ramble Sessions in Woodstock, NY over 80 times. The APS band have also performed at festivals including the Pocono Blues Fest, The Mississippi Valley Blues Fest, The WC Handy Blues BBQ, Virginia Blues and Jazz Fest and the New York State Blues Fest among many others. Along with The Levon Helm Band, they played sold-out shows at the Beacon Theater in New York City, Bethel Woods Center For The Arts, The Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ and Central Park’s Summerstage.

Recently, Alexis and the band were the guest musical performers on the Imus In The Morning show, aired nationally on WABC Radio and RFD TV. Their song “Ride Ride” is currently being featured on a national commercial for howstuffworks.com. In February, they headlined at BB King’s in New York to a sold out crowd. The APSB had the honor and pleasure of touring the Piedmont region of Italy as part of “Blues Al Femminile”. At the 2009 New York State Blues Fest, the APSB were honored to perform with Mr. Dan Aykroyd.

Website: www.MikeMizwinski.com

MiZ is a soulful, rock-Americana artist from central Pennsylvania whose music is influenced primarily by of Bob Dylan, Ryan Adams and The Cardinals,The Black Crowes, Ray LaMontagne, The Allman Brothers and Tony Rice. His sound is directly impacted by the coal mining region of northeast Pennsylvania and the songs evoke the rustic tones and imagery you would expect from the region and it's cultural heritage. The singer / songwriter / guitarist Mike Mizwinski gives name to the band and his solo work and it is his heart and soul-- poured into the words and his guitar-- that drives it all forward, bouncing between the living memory of his childhood in the middle of nowhere PA and the New York City music scene that has become his second home.

Mike is know as an acoustic and electric guitar virtuoso who's catalogue of original material crosses over several genres. In the last year Mike has opened for Derek Trucks Band, Blues Traveler, Shawn Colvin, Leon Russell, Railroad Earth and many more. He has been invited to sit in with artists such as Merl Saunders, Jackie Greene and Umphrey's McGee and has played venues like the Troubadour in LA, BB King's & Brooklyn Bowl NYC, and many more.

06/10 - Sunday Brunch :: Gustafer Yellow Gold & Rachel Loshak

Website: www.GustaferYellowgold.com

Gustafer Yellowgold concerts are a unique blend of live music and moving image. The minimally animated illustrations are accompanied by illustrator/songwriter Morgan Taylor’s catchy and original story-songs for a truly different multimedia experience that is entrancing children, teens and adults alike.

Gustafer is a friendly creature who came to Earth from the sun and has an unusual magnetism for making friends with some of Earth's odder creatures. His best friend is Forrest Applecrumbie the flightless Pterodactyl. Gustafer and Forrest built a small cottage-style home on the edge of an uncharted wooded area in Minnesota. He has a pet Eel named Slim (short for Slimothy) and a pet Dragon named Asparagus who lives in his fireplace and loves corn on the cob. Gustafer's pals, the Mustard Slugs practice their math under the shrubbery.

Since his creation in 2005, Gustafer Yellowgold has become an international phenomenon, acclaimed by the New York Times, which said, “The show is a cross between ‘Yellow Submarine’ and Dr. Seuss.” Entertainment Weekly praised “…The most infectious original songs. It’s like tapping into some pleasure center in the brain- both adult and kid…absurdly appealing. Grade: A.” New York Magazine named Morgan Taylor “Best Kids’ Performer” in its 2008 Best of New York Awards. Take a look at Gustafer’s MySpace page to see what his fans think!

The Gustafer Yellowgold Show, with its unique crossover appeal, has performed as the wild-card opening act for Wilco and The Polyphonic Spree. Gustafer recently made his off-Broadway debut at the DR2 Theatre in a new show, Gustafer Yellowgold’s Mellow Sensation. Tours to arts centers, children’s museums, schools, libraries, cinemas and theaters have taken the show all across the United States, the U.K and even Korea! Taylor's other projects include playing bass for The Autumn Defense (featuring John and Pat from Wilco), as well as a recording project with Tony Award winning songwriter Duncan Sheik.

The award-winning DVD/CD sets Gustafer Yellowgold’s ‘Have You Never Been Yellow?’ and Gustafer Yellowgold's ‘Wide Wild World’ were released by Apple-Eye Productions in 2007.

Web Site: www.RachelLoshak.com

What makes Singer/Bassist, Rachel Loshak’s music and sound so special is her sophisticated, orchestral approach to traditional pop music. Imagine a string quartet stripped of its native instruments and handed electric guitars and amplifiers. Melodic bass figures move like a boogied cello weaving with her pure and bell-toned voice, all forming an accessible foundation to the wide-eyed wonderment of her lyrics, which Loshak paints in broad strokes with a graceful sadness.

06/12 - Tuesday :: Skollie with Blondie Chaplin, Keith Lentin & Anton Fig

Blondie Chaplin (Guitar, Vocals)

The greatest success for South Africa-born multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Blondie Chaplin has come as a sideman for such groups as the Beach Boys, the Band, and the Rolling Stones. His hook-laden melodies have enhanced albums by Jennifer Warnes, Bonnie Raitt, David Johansen, Elliott Murphy, and the Band's Rick Danko.

Chaplin initially attracted attention as a member of the Flames, a soul cover band that became the first non-white group to reach the top slot on South Africa's music charts with their 1968 single, "For Your Precious Love." The following year, the band's performance in a London club was overheard by Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys. In search of bands to produce for the Beach Boys' label, Brother Records, Wilson invited the band to record in Los Angeles. In addition to changing their name to "the Flame" and producing their debut album, Wilson had the group open shows for the Beach Boys in 1970 and 1971. When the Flame disbanded in 1972, Chaplin and drummer/percussionist Ricky Fataar were invited to become full-time members of the Beach Boys. The two musicians remained with the band until 1976, helping to record three albums -- Carl and the Passions: So Tough, Holland, and Live in Concert.

After leaving the Beach Boys, Chaplin began working with Dave Mason, Joe Walsh, the Band's Garth Hudson, and Rick Danko and participated in an early-'80s reunion by the Byrds. He recorded a self-titled debut album in 1977 with Hudson playing accordion on one track, "Riverboat Queen." Chaplin's second solo album, Skollie, recorded with Keith Lentin and Bryan Miller, was released in 1992.

Following the death of the Band's pianist/drummer/vocalist Richard Manuel in 1986, Chaplin was recruited to play guitar and drums and to sing Manuel's vocal parts. Although he only remained with the group for one year, he returned to play on their 1996 album, High on the Hog. The following year, Chaplin played piano and bass on the Rolling Stones' album, Bridges to Babylon.

Keith Lentin (Bass)

Anton Fig (Drums)

Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Anton began playing drums at age four. Anton is presently a member of the "CBS Orchestra" appearing nightly on 'Late Show with David Letterman' - a position he has held since 1986. During this tenure he has played with scores of great artists including Miles Davis, James Brown, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Winwood, Bonnie Raitt and Tony Bennett. The CBS Orchestra has backed up a host of artists in other venues such as Stevie Wonder, Faith Hill, Little Richard and BB King at the closing ceremonies of the summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. They also backed Al Green, Gloria Estefan, In Sync and Eric Clapton for VH1's Save the Music concert at the White House.

06/16 - Saturday :: The West Point Jazz Knights Composers Forum

The Jazz Knight's Website

The Jazz Knights Composers Forum is a three-day workshop intended to encourage new compositions for large jazz ensembles and to offer experienced writers the chance to explore their craft under the guidance of a revered jazz composer/arranger and with a live rehearsal band. Internationally acclaimed composer and bandleader DARCY JAMES ARGUE will serve as guest moderator for the 2012 Jazz Knights Composers Forum.

Three participants will be selected to attend the forum rehearse their compositions with the Jazz Knights, receive comments from Darcy James Argue, and hear their work performed in the forum's finale concert which is free and open to the public. For over thirty years the United States Military Academy Band’s Jazz Knights have brought musical excellence and variety to their audiences by presenting the best of big band jazz and popular music. Members of the group are graduates of America's finest music schools. They are recruited and selected through a competitive audition process specifically for service in the United States Military Academy Band at West Point. Members of the band have played with such jazz icons as Count Basie, Buddy Rich, and others.

06/17 - Sunday :: Dan Bern

Website: www.DanBern.com

Dan Bern is best known for his prolific songwriting and electric live persona. He has released a dozen albums while spending well over a decade performing everywhere from coffee shops to Carnegie Hall. Since releasing his first album in 1997, Bern has built a strong underground following based on prodigious touring and output of songs in all forms. Since 2007, Bern has focused much of his talent and sharp wit on writing songs for movies and other projects he composed over a dozen songs for the Jake Kasdan/Judd Apatow spoof-biopic Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and wrote the title song for Jonathan Demme’s documentary, Jimmy Carter: Man  From Plains. Bern also composed songs that are included in the Judd Apatow film Get Him to the Greek, starring Russell Brand and Jonah Hill, due out this June. He has also contributed original songs for the off-Broadway production Family Week, directed byJonathan Demme, including a duet with Emmylou Harris.

06/21 - Thursday :: The Trapps

Website: www.TheTrapps.net

The Trapps are an American band tapping the roots of Americana, Folk and Rock and Roll with a strong emphasis on "the song" and lyrical fiber. All at once they grab you with powerful harmonies like the Jayhawks or rivet you with a high intensity jam like the Black Crowes, but for this band, it is never done loosely or in a way that pulls the listener away from the essence and presentation of the song itself. Full of risk and heart, they weave universal themes into a musical fabric that is entirely original yet feels like you have known the sound your entire life.

Jason Fine, Executive Editor, of Rolling Stone Magazine, says The Trapps are “Elegant yet raw, darkly emotional but shot through with light…rangy experimental roots rock played with confidence and hope.” Johnny Black, Music Director, High Plains Public Radio, Amarillo, TX says The Trapps are “An indie “roots” Americana act with raw, stark, honest-to-Hank emotional intensity and musical ability.”

Website: www.TheDylanEmmetBand.com

Known for his deep lyrical themes, rich harmony, and clever melodic concepts, Dylan Emmet's mosaic of pop, jam, soul, and alternative music is bringing something truly different to the table. Since 2009, The Dylan Emmet Band has since been gaining a reputation for their explosive live performances and their highly original compositions. The band recently wrapped production on their debut album "Lost in Transit, Lost in Translation,". The Dylan Emmet Band was awarded an honorable mention in 2010's SongCircle Music songwriting contest and will be performing around the Tri-State area in the coming months.

06/22 - Friday :: Indo Jazz-Fusion featuring :: Aashish Khan, Ray Spiegel, Ira Coleman & Tani Tabbal

Aashish Khan (Sarode)

Aashish will join Ray Spiegel’s Indo-jazz Ensemble for a special show at the Falcon

Aashish Khan is considered to be one of India’s greatest living Sarode players. He is from an illustrious family of great musicians and is the eldest son of maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. Aashish was initiated into North Indian Classical music at the age of 5 by his grandfather, the legendary Allauddin Khansahib.

By the time he reached his early twenties, he was known as a master of sarode, and had gained worldwide respect as a busy concert and recording artist in his own right, a regimen he continues to this day with numerous concert engagements and recordings. Aashish was a pioneer in the establishment of the world music genre and has collaborated with such diverse musicians as George Harrison, Ringo Star, Eric Clapton, Alice Coltrain, Ravi Shankar, and the Philadelphia String Quartet, to mention a few.

Ray Spiegel (Tabla)

Ray Spiegel is one of the leading foreign born tabla players having studied for many years under the famous masters of percussion Ustad Alla Rakha and his son Ustad Zakir Hussain. He has performed and recorded with many of India’s greatest artists. Ray also studied vibraphone with jazz master Bobby Hutcherson in the early seventies and is an accomplished vibist in his own right. The melding of Indian classical and folk music with jazz, Latin, blues and funk is the focus of The Ray Spiegel Ensemble. The ensemble has two releases on the Simlahouse label, “Sum and Kali”, and “Raga Jazz” (www.simlahouse.com).

In the U.S. and India as both accompanist and soloist, Ray has appeared with musicians and vocalists such as: Ustad Alla Rakha, Sultan Khan, Zakir Hussain, Tejendra Majumdar, Vidyadhar Vyas, and Subhra Guha among others. Ray’s performance and recording credits include: The Grateful Dead, Patty Smyth, Diga Rhythm Band, Zakir Hussain and the Rhythm Experience, Gabrielle Roth, Bhagavan Das, Ravi Shankar, Bon Jovi, Danilo Perez, Najma, and Bill Cosby Television Productions.

Ira Coleman (Bass)

has played with many top jazz musicians including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Milt Jackson, Joanne Brackeen, Herbie Hancock and Tony Williams. He also is proficient in West Indian and African musical styles and has produced numerous album projects around the world. In recent years he has recorded and toured with Sting. Ira has studied tabla from Ray and they have collaborated for years on jazz and Indian music projects including the cd release “Sum and Kali” by the Ray Spiegel Ensemble

Tani Tabbal (Drums)

Originally from Chicago, Tabbal was playing professionally at the age of fourteen. Since then he has developed into a master of percussion and has played and recorded with numerous jazz and world music artists. His vast knowledge of drumming styles and techniques combined with a wide dynamic range make Tani the perfect drummer for Indo-jazz fusion. He and Ray have developed a unique rapport from the experience of many concerts, recordings and practicing together.

06/24 - Sunday :: The Rolling Stones Project

Tim Ries (Saxophone)

Bernard Fowler (Vocals)

Darryl Jones (Bass)

Ben Monder (Guitar)

Jeff "Tain" Watts (Drums)

The Rolling Stones Project ft. Tim Ries with special guests Bernard Fowler & Darryl Jones of the Rolling Stones + Ben Monder, Jeff “Tain” Watts & More ~ Known to millions as the lead horn player in the Rolling Stones touring band, saxophonist Tim Ries is celebrating the recent release of his newest album, Stones World: The Rolling Stones Project II (2008). A fabulously entertaining jazz set of Jagger-Richards songs, the disc brings to the broader world an incredible mixture of jazz and rock swagger, much as the Rolling Stones themselves have done.

A versatile and thoughtful saxophonist and composer, Ries has collaborated with such jazz artists as Phil Woods, Tom Harrell, Al Foster, John Patitucci, Dave Liebman, Danilo Perez, Badal Roy, Maria Schneider, and Donald Byrd. He also contributed to The Joe Henderson Big Band’s Grammy-winning 1996 eponymous release on Verve. Having just returned from a second world tour with the Rolling Stones playing saxophone, keyboard, and organ, his other recording and performance credits include work with such diverse talents as Donald Fagen, Paul Simon, Sheryl Crow, Lyle Lovett, Stevie Wonder, Incognito, Blood Sweat & Tears, Bob Belden, and David Lee Roth.

06/30 - Saturday :: Guy Davis

Website: www.GuyDavis.com

Whether Guy Davis is appearing on “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” or nationally syndicated radio programs such as Garrison Keillor’s, “A Prairie Home Campanion”, “Mountain Stage” or David Dye’s,“World Café”., in front of 15,000 people on the Main Stage of a major festival, or teaching an intimate gathering of students at a Music Camp, Guy feels the instinctive desire to give each listener his ‘all’.

"Davis’ folksy and humble stage presence, combined with his humorous monologues, made one feel that this was not a concert, but rather, an impromptu performance on a front porch down in some southern swamp. Indeed, at times Davis had the audience singing, clapping and stomping their feet." --Daily Herald Tribune, Grand Prairie, Alberta

"You could call Guy Davis a musical child of Taj Mahal. But, in truth, he’s the son of Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, two of the most famous black actors of their generation. The talent apple didn’t fall far from the tree but did land in a different orchard." --Tony Peyser, Santa Monica Mirror

Website: YouTube Video

Marc’s life has been about pursuing twin passions: creating and recording his American roots songs, and exploring remote areas of the desert and mountain West. After signing his first publishing contract while in law school, he fronted bands which performed regularly in New York City clubs like CBGB, Wetlands, and The Knitting Factory, appeared at Austin’s South by Southwest and The Kerrville Folk Festival, alnd opened shows for Bob Dylan and other national acts.

All through this period, he’d find ways to get into the West, picking up details from fellow wilderness junkies about off the beaten path locales and filing them away for future reference. On one of these trips, he became intrigued by the cover of THE BIG IT, by A.B. Guthrie, a book of short stories he found on a revolving metal rack in a Navajo reservation trading post. It got him thinking about using his Western travels to create a set of songs in the cultural tradition of writers like Guthrie and visual artists like John Ford and Frederick Remington. Marc, and co-producer Mike Ricciardi, now present RIDE, ten cinematic recordings reflecting his romantic connection to the West and exploring the value of its myths to contemporary culture.

07/06 - Friday :: Marc Black Band

Website: www.MarcBlack.com

Marc Black is an eclectic folk-rocker who sings about Rachel Maddow, good coffee and just about everything in between. His talent as a songwriter and a performer has attracted folks like John Sebastian, Taj Mahal, Art Garfunkel and Richie Havens to perform and record with him. Folk Artist of the Year on ABC Radio's Fame Games, Marc was also a winner at the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival. And his song, No Fracking Way has become an anthem for the anti-fracking movement. It's been sung at rallies as far away as South Africa, Ireland and Australia.

Marc's band will feature Eric Parker from the Joe Cocker and Stevie Winwood Bands on drums, Mike Esposito from the Blues Magoos on Bass and Don Davis from the legendary Microscopic Septet on alto, tenor and soprano sax, as well as the bass clarinet. Hudson Valley chanteuse, beautiful Amy Fradon will share the bill with Marc. She'll do an opening set and then sing with the Marc Black Band, as well.

Website: www.AmyFradon.com

Amy Fradon, formerly part of the famous duo Amy and Leslie, Amy went on to forge a successful solo career touring with her own band, recording 2 acclaimed solo CDs and performing internationally with the Vanaver Caravan and Face The Music. She will be accompanied by guitarist and person extraordinaire, Helen Avakian. Amy is also thrilled to rejoin Marc and the band that she started out in 25 years ago!

07/14 - Friday :: Gene Ess "A Thousand Summers" featuring Nicki Parrott

Gene Ess (guitar)

Award winning guitarist, Gene Ess, draws upon a diverse background to form his unique style. Studying classical piano, Ess’s early years were filled with sounds of Beethoven and Chopin. Originally from Tokyo, Japan and growing up on a US Air Force Base on Okinawa, Ess was simultaneously receiving a mix of influences: he was exposed to the indigenous music of Okinawa and - to the pop and jazz music coming out of the clubs for the American soldiers. All this amounted for an early obsession with music.

Considered a child prodigy by fellow musicians and instructors, Ess performed in clubs and festivals all around Okinawa at the early age of 14. After graduating high school, not satisfied, Ess left for George Mason University. There, Ess pursued classical music studies with Larry Snitzler, a prominent concert guitarist who was once Andres Segovia's disciple and orchestral composition under Dr. Glenn Smith.

Downbeat magazine presented Ess’s performance of Lennox Berkeley's 'Theme and Variations' with the 'Outstanding Performance Award' in 1983. Consequently, Ess received a scholarship to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. There he continued his musical quest and was heavily influenced by the music of John Coltrane. After studies with Jerry Bergonzi and Charlie Banacos, Ess graduated from Berklee with honors in 1990 and moved to New York in 1991.

During the 90s he worked with the great drummer Rashied Ali, touring globally and recording a well received album “No One in Particular”. Through this group, Gene met and played with Carlos Santana, Ravi Coltrane, Lonnie Plaxico, Archie Shepp, and Reggie Workman among many others.

Gene's last album, "Modes of Limited Transcendence," has received great reviews globally. This album received the prestigious 2010 SESAC Outstanding Jazz Performance Award. This album features original compositions by Gene and piano wunderkind Tigran Hamasyan.

In 2012, Gene released a new album featuring vocals for the first time. The album titled “A Thousand Summers” will be available February 1, 2012. The music features Nicki Parrott on vocals and beautiful songs from the jazz canon carefully arranged by Gene and Thomson Kneeland.

Over his career, Gene has performed and recorded with many wonderful musicians. Some are Dave Liebman, Al Foster, Rashied Ali, Harvie S, Slide Hampton, Carlos Santana, Archie Shepp, Reggie Workman, Tigran Hamasyan, and Ravi Coltrane.

Nicki Parrott (bass)

Nicki Parrott, an internationally acclaimed bassist, arrived in New York in May of 1994, the recipient of a grant from the Australia Council for the Arts allowing her travel to the US and study with her mentor, one of the world’s premiere double bassists, Rufus Reid. In the same year she was also nominated for the “Australian Young Achievers Award”.

Today, Nicki Parrott is a world-class double bassist and an emerging singer/songwriter. In her work with artists from around the globe she has brought a signature sound to every bass part she has played. She performs regularly at the world’s best Jazz Festivals and can be seen Monday’s at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City with the legendary guitarist and inventor, Les Paul. Since June of 2000, this union has been an ideal showcase for her musical abilities, flair for improv, and gift for entertaining a crowd.

Born in Newcastle, Australia, Nicki Parrott began her musical training on the piano at the age of four. She also took up the flute and continued to play both instruments throughout her school years. At the age of 15, Nicki switched her focus to the double bass, formed a band with her older sister Lisa (alto sax) and began composing instrumental pieces that they would eventually record for their premier CD release, The Awabakal Suite (2001).

After completing high school, Nicki moved to Sydney and attended the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, where she graduated with an Associates degree in Jazz Studies. When bassists such as the legendary Ray Brown (Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson) and John Clayton (Diana Krall, Whitney Houston) were playing in town, Nicki would find them, contact them and arrange lessons from them. She was awarded a scholarship to the prestigious Pan Pacific Music Camp, and soon after, took first place in the 1992 Jazz Action Society's Annual Song Competition for her composition, Come and Get It.

Nicki has also performed at most of the world’s major jazz festivals. In the United States she’s appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival (2005), the Litchfield Jazz festival (2005), the Jazz in July concert series at the 92nd street Y (2003, 2004), the Detroit Jazz Festival (2005) and the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival (2001).

07/27 - July :: Chris Cubeta & The Liars Club

Web Site: www.ChrisCubeta.com

Chris Cubeta and The Liars Club is a brash, Americana rock band from Brooklyn led by compelling and charismatic frontman Chris Cubeta. Cubeta is a relentless songwriter whose lyrics combine nuance-soaked imagery with incisive observations. The band’s sound is equally eclectic, combining the wispy, sensitivity of the singer/songwriter with the unbridled thrill of rock and roll. The Liars Club is ready to take off.

07/28 - Saturday :: The Cookers

Billy Harper (Saxophone)

Eddie Henderson (Trumpet)

David Weiss (Trumpet)

Cecil McBee (Bass)

Billy Hart (Drums)

Experience counts, especially in jazz. The more time musicians spend interpreting tunes and interacting with others, the more articulation an audience can expect. You can hear the fruits of such work in the expressive language The Cookers bring to the bandstand and to their two recent critically acclaimed recordings, “Warriors” and “Cast the First Stone.” This exciting new all-star septet summons up an aggressive mid ‘60s spirit with a potent collection of expansive post-bop originals marked by all the requisite killer instincts and pyrotechnic playing expected of some of the heaviest hitters on the scene today.

Billy Harper, Cecil McBee, George Cables, Eddie Henderson, and Billy Hart all came up in the heady era of the mid ‘60s. It was a period that found the dimensions of hard bop morphing from their original designs, and each of these guys helped facilitate the process as members of some of the most important bands of the era. Hart and Henderson were members of Herbie Hancock’s groundbreaking Mwandishi group; Cecil McBee anchored Charles Lloyd’s great ’60s quartet alongside Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette; Billy Harper was part of Lee Morgan’s last group, as well as being a member of Max Roach’s Quartet and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers; while George Cables held down the piano chair in numerous bands including groups led by Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon and Art Pepper.

David Weiss and Craig Handy, from a more recent generation and the youngest members of the band, are experts in this forthright lingo, having gained experience performing with Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Charles Tolliver, Roy Haynes and Herbie Hancock.

Each member of the Cookers has spent time leading his own series of groups as well, and each has a keenly individual sound. But it’s the unmistakable power of teamwork that makes this music so commanding and resonates with a kind of depth and beauty that speaks of the seasoned track record of its principals (combined, the group has over 250 years of experience in the jazz world and has been a part of over 1,000 recordings). You can feel the collective weight of that experience in both of their CDs and especially in their live performances. Since this version of the band was solidified in 2007 the group has performed at venues around the world, including headlining the Chicago Jazz Festival, The Jerusalem Jazz Festival, The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, The Burghausen Jazz Festival, Jazz Terrassa,The Healdsburg Jazz Festival, Jazz Viersen, Ronnie Scott’s, The Jazz Standard, Yoshi’s and Iridium Jazz Club.

08/31 - Friday :: Elizabeth & The Catapult

Website: www.ElizabethAndTheCatapult.com

A New York band that plays smart, jazz-tinged, sometimes-topical indie-pop music, Elizabeth and the Catapult fuses sweet chamber-pop melodies with the charismatic vocals of Elizabeth Ziman.

Basically, The Other Side Of Zero--the new album by Elizabeth & The Catapult--is a commentary on the parallels of Elizabeth Ziman's New York City life and Leonard Cohen's inability to achieve Buddhist ideals. She describes the album's rawness in the following way:

"The record is more blatantly honest, even rude at times." Elizabeth continues, "Even the happiest sounding pop songs on this record have a tinge of regret and darkness to them...and thank goodness for that. Ultimately, that's the only way I'd feel comfortable singing them. I'm drawn to the ambiguity like a menacing smile."

10/13 - Saturday :: E.J. Strickland Quintet

E.J. Strickland (Drums)

Jaleel Shaw (Alto Sax)

Marcus Strickland (Tenor & Soprano Sax)

Luis Perdomo (Piano)

Earl Burniss Travis (Bass)

Drummer, composer and bandleader E.J. Strickland is most known for his work as a member of the long-lived quartet of Ravi Coltrane (along with Luis Perdomo & Drew Gress), and his brother Marcus Strickland’s celebrated electric/acoustic quartets and trio. He also leads his own bands, The E.J. Strickland Quintet & The E.J. Strickland Project. His playing has been described as emitting “fields of cumulative energy, clouds of feather- touch and heavy-handed syncopations, latent with power like an oncoming storm” (Thomas Conrad, Downbeat Magazine). His discography includes over 30 albums with various recording artists, as well as his long-anticipated debut album In This Day (Strick Muzik), released in 2009.

Photo taken at The Falcon by: Jim Rice

10/14 - Sunday Brunch :: Gustafer Yellow Gold & Rachel Loshak

Website: www.GustaferYellowgold.com

Gustafer Yellowgold concerts are a unique blend of live music and moving image. The minimally animated illustrations are accompanied by illustrator/songwriter Morgan Taylor’s catchy and original story-songs for a truly different multimedia experience that is entrancing children, teens and adults alike.

Gustafer is a friendly creature who came to Earth from the sun and has an unusual magnetism for making friends with some of Earth's odder creatures. His best friend is Forrest Applecrumbie the flightless Pterodactyl. Gustafer and Forrest built a small cottage-style home on the edge of an uncharted wooded area in Minnesota. He has a pet Eel named Slim (short for Slimothy) and a pet Dragon named Asparagus who lives in his fireplace and loves corn on the cob. Gustafer's pals, the Mustard Slugs practice their math under the shrubbery.

Since his creation in 2005, Gustafer Yellowgold has become an international phenomenon, acclaimed by the New York Times, which said, “The show is a cross between ‘Yellow Submarine’ and Dr. Seuss.” Entertainment Weekly praised “…The most infectious original songs. It’s like tapping into some pleasure center in the brain- both adult and kid…absurdly appealing. Grade: A.” New York Magazine named Morgan Taylor “Best Kids’ Performer” in its 2008 Best of New York Awards. Take a look at Gustafer’s MySpace page to see what his fans think!

The Gustafer Yellowgold Show, with its unique crossover appeal, has performed as the wild-card opening act for Wilco and The Polyphonic Spree. Gustafer recently made his off-Broadway debut at the DR2 Theatre in a new show, Gustafer Yellowgold’s Mellow Sensation. Tours to arts centers, children’s museums, schools, libraries, cinemas and theaters have taken the show all across the United States, the U.K and even Korea! Taylor's other projects include playing bass for The Autumn Defense (featuring John and Pat from Wilco), as well as a recording project with Tony Award winning songwriter Duncan Sheik.

The award-winning DVD/CD sets Gustafer Yellowgold’s ‘Have You Never Been Yellow?’ and Gustafer Yellowgold's ‘Wide Wild World’ were released by Apple-Eye Productions in 2007.

Web Site: www.RachelLoshak.com

What makes Singer/Bassist, Rachel Loshak’s music and sound so special is her sophisticated, orchestral approach to traditional pop music. Imagine a string quartet stripped of its native instruments and handed electric guitars and amplifiers. Melodic bass figures move like a boogied cello weaving with her pure and bell-toned voice, all forming an accessible foundation to the wide-eyed wonderment of her lyrics, which Loshak paints in broad strokes with a graceful sadness.

~ And More Great Music Coming! ~

web site created by onno de jong, Circular Creation and updated by Lee and the gang. Thanks so much for spreading the love