Barbes’ Wednesday night jazz gigs continue to draw a dedicated following. Tonight we were the beneficiaries of a compelling performance by Matt Pavolka’s Horns Band featuring cornetist Kirk Knuffke, trombonist Jacob Garchik, alto saxophonist Loren Stillman, and drummer Ben Perowsky. At the center of the performance, Pavolka provided non-stop energy, driving his seven masterfully composed originals
Drummer and composer Tomas Fujiwara played two brilliant sets before a sellout crowd at Cornelia Street Cafe on Saturday night. During the first set, which included four new pieces, the leader showcased the impressive talents of band members Mary Halvorson (guitar), Brian Settles (tenor sax), Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet), and bassist Adam Hopkins who was subbing for
In front of a sold-out crowd, Kris Davis led her quartet in a impressive array of exploratory pieces last night. Joined by veteran musicians Mat Maneri (viola), Drew Gress (bass), and Jim Black (drums), the band played two sets of originals. The first set comprised three extended pieces filled with energy, unusual rhythms, and fascinating interplay.
A quartet led by pianist Jesse Stacken, including saxophonist Peter Van Huffel, trumpeter Nate Wooley, and drummer Tom Rainey, lit up Caffe Vivaldi on Jones Street in the West Village last night. Wooley’s inventive angles of playing, at times percussive, at others, driving, seemed to fuel the ensemble as he exchanged emotional riffs and interplay with Van
The small crowd gathered at Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center last night found that their efforts in braving the cold and the wind were not without reward. Ingrid Laubrock, the Brooklyn-transplanted German tenor saxophonist, and Mary Halvorson, a guitarist originally from Boston, continued to extend their joint musical vocabulary. Both rising stars on New York’s creative music
