Arts for Art "Justice is Compassion / Action is Power" Festival: Dec. 7 – Jan. 12

Arts for Art Presents

Justice is Compassion / Action is Power

December 7 – January 12

Abrazo Interno Gallery at the Clemente Center

107 Suffolk Street, New York, NY 10002

PERFORMANCE: 80 sets of music, dance, and poetry + visual art exhibit over 6 weeks

ART INSTALLATION: Jackson Krall & Tine Kindermann

WHEN: Monday – Saturday, December 7 – January 12, 7pm / 8pm / 9pm

Arts for Art is proud to announce the return of our winter Evolving free jazz series. The Evolving series focuses on the work of younger, forward-thinking artists exploring a range of contemporary creative possibilities through music, dance, and poetry.

Thursday 12/07

7pm: Art Opening

8pm: Taylor Ho Bynum / Kris Davis

Taylor Ho Bynum – cornet / Kris Davis – piano

9pm: Victor / Vatcher / Stewart

Fay Victor – voice / Luke Stewart – bass / Michael Vatcher – drums

Friday 12/08

7pm: Kirk Knuffke Trio

Kirk Knuffke – cornet / Bill Goodwin – drums / Stomu Takeishi – bass guitar

8pm: Common Sense Gun Legislation

Steve Swell – trombone / William Parker – bass / TA Thompson – drums

9pm: Daniel Levin / Joe Morris

Daniel Levin – cello / Joe Morris – guitar

Saturday 12/09

7pm: Sean Conly Trio

Sean Conly – bass / Darius Jones – alto sax / Mike Pride – drums

8pm: Joe Morris / Mark Feldman

Joe Morris – guitar / Mark Feldman – violin

9pm: Rob Brown / JP Carletti

Rob Brown – alto sax / Juan Pablo Carletti – drums

Monday 12/11

7pm: Marty Ehrlich Trio Exaltation

Marty Ehrlich – reeds / John Hebert – bass / Nasheet Waits – drums

8pm: Richard Keene Group

Richard Keene – reeds / Charles Downs – drums / Leonid Galaganov – percussion / Larry Roland – bass / Billy Stein – guitar

9pm: Sam Newsome Trio

Sam Newsome – soprano sax / Hilliard Greene – bass / Reggie Nicholson – drums

Tuesday 12/12

7pm: crosscut metagroovia

patrick brennan – alto sax / Hill Greene – bass / TA Thompson – drums

8pm: Leila Bordreuil / Charmaine Lee

Leila Bordreuil – cello / Charmaine Lee – voice

9pm: Jon Irabagon / Dan Weiss

Jon Irabagon – sax / Dan Weiss – drums

Wednesday 12/13

7pm: Angelica Sanchez Trio

Angelica Sanchez – piano / Michael Formanek – bass / Kenny Wollesen – drums

8pm: Andrew Drury’s ContenTrio

Andrew Drury – drums / Briggan Krauss – alto sax / Brandon Seabrook – guitar

9pm: Jaimie Branch Trio

Jaimie Branch – trumpet / Luke Stewart – bass / Mike Pride – drums

Thursday 12/14

7pm: Steve Dalachinsky / Billy Cancel / Jane Omerod – poetry

8pm: Human Rites Trio

Jason Kao Hwang – violin / Andrew Drury – drums / Ken Filiano – bass

9pm: Yoni Kretzmer 5

Yoni Kretzmer – sax / Steve Swell – trombone / Thomas Heberer – trumpet / Max Johnson – bass / Thomas Fujiwara – drums

Friday 12/15

7pm: Singchronicities

Goussy Celestin – dance, music

8pm: Rosenbloom / Grimes / Conly

Mara Rosenbloom – piano / Henry Grimes – bass / Sean Conly – bass

9pm: Darius Jones Trio

Darius Jones – sax / Charlie Looker – guitar / Michael Vatcher – drums

Saturday 12/16

7pm: AfroHorn Super Special

Francisco Mora Catlett – drums / Ahmed Abdullah – trumpet / Bob Stewart – tuba / Aruan Ortiz – piano / Rashaan Carter – bass / Roman Diaz – percussion / Sam Newsome – soprano sax / Alex Harding – baritone sax

8pm: Newman Taylor Washboard XT

Newman Taylor Baker – washboard

9pm: Cooper-Moore / Brian Price

Cooper-Moore – instruments / Brian Price – reeds

Monday 12/18 – honoring Connie Crothers

7pm: Andrea Wolper Trio

Andrea Wolper – voice / Patricia Nicholson – dance / TA Thompson – drums

8pm: Double Duo

Jay Clayton – voice / Ken Filiano – bass

9pm: Carol Liebowitz Trio

Carol Liebowitz – piano, voice / Adam Lane – bass / Andrew Drury – drums

Tuesday 12/19 – honoring Connie Crothers

7pm: Virg Dzurinko / Ryan Messina

Virg Dzurinko – piano / Ryan Messina – trumpet

8pm: Tidepool Fauna 4

Kyoko Kitamura – voice / Ingrid Laubrock – sax / Ken Filiano – bass / Da Yeon Seok – Korean drum

9pm: Nick Lyons Trio

Nick Lyons – alto sax / Roger Mancuso – drums / Adam Lane – bass

Wednesday 12/20

7pm: Miriam Parker – dance / Rob Brown – alto sax

7:30: Christine Bonansea – dance

8pm: Vincent Chancey Trio

Vincent Chancey – french horn, panderia / Joe Fonda – bass / Jeremy Carlstedt – drums

9pm: Bob Stewart / Curtis Stewart

Bob Stewart – tuba / Curtis Stewart – violin

Thursday 12/21

7pm: Gyname

Michael Wimberly – drums / Nioka Workman – cello

8pm: Music for a Free World Trio

Dave Sewelson – bari sax / William Parker – bass / Marvin Bugalu Smith – drums

9pm: WISQtet

Warren Smith – percussion / Andrew Lamb – reeds / Larry Roland – bass / Jose Abreu – percussion

Friday 12/22

7pm: Lisa Sokolov

Lisa Sokolov – voice, piano

8pm: Andrew Lamb Quintet

Andrew Lamb – reeds / Ahmed Abdullah – trumpet / William Parker – bass / Newman Taylor Baker – drums / Michael Wimberly – percussion

9pm: Secret Music Society

Jackson Krall – drums / Mark Hennen – piano / Larry Roland – bass / Elliott Levin – reeds / JD Parran – woodwinds / Juan Quinones – guitar

Thursday 12/28

7pm: Ned Rothenberg

8pm: Bisio / Fefer / Dalachinsky

Michael Bisio – bass / Avram Fefer – reeds / Steve Dalachinsky – poetry

9pm: Clarinet Madness

Jay Rosen – drums / Perry Robinson – clarinet / Michael Marcus – clarinet

Friday 12/29

8pm: Foster / Lopez / Weston

Michael Foster – sax / Brandon Lopez – bass / Matt Weston – percussion, electronics

7pm: Jochem Van Dijk Quartet

Jochem van Dijk – bass guitar / Dave Gould – drums / Evan Gallagher – piano / Sana Nagano – violin

9pm: Sarah Bernstein Quartet

Sarah Bernstein – violin / Ron Stabinsky – piano / Stuart Popejoy – bass / Satoshi Takeishi – drums

Saturday 12/30

7pm: Jeff Lederer / Kirk Knuffke

Jeff Lederer – clarinet / Kirk Knuffke – cornet

8pm: Jemeel Moondoc

9pm: Karen Borca Quartet

Karen Borca – bassoon / Hill Greene – bass / Warren Smith – vibes / Jackson Krall – drums

Tuesday 01/02 – honoring Amiri Baraka

7pm: Amina Baraka & the Red Microphone

Amina Baraka – poetry / John Pietaro – drums / Ras Moshe – reeds / Rocco John Lacovone – reeds / Laurie Towers – bass guitar

8pm: Melanie Dyer’s Baraka Project

Melanie Dyer – viola / Gwen Laster – violin / Patricia Nicholson – dance

9pm: Joe McPhee Trio

Joe McPhee – reeds / Billy Stein – guitar / Charles Downs – drums

Wednesday 01/03 – honoring Amiri Baraka

7pm: Raymond Nat Turner / Larry Roland – poetry

8pm: Hooker / Parker Duo

William Hooker – drums / William Parker – bass

9pm: Heroes are Gang Leaders Abridged

Thomas Sayers Ellis – voice / Randall Horton – voice / Luke Stewart – bass / Warren Crudup III – drums / James Brandon Lewis – tenor sax

Thursday 01/04

7pm: Ensemble Fanaa

Dan Kurfirst – percussion / Daro Behroozi – reeds / John Murchison – bass, gimbri

8pm: Whit Dickey / Mat Maneri

Whit Dickey – drums / Mat Maneri – violin

9pm: Wooley / Lopez / Foster / Bennett

Nate Wooley – trumpet / Brandon Lopez – bass / Michael Foster – reeds / Ben Bennett – percussion

Friday 01/05

7pm: LIP

K.J. Holmes – dance / Jeremy Carlstedt – drums

7:30pm: David Henderson – poetry

8pm: Jeremy Carlstedt Quartet

Jeremy Carlstedt – drums / Brian Settles – sax / Anders Nilsson – guitar / Sean Conly – bass

9pm: Tablopan

Juanma Trujillo – guitar / Hery Paz – tenor sax / Andrew Schiller – bass /

Robin Baytas & Daniel Prim – percussion

Saturday 01/06

7pm: Ronnie Burrage / Greg Lewis

Ronnie Burrage – drums / Greg Lewis – Hammond B3

8pm: Deep Ecology Trio +

JD Parron – winds / Cristian Amigo – guitar / Andrew Drury – perc / Jackson Krall – perc

9pm: Weasel Walter Quintet

Weasel Walter – drums / Michael Foster – sax / Leila Bordreuil – cello / Brandon Lopez – bass / Jaimie Branch – trumpet

Monday 01/08

7pm: Yoshiko Chuma – dance / Megumi Eda – dance / Jason Kao Hwang – violin

7:30pm: Nicole Peyrafitte – poetry

8pm: JP Carletti Xul Trio

Juan Pablo Carletti – drums / Jon Irabagon – reeds / William Parker – bass

9pm: Jeb Bishop Quartet

Jeb Bishop – trombone / Yoni Kretzmer – sax / Damon Smith – bass / Tom Rainey – drums

Tuesday 01/09

7pm: Devin Brahja Waldman

Devin Waldman – sax / Hilliard Greene – bass / Reggie Sylvester – drums

8pm: James Brandon Lewis / Aruan Ortiz

James Brandon Lewis – tenor sax / Aruan Ortiz – piano

9pm: Amirtha Kidambi / Sam Newsome

Amirtha Kidambi – voice / Sam Newsome – soprano sax

Wednesday 01/10

7pm: Daro Behroozi Quintet

Daro Behroozi – reeds / Alexis Marcelo – piano / Daniel Carter – reeds / Dan Kurfirst – percussion / Leonid Galaganov – percussion

8pm: Sana Nagano Quartet

Sana Nagano – violin / Ken Filiano – bass / Peter Apfelbaum – reeds / Max Jaffe – drums

9pm: Songs for a Free World

William Parker – bass / Rob Brown – alto sax / Jason Kao Hwang – violin / Melanie Dyer – viola / Fay Victor – voice / Gerald Cleaver – drums

Thursday 01/11

7pm: On Ka’a Davis Trio

On Ka’a Davis – guitar / Juini Booth – bass / Lamy Istrefi Jr. – drums

8pm: Nasheet Waits

9pm: Gerald Cleaver Quartet

Gerald Cleaver – drums / Chris Potter – sax / David Virelles – piano / Trevor Dunn – bass

Friday 01/12

7pm: The Mess

Brandon Lopez – bass / Sam Yulsman – piano / Chris Corsano – drums

8pm: Mixashawn / Joseph Palmer

Mixashawn – sax / Joseph Herrington Palmer – drums

9pm: Revolution Resurrection

Patricia Nicholson – dance / Jason Jordan – dance / Jason Kao Hwang – violin / TA Thompson – drums / Bill Mazza – live art

Seven (7) Reasons to Support Downbeat Magazine (And Other Publications Like Them)

I wish I had a dollar for every time a musician said to me "Man, I can never read Downbeat. It's too depressing." 

I totally get it.

The late bassist Dwayne Burno often referred to Downbeat as "Beat Down" and Jazz Times as "No Time." 

Again, I felt his frustration.

Flipping through an issue of one of these magazines, seeing dozens of musicians being featured and not you, is very depressing. We've all stumbled across that cover story on some young upstart still figuring out who they are and thought to ourselves "Wait! What? You can't be serious!"

 But I'm here to tell you that even though seeing others getting picked over you can be discouraging and downright angering, you still must support these magazines. Because like it or not, they are here to stay. And they play a vital role in promoting the music. 

So here are seven reasons to actually give these magazines a chance. Hear me out!

1. They are an excellent resource for club and festival listings. 

Putting aside the issues where they purposely list jazz clubs and festivals featuring jazz on a regular basis, you can also get a sense of who's playing and where just from the stories they cover about musicians and various events. This is helpful when you're looking to book yourself or perhaps another band, or maybe just looking for someone to go hear. And their info tends to be current.

2. You learn which record labels are signing musicians.

I know it's difficult seeing a full-page ad by a label featuring a roster of musicians you've never heard of. But you're looking at it from the wrong perspective. The thing to focus on is that now you have a sense of which record labels are signing artists and the kind music and players that they are interested in. These companies are always interested in new and exciting music. Maybe even yours.

3. They showcase up-and-coming players. There's always room in these magazines for an up-and-coming player feature. Apparently, this is great for those new on the scene, but even for us mid-career folks, it keeps us informed about who's doing what. The person being featured might be perfect for our music, or they might be someone we can learn from. And if we want future torch bearers, we must make way for them to be heard. 

4. An excellent resource for critical and descriptive writing about jazz. 

As 21st century musicians, knowing how to write about our music is paramount, whether we're blogging, applying for grants, or writing our own liner notes. These magazines are an excellent resource for learning how to put what we do into words. Mind you, they don't always get it correct with regards to whose doing noteworthy things and who is not; however, I think the writers are pretty good. Personally, I'm always lifting something from a review or article that I then apply to my own writing. And let me be clear, you certainly have clueless ones out there, spreading their misguided points of view. But I don't think they're as commonplace as many says--especially with print publications. Their articles go through more of a screening process than blogs and online magazines. So they're not going to be filled with a bunch of typos and misinformation.

5. A useful jazz education resource.

Many of these magazines have a strong educational component. I've seen numerous articles about improvising, the music business, and informative interviews with musicians revealing exciting aspects of their life and music I never knew. Being someone who creates and dispenses knowledge for living, this turns out to be an invaluable resource for me. I'm always getting some fresh ideas from one of their articles.

6. An excellent resource for finding out the latest trends in jazz, nationally and internationally. 

As discouraging as critics and readers polls can be, it's always useful to know who's getting people excited, and more importantly, why. Also, it's great that we can pick up one of these magazines and find out what's going on in disparate parts of the world from Nigeria to Australia. This kind of coverage helps to unify the jazz community globally.

7. A great way to make your music available to an international audience. 

These magazines are great for getting the word out about you and your music throughout the United States and abroad. Being someone who self-publishes, I've noticed that appearing in Downbeat and The New York Times generates a noticeable bump in sales and general interest in my music. Receiving acknowledgment in these publications has more impact than we think. It won't translate into an immediate three-week European tour, but it will help you create a following, little by little. Which is how it should be done.

So, as you can see, if you put your initial reaction aside, these publications serve a much higher purpose than toilet paper substitutes.

And please don't think that I'm saying that they are without fault. 

Do they cater more to artists with label support and endorsements? Absolutely. These companies provide lots of the advertising revenue that magazines need to stay afloat. The person who gives a $50.00 donation to an organization is going to get a thank you note; while the person who gave five million is getting a building named after them. That's just the nature of the business. 

But as I said throughout, I would not be so quick to dismiss "Beat Down" and "No Time" as an unfortunate waste of trees. Try flipping through them with an open mind. You might be amazed at how useful they can actually be. And maybe even less depressing. 

82nd Annual Downbeat Readers Poll

It was nice to see that I appeared twice in the December 2017 issue of Downbeat: the 82 Annual Readers Poll in the Soprano Saxophone category,  and a nice 4-star review by Howard Mandel.

Good times! In the meantime I'm working the music for a new CD, to be tentatively titled Improvised Music for Prepared Saxophone. This is going to be the craziest one yet!

COVER

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READERS POLL

CD REVIEW