LIVE MUSIC AT THE FALCON

02/24 - Friday :: Tigran Hamasyan Quintet

Areni Agbabian (vocals)

Ben Wendel (Sax)

Chris Tordini (bass)

Nate Wood (Drums)

www.TigranHamasyan.com

He’s barely into his twenties, but this exceptional jazz pianist is racking up the prizes. His compositions reveal an original and utterly free musical mind, with Hamasyan fearlessly integrating elements of Armenian folklore and even hard rock. The virtuoso returns by popular demand after his two sold-out concerts solo at last summer’s Festival and a spectacular success in L’Astral this past winter. This time out, he appears in a quintet, with the young talented musicians of Arrata Rebirth, to illustrate why his music is the most exciting jazz on the scene right now.

02/25 - Saturday :: KJ Denhert & The New York Unit

Photo by Jim Rice

Website :: www.KJDenhert.com

KJ Denhert is a unique artist, singer, guitarist and songwriter who calls her music Urban Folk and Jazz. Her voice is powerful, her lyrics full of intelligent insight, and her musicianship is impeccable. Her eclectic yet unified performances reach out to many different types of audiences without compromising her music and beliefs. She is heard at her best on her most recent recording, Lucky 7 and is known to be especially good live. She performs the unusual feat of being both highly individual and quite accessible.

KJ remembers, “I picked up a guitar when I was ten and immediately I started writing music. I loved Sergio Mendes’ songs, liked John Hartford on the Glenn Campbell Show and really got into James Taylor and Joni Mitchell who I still consider my two main influences. I also loved the singer-songwriters of the time including Carole King and Laura Nyro and later fell in love with Steely Dan’s music, and just wore out my copy of Hubert Laws’ Rite Of Spring. I was completely self-taught, by llistening to records and playing them over and over, teaching myself tablature from a great James Taylor book and modal tunings from Joni Mitchell’s For The Roses song book. I didn’t really do anything but play guitar through my teenage years.”

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.

02/26 - Sunday :: 11am :: Gustafer Yellowgold

Web Site: 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.

02/26 - Sunday Brunch :: 12:30pm :: Rachel Loshak

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.

Rachel moved to New York City in the late Nineties from Suffolk, England and honed her songwriting craft with her unique ‘bass and voice’ style. Rachel has created four full-length LP’s: Firefly (2001), Mint (2003), Peach Pony (2005) (including a duet with Norah Jones) and Colors (2010). Peach Pony has been released in several international territories to critical acclaim. Rachel sang onstage with Norah Jones at the Grammy Awards in 2003 and is featured alongside her (and with Jesse Harris) on the Best of the Living Room compilation released in 2002. Rachel has recorded vocals with Moby, as well as Chris Ballew of Presidents Of The United States' family music project, Caspar Babypants on his album Sing Along (2011). Rachel has toured in The United States as well as internationally to Ireland, the UK, France, Germany, Scandinavia and South Korea.

After gaining extensive experience in the music industry as a touring musician, business administrator and creative graphic production designer, Rachel co-founded Apple-eye Productions with husband Morgan Taylor to create an outlet for their creative projects, including Gustafer Yellowgold. They now live in the Catskills with their two sons, Harvey and Ridley.

03/01 - Thursday :: John Raymond Project

John Raymond (Trumpet)

Nir Felder (Guitar)

Javier Santiago (Piano)

Linda Oh (Bass)

Kenneth Salters (Drums)

“A dynamic and soulful musician, both as a trumpet player and a composer. John Raymond uses his knowledge of the jazz tradition to forge a style that honors the masters of our music as well as being creative, unpredictable and compelling. John has a unique voice, and he is definitely saying something that is worth listening to.” Jon Faddis, World-Renown Trumpeter & Educator

03/02 - Friday :: John Abercrombie Project

John Abercrombie (guitar)

Andy Laverne (piano)

Jay Anderson (bass)

Adam Nussbaum (drums)

Over a career spanning more than 40 years and nearly 50 albums, John Abercrombie has established himself as one the masters of jazz guitar. Favoring unusual sounds and nontraditional ensembles, Abercrombie is a restless experimenter, working firmly in the jazz tradition while pushing the boundaries of meter and harmony.

03/03 - Saturday :: Ciarlante / Katz / Sharrard

The CKS Band is a powerhouse organ trio and a Blues/Soul & Rock supergroup. The group features Randy Ciarlante (of The Band) on Drums & Vocals, Bruce Katz (of The Gregg Allman Band) on B-3 Organ and Scott Sharrard (of The Gregg Allman Band) on Guitar & Vocals. The band was formed in Sept. of 2011 and has since played the Bearsville Theater, Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble and many other venues to spectacular revues. An official live album is set for release in the spring of 2012 along with many more live dates in the hudson valley, NYC and beyond...

Randy Ciarlante (Drums)

Randy joined The Band in 1990, singing harmony vocals and playing drums. He played and sang on The Band's albums from the 1990s, including Jubilation and High on the Hog. After The Band dissolved, he joined the Jim Weider Band from 1998–2006 and continues to play with Jim Weider's Percolator band. Randy Ciarlante has also been a mainstay of the Woodstock NY music scene since 1981 and has played with many of that area's leading musicians over the years.

Bruce Katz (B-3 Organ)

Bruce Katz, a Hammond Artist Endorsee, is a legendary keyboardist who has played and recorded with Duke Robillard, Jimmy Witherspoon, John Hammond, Levon Helm, Ronnie Earl, Little Milton and many others in his career. He also has five CDs out as the leader of the Bruce Katz Band.

"This man is as good as it gets. One of the greatest keyboardists I've ever heard." John Hammond

“Katz is a killer on the B-3!” -Bill Milkowski, Jazz Times

Scott Sharrard (Guitar)

Scott is currently best known for his work as a member of The Gregg Allman Band. He has also performed with such artists as: The Allman Brothers, Levon Helm, Amy Helm, Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, Marshall Crenshaw, Kelley Hunt and Jay Collins & The Kings County Band. He is releasing his newest solo album (and follow up to his 2009 release, "Ante Up") in the Spring of 2012.

"Gregg Allmans secret weapon"- Glide Magazine 2011

"His guitar playing, much like his voice, is fluid and soulful, encompassing Cropper, Hendrix, and BB King. " -Brandon Findlay, Jambands.com

"An incredible guitarist"- Jerry Shriver, U.S.A. Today

Website: www.DavidAndAmyMusic.com

David Kraai and Amy Laber have each been performing their original material over many a mile and storied year. Now, these songs and stories take on a new shape as the musical charms of each accentuate the other. Country harmonies, sweet banjo, tasty mandolin, twangy guitars and soulful harmonica carry this duo from The Carter Family to Neil Young straight into their own right as a patch on the tapestry of American music. With positive press, radio play and several albums behind them, the future is truly wide open.

03/04 :: Sunday Brunch :: 10-2pm :: Jeremy Baum Trio

Website: www.JeremyBaum.com

Jeremy Baum (organ)

Connor Kennedy (guitar)

TBA (drums)

Over the years Jeremy has been a successful side-man, doing freelance work for MANY different artists, performing and/or recording with Shemekia Copeland (6+yrs), Joe Louis Walker, the North Mississippi Allstars, John Hammond Jr., Jim Weider, Melvin Sparks, Andy Aledort, Bill Perry, Sue Foley, Debbie Davies, Gil Paris, Chris O'Leary, Vance Gilbert, and many more (including the Bruce Springsteen approved tribute band 'Bruce in the USA'!)

For over 10 years Jeremy was a member of the Hudson Valley based Latin band Soñando. Jeremy also leads his own organ trio, which is rooted in the blues and features Chris Vitarello on guitar. Jeremy's first album 'Lost River Jams' was recorded in Feb 2002 and is available on Flying Yak Records. Jeremy's band was also featured on 'Boogaloo to McDuff', a tribute to Jack McDuff which is available on Scufflin' Records.

03/08 - Thursday :: Stephan Crump's Rosetta Trio

Stephan Crump (bass)

Jamie Fox (guitar)

Liberty Ellman (guitar)

Check out: New York Times article on the Rosetta Trio

Rosetta Trio is a uniquely colorful and hard-grooving all-string chamber jazz ensemble led by Memphis-bred Brooklynite bassist/composer Stephan Crump with guitarists Liberty Ellman and Jamie Fox. Hailed as “a string ensemble for the new century” by All About Jazz, the group formed in 2005 to record an album of pieces written in the aftermath of 9/11. That album, Rosetta, was greeted with inclusion on multiple top ten lists and ecstatic reviews for its narrative depth and outstanding performances. With an ever-deepening rapport from years of touring and recording together in different contexts, in 2010 the trio released its second album, Reclamation (“a low-key marvel”, JazzTimes) on Sunnyside Records, including an extended work commissioned by 92nd St. Y and New York Guitar Festival. The freshness of the compositions is matched by the dynamic, intimate synergy of the ensemble (“bareness in emotion”, NPR), which was hailed as “ingenious originals” by The New Yorker and featured in the New York Times weekend Arts section. Rosetta Trio, whose members have for years collaborated with many of the leading lights in the New York creative music scene, has developed into a formidable unit, sensitively and powerfully rendering Crump’s often profound, sometimes playful and always honest music. For their Live at the Falcon performance, the trio will feature pieces from the first two albums in addition to newer works in development for their next recording.

03/09 - Friday :: Jim Weider's PRoJECT PERCoLAToR

Jim Weider (guitar)

Avi Bortnick (guitar)

Jason Crosby (keyboards)

Ron Jenkins (bass)

Rodney Holmes (drums)

JIM WEIDER, former member of the legendary group "THE BAND" and current member of LEVON HELM BAND, is a Master of classic Telecaster Guitar. ProJECT PERCoLAToR represents Jim's newest musical venture into a powerful groove & atmospheric guitar driven band. The All Star Line up Featuring "RODNEY HOLMES"- Drums (Santana&Steps Ahead ), "Avi Bortnick"- Guitar (John Scofield Band )"Ron Jenkins"- on Bass & "Jason Crosby"- Keyboards (Robert Randolph Band). Jim blends rock & blues, with funk & jazz groove's combining modern drum loops and samples, to playing beautiful melodic ballads .The band's Amazing improvisation and chemistry from worldwide touring ,plays a show both exciting and mesmerizing!

ProJECT PERCoLAToR is a new musical direction for Jim, with Big Guitars with Modern Grooves! A powerful show that's both exciting and mesmerizing! For a quick listen check out the below link provided. Jim was featured on numerous albums, films, videos and television appearances. Highlights included a 1990 performance with The Band and Ronnie Hawkins at The Berlin Wall concert produced by Roger Waters of Pink Floyd; several cable TV specials (notably "The Bob Dylan Tribute" at Madison Square Garden; "The Road," a 1994 pay-per-view concert telecast from the Woodstock '94 Festival; and a 1995 appearance on the A&E Biography documentary "The Authorized Video Biography The Band"

03/10 - Saturday :: Stryker / Slagle Band

Steve Slagle (saxophone)

Dave Stryker (guitar)

Jay Anderson (bass)

Clarence Penn (drums)

"One of today's most inspired two-man teams…" – David Adler/ JazzTimes Magazine

The Stryker / Slagle Band is a rarity in the jazz world. Guitarist Dave Stryker and Saxophonist Steve Slagle have stuck together and have been developing a group sound since the eighties. The Stryker / Slagle Band has released 5 CD's including 2008's "The Scene" which received 4 Stars in Downbeat, calling it “A superior snapshot of the contemporary center of jazz”. Their most recent CD "Keeper" is their strongest work yet, and continues to get great reviews. Dave and Steve consider this band their main focus after years as sidemen with many of the greats.

Guitarist Dave Stryker has spent over 13 years with Stanley Turrentine, and also worked with Jack McDuff and Kevin Mahogany. He has 20 CD’s out as a leader, (many featuring Slagle), and has been a sideman on over 50 others. Stryker was voted a Rising Star the last several years in the Downbeat Critics Poll. Gary Giddins in the Village Voice calls Dave “one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years.”

Saxophonist Steve Slagle has released 10 CD’s as a leader, and performed as a sideman on countless others. He has played with Machito, Charlie Haden, Milton Nascimento, Carla Bley, and Joe Lovano's Nonet, to name a few. Steve was musical director of the Mingus Big Band for many years. Jazz Times says, “Slagle ranks in the upper echelon of alto sax players on the scene today.”

03/11 - Sunday :: Kristin Diable

Website: www.KristinDiable.com

  When Kristin Diable says she plays "roots music," she is as much describing an approach as a genre.

Not long after successfully establishing herself in her hometown music scene, Baton Rouge, Louisiana native Kristin Diable dropped her life in the swamps to test out fresher waters in New York City. After selling most of her possessions to put down deposit on a 150 square foot rooming house apartment in Manhattan's East Village, she began making the rounds in the bustling Lower East Side music scene.

After a chance introduction, George Stein (Paul Simon, Jeff Buckley, Lou Reed) signed on to represent and later manage the developing artist. During her tenure in the big city, she quickly established a loyal following and regular sold out performance dates at revered venues such as The Living Room, The Knitting Factory, and Mercury Lounge. During this time she produced two records and signed to BMI. These records provide a glimpse into the diversity and depth of this 25-year-old songwriter, who often draws comparisons as diverse as Norah Jones to Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan to Rickie Lee Jones.

"There’s a young woman out of south Louisiana who has got some serious chops, a peroxide, leggy crooner with a soul like Lucinda Williams, the confidence of Grace Slick and the voice of a decades-ago Bonnie Raitt..... It was Kristin Diable. Devil in a white dress. Biggest thing out of Baton Rouge since rush hour." – April 2010 JAZZFEST review from Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Chris Rose.

03/15 - Thursday :: Cyro Baptista & Friends

Website: www.CyroBaptista.com

Since arriving in the U.S. in 1980 from his native country Brazil, Cyro Baptista has emerged as one of the premier percussionists in the country. Coinciding with the rise in the public’s interest of world music, Cyro has managed to record and tour with some of music’s most popular names. His mastery of Brazilian percussion and the many instruments he creates himself, have catapulted him into world renown. With his own project, the percussion and dance ensemble known as 'Beat the Donkey' Cyro gives free reign to his imagination, mixing his tremendous musical skills, his natural humor and theatrical ways with instruments from Brazil, Middle East, Indonesia, Africa and US.

Cyro's credits read like a "Who’s Who" of modern music. He toured extensively with Yo-Yo Ma's Brazil Project, Trey Anastasio's Band (of Phish), John Zorn's Electric Masada, Herbie Hancock's Grammy award winning "Gershwin’s World" , Sting and Paul Simon's "Rhythm of the Saints". The wide range of artists Cyro Baptista has performed and recorded with include: David Byrne, Kathleen Battle, Gato Barbieri, Dr. John, Brian Eno, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Robert Palmer, Melissa Etheridge, Laurie Anderson, John Zorn, James Taylor, Carly Simon, Michael Tilson Thomas, Daniel Barenboin, Bobby McFerrin, Wynton Marsalis, Yo-Yo-Ma, Medeski Martin & Wood, Spyro Gyra, Trey Anastasio from Phish, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Santana and Sting. He has also played with many respected Brazilian artists such as Milton Nascimento, Caetano Veloso, Ivan Lins, Marisa Monte, and Nana Vasconcelos.

Cyro has performed on five Grammy award winning albums: Yo-Yo-Ma’s "Obrigado Brasil", Cassandra Wilson's "Blue Light 'Til Dawn", The Chieftains' "Santiago", Ivan Lins' "A Love Affair", and Herbie Hancockæs highly-acclaimed "Gershwin's World". A documentary on Cyro's main project, Beat the Donkey, was recorded for the prestigious WGBH-TV Boston program 'La Plaza' won 3 New England EMMY Awards in 2002, and continues to air on PBS stations nationwide. Cyro collaborated with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra for a Brazilian Carnaval modern jazz concert.

03/16 - Friday :: Oz Noy Trio Featuring Will Lee & Anton Fig

Oz Noy (Guitar)

Israeli-born guitarist Oz Noy is a progressive and iconoclastic artist who incorporates a wide array of styles into his own work, including funk, rock, blues, and jazz. Having performed from a young age, Noy was an in-demand studio musician by his early twenties. A move to New York City in 1996 eventually led to tours and session work with such artists as Chris Botti, Toni Braxton, Jeff “Tain” Watts, and others.

Will Lee (Bass)

Grammy Award-winning Will Lee does it all: The Late Show with David Letterman, Appearing as bassist and/or vocalist on over 1,400 Pop, Jazz and Rock albums (Ricky Martin, Burt Bacharach, Bee Gees, George Benson, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Luther Vandross, Mick Jagger, Cyndi Lauper, Barry Manilow, Miami Sound Machine, Buddy Rich, Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Diana Ross, Grover Washington Jr., Cat Stevens, Vanessa Williams, Ryuchi Sakamoto, Kool & the Gang, Billy Joel, Barbara Streisand, Carly Simon, D'Angelo, Frank Sinatra, Mariah Carey, Pat Metheny, and Steely Dan, to name a very few); has sung and played on an equal number of TV and radio commercials as well as movie soundtracks. Will also has performed or recorded with all 4 of the Beatles, and is a founding member of The Fab Faux! Will was also recently inducted into The Musician’s Hall Of Fame in Nashville.

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.

03/17 - Saturday :: St. Patty's Day Blast :: Split bill w/ Aisling and Mojo Myles Band

Web Site: www.MylesMancuso.com

At around the age of nine he was affectionately referred to as "Mojo" in a newspaper article about him. Now 15 year old Myles Mancuso is a nationally recognized prodigy who fronts his own band - singing and playing Guitar and Keyboards. He's been billed in New York City as "New York's Youngest Working Bandleader".

Myles recently received an endorsement from Babicz guitars and opened for Blues Guitar Great Buddy Guy.... In the past Myles opened for the legendary drummer of The Band, Levon Helm, as well as Allman Brothers and Little Feat. In 2010 Myles also played at one of the largest Festivals in the country (Mountain Jam), Recorded a CD in a Woodstock NY Studio, made a number of guest appearances at BB Kings in New York City and continued to perform steadily at establishments where he's been performing for a number of years.

Along with his Guitar playing, his organ and keyboard work have earned him an award at the Berklee College of Music along with a number of guest appearances with Grammy nominated artists such as Slam Allen (James Cotton's Guitar Player and Lead Vocalist on the 2010 Nominated CD “Giant”). Slam and Myles have joined for special performances on a number of occasions; Myles plays organ and Slam on guitar and vocals... “This is a young man with some gifted hands” Slam says of Myles' abilities..

Myles has performed on some of the best stages in New York City… BB Kings in Times Square, The Cutting Room, Tera Blues, The Iridium Jazz Club in Time Square, Arlene's Grocery, Kenny's Castaways and others. His band has opened for major National acts and performs at Corporate Functions, Gala Events, Festivals and many other venues.

His show transcends age and musical preferences, referred to as "Inspiring, Educational and Emphatically Entertaining". His sound has been referred to as “Rockin’ Rhythm & Soul”…an updated Funk/Rock twist on a traditional American sound.

Website: Myspace/Aisling

Aisling (Aisling is Gaelic for "dream vision") is a Celtic band playing pan-Celtic music including traditional and contemporary Irish and Scottish music. Aisling is a group of inspired musicians from upstate New York who have been performing Celtic music in the Hudson Valley for the past 10 years. Aisling creates a "dream vision" at every performance! Aisling combines vocals, guitar, Scottish pipes, fiddle, harp, bass and percussion in their music. Aisling takes pan-Celtic music and rhythm to another level.

03/18 - Sunday :: Club d'Elf with John Medeski

Website: www.ClubdElf.com

John Medeski (keyboards & melodica)

Danny Blume (Grammy award winner) (guitar)

Mister Rourke (turntables)

Mike Rivard (bass, sintir & bass kalimba)

Dean Johnston (drums)

Club d'Elf is an ever-shifting group of musicians fiercely dedicated to "the groove", revolving around the foundation of bassist/leader Mike Rivard. Consisting of some of the most sought-after players from the jazz, DJ, rock & world music scenes of Boston & NYC, each show features a different line-up, with Rivard and drummer Dean Johnston at the core. Guitars, turntables, Fender Rhodes, laptops, horns, tablas and all manner of exotic instruments flow in and out of the mix, along with guests such as John Medeski & Billy Martin (MMW), DJ Logic, Marc Ribot, Skerik, and Marco Benevento, creating a unique experience for every performance. Informed as much by sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick's ideas of shifting reality and parallel universes as by Miles Davis & Fela Kuti, the band draws inspiration from many sources, including neo-psychedelic avatar Terence McKenna and avant comedy show Mr Show.

Formed in 1998 by Rivard with the encouragement of Morphine's Mark Sandman (who guested with the group until his death in '99), the music draws from a startlingly wide spectrum of styles, including jazz, hip hop, electronica, avant garde, prog-rock and dub. Under the tutelage of member Brahim Fribgane (who hails from Casablanca) the band absorbed Moroccan trance influences and frequently adds this element to the mix. Audiences of all persuasions are drawn to Fribgane’s mesmerizing oud stylings and Rivard's commanding playing of the Moroccan sintir, a 3 string bass lute used by the Gnawa people of Morocco, a mystical Sufi brotherhood of trance-healers. Derived from such ancient sources as these, trance forms the central core of the Club d'Elf aesthetic, unifying all of the various genres the band has absorbed.

The band's bi-weekly residency at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, MA has become the stuff of legend, and over the course of it's 14 year history D'Elf has toured Japan five times and played clubs and festivals throughout the North and Southeast US. Equally at home playing late-night festival sets for the rave/Burner crowd as it is for a predominately Arabic audience (as it did at the 2007 Festival Du Monde de Arabe in Montreal), boundaries melt away and all are drawn into the intoxicating power of the D'Elf groove. While its natural habitat is playing live (with 8 double-live CDs released on Kufala), the group also embraces the more sculpted sound the studio makes possible. The latest CD, Electric Moroccoland/So Below (its second studio release and the first on its new Face Pelt label), drew glowing reviews from PRI's The World, Voice Of America, and Afropop Worldwide for its bold synthesis of Moroccan traditional music and electronic, dubbed-out funk, and rose to #1 on the Relix chart. A double-CD set that features over 20 musicians (including a chief of the Dagbon people of Ghana, and some of the last recorded performances of Sandman's) it most fully captures the full range of the band's music, from Gnawa to Squarepusher-influenced drum'n'bass. While primarily instrumental, Gnawa legend Hassan Hakmoun contributes vocals to Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love", and Fribgane sings “Ghir Khoudouni” by Nass El Ghiwane.

John Medeski (organ)

John has played an integral role in the band since it's inception, having played on most of the CDs the group has released, and will join the group for this performance at The Falcon.

Since 1991, John Medeski has been part of the genre-defying trio Medeski Martin & Wood. Building upon their jazz roots with the addition of different rhythmic styles, electronics and various forms of rhythmic grooves MMW have broken out of the traditional jazz sphere, garnering them fans from across the musical spectrum. MMW have shared the bill with groups such as The Roots, Beck, A Tribe Called Quest, Ray Charles, Hermento Pascoal, and Phish, frequently appearing in venues unavailable to most jazz artists. Medeski’s recording credits include John Zorn, Iggy Pop, T Bone Burnett, Ray Lamontagne, Dan The Automator, k.d. Lang and more. Medeski has also produced The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, pedal steel guitar group The Campbell Brothers, and two records from The Wood Brothers.

03/22 - Thursday :: The Funk Junkies

www.TheFunkJunkies.net

Not all FUNK is created equal some times you'll find something missing. A beat with no syncopation, bass with no grooooooooove, vocals with no soul. Therefor leaving the musical listener with a severe case of Honky-Pox. To guard against this we recommend you receive a soul vaccination administered painlessly by the "Funk Junkies".

After spending 3 years putting the "Funk Junkies" band together with some of New York's best musical talent we can assure you they are specialists when it comes to performing Funk music. This 14 piece band which includes a 5 piece horn section can lay down the funk! Check them out to cure what ails you and a "Funky Good Time" will show up on your test results!

03/23 - Friday :: 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.

03/24 - Saturday :: Simone Felice & His Band

Website: www.SimoneFelice.com

Former drummer, guitarist, writer and vocalist of Catskill Mountain troubadours The Felice Brothers , and the creator of folk-soul outfit The Duke & The King , Simone Felice steps into the spotlight to begin his journey as a lone artist, bearing the fruits of a lifetime of song-writing. Largely self-produced with help from Ben Lovett (Mumford & Sons), his forthcoming album was recorded in deeply resonant places, settings that were as haunted in their rafters as Felice felt in his bones: a barn near his house in the woods, an old church in London, an abandoned high school building by the Hudson River.

For Simone Felice, his self-titled Team Love solo debut has literally been a lifetime in the making. As the former drummer, writer and vocalist of The Felice Brothers explains, “This album is the one I’ve had buried away, somewhere in my weird heart.”

03/25 - Sunday :: The Saints' Swing Dance Night!

Website :: www.SaintsofSwing.com

Dance Instruction by Chester & Linda Freedmen :: www.Got2Lindy.com

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!

03/29 - Thursday :: Jim Campilongo Electric Trio

Jim Campilongo (guitar)

Stephan Crump (bass)

Tony Mason (drums)

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!

03/30 - Friday :: Adam Cruz Project

Adam Cruz (drums & Compositions)

Miguel Zenon (Alto Sax)

Steve Cardenas (Guitar)

David Virelles (Piano)

Luques Curtis (bass)

"One of the most respected young musicians in New York [Cruz is] profoundly locked in, shifting easily from straight-ahead swing to funk patterns and Latin rhythms." The New York Times

A creative force on the international jazz scene for the last two decades, drummer and composer Adam Cruz is best known for his work with Danilo Perez, Steve Wilson, David Sanchez and Edward Simon. Cruz was born in New York City. He worked extensively with saxophonist David Sanchez and the Mingus Big Band during the 1990’s. He then toured with Chick Corea, recording Origin - A Week at the Blue Note, and spent the end of the 90's touring in a duo setting with guitarist Charlie Hunter. 

In recent years Cruz has forged a steady musical relationship with pianist Danilo Perez and is a member of the Danilo Perez Trio, which also features bassist Ben Street. His teachers have included his father - percussionist Ray Cruz, Frank Malabe, Keith Copeland, Kenny Washington and Joe Chambers. He has also worked at various times with artists such as Tom Harrell, Chris Potter, Pharaoh Sanders, Paquito D’Rivera and many more. Cruz’s remarkable musicianship has made him one of the most in demand drummers of today. In 2010 he was awarded a grant from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music to record his much anticipated, debut solo recording as a composer and bandleader entitled Milestone.

03/31 - Saturday :: The Parkington Sisters

Website: www.parkingtonsisters.com

The Parkington Sister are made up of Violins, cello, piano, mandolin, and guitar at the core of the group. The sisters share lead vocals, with up to five-part harmonies. All are songwriters, influenced by a wide range of musicians: Stravinsky to Edgar Meyer, Joni Mitchell to Stéphane Grappelli, The Pixies to Aretha Franklin. These tastes, filtered through their classical training, have produced a sound that is undeniably their own: songs with vibrant string arrangements, warm, interwoven harmonies, improvisation and voices that blend like only sisters can. Renditions of Radiohead’s “High and Dry” or Piazzolla’s “Libertango” show an exceptional talent for rich, dynamic arrangements.

Anyone who hears these women instantly recognizes that this is a special expression of sisterhood: born to each other and a band raised from the beginning. Lydia, Rose, Nora, Sarah and Ariel, ages 17-29, come from a generation of musicians. They all started their instruments at an early age, and as a band, found their first stage in the streets of Provincetown, Massachusetts. Since then, the Parkington Sisters have played extensively across the country where they deliver performances that have proved irresistibly magnetic. These five sisters envelop the audience, sharing their personal chemistry and creating an experience that is powerful and unforgettable.

04/01 - Sunday :: Dan Tepfer - Bach's Goldberg Variations / Variations

Website: www.DanTepfer.com

Dan Tepfer is a New York-based pianist and composer and one of the most formidable jazz musicians on the international stage — hailed as “brilliant” by The Boston Globe, “remarkable” by The Washington Post, a “player of exceptional poise” by the New York Times, “a singular voice” by Libération (France). By age 29, he has performed the world over in contexts ranging from solo piano to full orchestra, chronicling his talents on the solo disc Twelve Improvisations in Twelve Keys (2009) as well as the trio sessions Before the Storm (2005), Oxygen (2007) and Five Pedals Deep, his 2010 Sunnyside release with bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Ted Poor. Dan has also had the extraordinary privilege of a sustained, ongoing duo partnership with alto saxophonist and jazz luminary Lee Konitz, documented on the acclaimed 2009 Sunnyside CD Duos With Lee (“a benchmark of human potential” – JazzInsideNY). As France’s Jazz Magazine has noted, Dan is “gifted with a heightened sense for form and an extraordinary confidence in his angles of attack.” His playing, whatever the context, is a model of fluidity and steady, effortless motion, immersed in jazz history but creating new history in turn.

Dan will be preforming selections from his new highly regard album Goldberg Variations / Variations. "The album presents Bach's Goldberg Variations in sequence, played with classical fidelity; but after each variation comes an improvised response. At times Mr. Tepfer recasts the harmony, tending to mood and hue; elsewhere he goes in for faintly comic departures, making a sport of transposition. It's an impressive feat, an act of scholarly mischief that keeps coming back to a hearty and abiding respect." - Nate Chinen, NY Times

04/06 - Friday :: Spottiswoode & His Enemies

Website: www.SpottisWoode.com

It has been a long and remarkably winding road for the English singer-songwriter Spottiswoode and his six Enemies. WILD GOOSECHASE EXPEDITION, the new CD from Spottiswoode & His Enemies, is the band’s most shamelessly eclectic recording since their debut eponymous release over a decade ago. It tracks the journey of a rock band on a doomed tour.

Produced for Old Soul Records by Kenny Siegal (Chris Whitley, Joseph Arthur, Johnny Society), the CD careens from balls-out rock, novelty blues and haunting balladry to acerbic sometimes tongue-in cheek social commentary.

WILD GOOSECHASE EXPEDITION is the band’s fifth release. Since their 1998 debut, Spottiswoode has somehow been able to hold together seven of New York’s finest musicians, put out a string of acclaimed records, perform residencies at the city’s best clubs, play Lincoln Center, tour the country, cross the ocean…all with a band that doesn’t even like him. He composes songs of all genres, and His Enemies are ready and willing to switch instruments and gears in the blink of an eye.

Spottiswoode also wrote ABOVE HELL’S KITCHEN, a rock opera based on Mozart’s Don Giovanni, which he, his Enemies, and an all-Equity cast performed to sold-out crowds in the 2010 New York Musical Theatre Festival, the world’s premier venue for new musical-theater works.

Spottiswoode’s songs have been covered by many musicians and featured in numerous films. He wrote and directed THE GENTLEMAN, a semi-autobiographical short film, which played for several years on The Independent Film Channel. More recently, three Enemies songs were included in Matthew Chapman’s THE LEDGE, starring Liv Tyler and Terrence Howard, which premiered in competition at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.

Website: www.AdamFalcon.com

Being born and raised in a diverse city such as New York, only gives good reason as to why the music of Adam Falcon is just as diverse. Adam, one of the most colorful and emotionally filled guitarist, singer-songwriters around, now steps from a supporting role to a leading one. Working as an experienced session and touring musician has granted Adam a wealth of opportunity. Whether it was being on tour with Phyllis Hyman, Will Downing, Jonathan Butler, Sophie B. Hawkins, or the great Roberta Flack or perhaps in the studio along side Digable Planets, George Benson, or Arif Mardin, Adam states, "It was just like being in a musical goldmine." One of Adam Falcon's brightest moments as a songwriter occurred when his mentor and idol, George Benson, chose to record a composition of his. Produced by the legendary Arif Mardin, the song "In Search of a Dream" was included on the million selling record "In Your Eyes." Years later, having lightning strike twice, producer Tommy LiPuma used yet another composition from the pen of Adam Falcon. This time the song entitled "True Blue" from the album "That's Right." Once again, the artist being, none other than George Benson. Adam Falcon's R&B, Jazz-tinged, Alternative Soul is a fresh new blend, which allows us to hear music in a whole new light.

04/07 - Saturday :: Idan Santhaus Big Band

Website: www.IdanSanthaus.com

"Putting a unique stamp on the genre of "Big Band Music" has become increasingly difficult... Idan Santhaus, a talented saxophonist / flautist, has now made his mark on the genre."

..."While Santhaus was the only reed player on the stage, the clever arrangements did not want for a saxophone section"

..."Santhaus, who had already demonstrated his saxophone talents on the prior tunes, could very well become a major musical force on flute. Dexterity, range, creativity, speed and stylish sophistication seemed to spring forth from the flute as Santhaus shot rapid-fire sixteenth notes through the room."

Jazz Improv's New York Jazz Guide & Directory September 2006

04/08 - Sunday Brunch :: 10-2pm :: The Compact

Website: www.ErinHobsonCompact.com

The song-writing team of Erin Hobson and Steven Ross churn out songs that never cease to surprise. This one-of-a-kind ensemble weaves tapestries of musical fare with unexpected depth and sensitivity. The duet’s live show is uplifting and textured - combining musical styles into a sound that’s totally new.

04/10 - Tuesday :: Billy Hart Quartet

www.BillyHartMusic.com

Billy Hart (drums)

Mark Turner (sax)

Ethan Iverson of the Bad Plus (piano)

Ben Street (bass)

An powerful peer of Tony Williams and Jack DeJohnette, Billy Hart has come into his own as a bandleader. His rugged quartet featuring three younger iconoclastic musicians has a new record coming out on ECM, All Our Reasons.

Their previous record, Quartet was chosen as "10 Best records of 2006" by both K. Leander Williams at Time Out/New York (number one) and Nate Chinen at the New York Times (number ten).

04/14 - Saturday :: Sheila Jordan Duo featuring Cameron Brown

Sheila Jordan (vocals)

One of the most consistently creative of all jazz singers, Sheila Jordan has a relatively small voice, but has done the maximum with her instrument. She is one of the few vocalists who can improvise logical lyrics (which often rhyme), she is a superb scat singer, and is also an emotional interpreter of ballads. Yet despite her talents, Jordan spent much of the 1960s and '70s working at a conventional day job. She studied piano when she was 11 and early on, sang vocalese in a vocal group. Jordan moved to New York in the 1950s, was married to Duke Jordan (1952-62), studied with Lennie Tristano, and worked in New York clubs. George Russell used her on an unusual recording of "You Are My Sunshine" and she became one of the few singers to lead her own Blue Note album (1962). However, it would be a decade before she appeared on records again, working with Carla Bley, Roswell Rudd, and co-leading a group with Steve Kuhn in the late '70s. Jordan recorded a memorable duet album with bassist Arild Andersen for SteepleChase in 1977, and has since teamed up with bassist Harvie Swartz on many occasions. By the 1980s, Sheila Jordan was finally performing jazz on a full-time basis and gaining the recognition she deserved 20 years earlier. She recorded as a leader (in addition to the Blue Note session) for East Wind, Grapevine, SteepleChase, Palo Alto, Blackhawk, and Muse, resurfacing in 1999 with Jazz Child. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

Cameron Brown (bass)

Jazz bassist, composer and educator Cameron Brown began his career in the mid-sixties, recording in Europe with George Russell and Don Cherry. These two wonderful musicians remain life-long influences and inspirations. Mr. Brown anchored some of the most important groups of the seventies, eighties and nineties, beginning in 1975. Sheila Jordan, Roswell Rudd, Archie Shepp and Beaver Harris were his mentors and bandleaders then. He has enjoyed special relationships with master drummers: Art Blakey, Dannie Richmond, Philly Joe Jones, Edward Blackwell, Idris Muhammad and Joe Chambers, as well as Mr. Harris.

04/19 - Thursday :: Kate McGarry

Web Site: www.KateMcGarry.com

Kate McGarry, one of her generation’s most unique and influential singers, has earned acclaim for blending her love of folk and pop music with jazz fluency and improvisation. With Girl Talk – her fifth Palmetto Records album and first 'straight ahead' project in many years - McGarry pays homage to her many role models among the visionary women of the jazz vocal tradition; from Betty Carter and Sheila Jordan to Anita O'Day, Carmen McRae and Shirley Horn. Says McGarry, "The great women jazz singers didn’t allow the songs of the time to define or reduce them – instead they redefined the meanings of the songs with their bold storytelling." This was my intention in recording Girl Talk. The challenge and opportunity in this album was for McGarry to “honor the tradition these women developed but also allow the music to reflect life today – " my life today,” she says. “Singing these songs can’t be like putting on a costume. I didn’t grow up in the ‘30s or ‘40s or ‘50s, and I wouldn’t consider myself a traditional jazz singer per se, but the elements of harmonic and rhythmic improvisation, of swing, of storytelling – these are where those classic jazz singers and I connect. I see this album as a bridge between the contemporary music I was influenced by and the jazz tradition I learned so much from.”

McGarry’s previous Palmetto release was the Grammy-nominated If Less Is More, Nothing is Everything of 2008, an album The New York Times called “astute and sensitive” and that impressed author Ted Gioia as “absolutely heartrending.” Her band for the Girl Talk tour will feature husband and producer Keith Ganz on guitar, Gary Versace on organ and piano, and Clarence Penn on drums and percussion.

04/20 - Friday :: Ben Van Gelder Quintet

Ben Van Gelder (Alto Sax)

Aaron Parks (Piano)

Peter Schlamb (Vibraphone)

Rick Rosato (Bass)

Craig Weinrib (Drums)

Consisting of some of the most talented young musicians from North America and Europe, the BEN VAN GELDER QUINTET ushers in a new aesthetic with international allure. Rooted in the jazz tradition, this group creates music that is informed by the spirit of the time. As the band shapes its original compositions, it projects a robust, yet shimmering wall of sound without abandoning the folk music origins of the blues. e quintet is transparently invested in community building--in creating a strong feeling in the room for members of the audience--and their music speaks to listeners of any age and background. e incandescent glow of vibraphone and piano, backed by an energetic, textured rhythm section, o ers a platform for improvisation and experimentation.

04/26 - Thursday :: Jim Campilongo Electric Trio

Jim Campilongo (guitar)

Stephan Crump (bass)

Tony Mason (drums)

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!

04/28 - Saturday :: Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra

www.PedroGiraudo.com

The Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra is being hailed as one of the most daring and creative ensembles on the scene today. In the latest issue of Downbeat, John Murph calls their latest album ("El Viaje") “an opulent listening experience of modern, orchestral jazz, brimming with passionate improvisations, deliberate contrapuntal melodies and plush harmonies.” They've been performing regularly at the Jazz Standard, Birdland, jazz Gallery, Joe's Pub.. Pedro Giraudo, in the tradition of such composers as Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus, highlights the unique talents of each band member, masterfully weaving together pre-composed and improvised elements.

Originally from Cordoba Argentina, Pedro Giraudo moved to New York City in 1996. Since then he has become an in-demand bass player and arranger working in a great variety of musical projects. He has performed professionally with Pablo Ziegler, Kenny Garret, Marco Granados, William Cepeda, Chris Washburn, and Eternal Tango;, and recorded with Fernando Oteros X-Tango, Marta Topferova, Lucia Pulido, Mo'Guajiro & Jess Jurkovic. Pedro is seen regularly at the Jazz Standard, Birdland, Jazz Gallery and Joe's Pub, this is their first appearance at The Falcon, performing two sets, at 7:15 and 8:45 pm.

04/29 - Sunday :: The Saints' Swing Dance Night!

Website :: www.SaintsofSwing.com

Dance Instruction by Chester & Linda Freedmen :: www.Got2Lindy.com

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!

05/12 - Saturday :: Greg Osby 5

Website: www.GregOsby.com

Saxophonist, composer, producer and educator Greg Osby has made an indelible mark on contemporary jazz as a leader of his own ensembles and as a guest artist with other acclaimed jazz groups for the past 20 years. Highly regarded for his insightful and innovative approach to composition and performance, Osby is a shining beacon among the current generation of jazz musicians. He has earned numerous awards and critical acclaim for his recorded works and passionate live performances.

Born and reared in St. Louis, Greg Osby began his professional music career in 1975, after three years of private studies on clarinet, flute and alto saxophone. Coming from a vibrant and musical city, Osby showed an early interest in the performing arts and spent his years in secondary school with a heavy involvement in Blues and Jazz groups. In 1978 Osby furthered his musical education at Howard University (Washington, D.C.) where he majored in Jazz Studies. He continued his studies at the Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA) from 1980 to 1983.

Upon relocating to New York in early 1983, Osby quickly established himself as a notable and in demand sideman for artists as varied as Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, Jack DeJohnette, Andrew Hill, Muhal Richard Abrams, Jim Hall and Jaki Byard as well as with many ethnic and new music ensembles in the New York area.

In 1985 Osby was invited to to join Jack DeJohnette's innovative group, "Special Edition". It was as a member of this ensemble Osby was able to fine tune the more challenging aspects of his conception in an open ended, no holds barred musical situation. Says Osby, "My musical thinking for performance and composition advanced by light years as Jack was open to my input and was very encouraging in pushing me to to maintain a steady flow of experimentation. It marked a major turning point in my development as an artist." In 1987, Osby signed his first recording deal with a new German label , JMT (Jazz Music Today). With this situation, he felt that he was finally able to document life as he saw it through music. He had free creative reign to do whatever he liked. He recorded four CD titles for that label. Osby signed with Blue Note Records in 1990 and recorded fifteen outstanding recordings for that label as a leader. In 2008, Osby launched his own label, "Inner Circle Music", which serves as a platform for many of today's brightest artists. From the pulse of the streets and the language of a generation, Osby has sketched numerous musical essays set to a contemporary score using the improvisational nature of Jazz as the connecting thread.

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 - Thursday :: Jim Campilongo Electric Trio

Jim Campilongo (guitar)

Stephan Crump (bass)

Tony Mason (drums)

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!

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

Website :: www.SaintsofSwing.com

Dance Instruction by Chester & Linda Freedmen :: www.Got2Lindy.com

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!

06/22 - Friday :: Indo Jazz-Fusion featuring :: Aashish Khan, Ray Spiegel & 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.

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).

~ And More Great Music Coming! ~

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