Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Mardi Gras @ Mona's 2nite - Astor 2morrow - Nuyorican Fri - Webster Hall next Wed

Greetings.

Mardi Gras is upon us.  Fat Tuesday, if you will.  A long standing tradition that is usually associated with New Orleans that was, believe it or not, started domestically in Mobile, Alabama.  I used to live in Mobile, and Mobillians always like to bring that fact up.  I also remember a thing called Joe Cain Day on the Sunday before that is celebrated there, and it's pretty wacky, involving going to the grave of Joe Cain and having a few drinks.   They know how to party.  In my hometown of Pascagoula, MS we also celebrated Mardi Gras with a fervor.  We, of course, had a city wide Mardi Gras Parade.  I was also lucky enough to live on a block with one of the few neighborhood Mardi Gras parades, called the Krewe Of Mullet.  This was before the term "mullet" had the meaning it does today, but I was at these parades in the 80's, so it could apply, methinks.  I may have even had a mullet then.   But I digress.   With the city parade, I was always playing in one of the school marching bands.  In the neighborhood parades, once I grew out of the big wheel races that is, I would often be in a little jazz combo.  The band was composed of neighborhood kids and our friends from Jr. High.  We marched and danced around the block along with the decorated "boat floats" (my term) being lead by King Mullet and Princess Pogey.  Of course there was the house on the corner that served up fresh beignets.  Good stuff.  
My memories of those parades always lives with me, and it was some of the most fun I had as a kid making music.   I do like Mardi Gras.

I'll be playing tonight as an addition to Mona's Hot Four (making it the Hot Five?  Potentially sacrilegious to Satchmo?)  at Mona's for their Mardi Gras celebration.  There's gonna be food the hour before and then all bets are off when we start at 10 till the wee hours.  I warned you.

Wednesday I'll be back with 
Gelber and Manning at the amazing The Astor Room in Astoria!

Thursday I'll be playing latin jazz trombone with Willie Martinez and the 
La Familia Sextet at our monthly romp at the venerable Nuyorican Poet’s Café in Alphabet City!

Next Wednesday I'll be playing an amazing show with 
Lucy Woodward at The Studio At Webster Hall!

Sorry for the lack of more meat to my writing about the gigs here.. I got a little distracted by my nostalgic trip on the Krewe of Mullet.  It happens, when mullet is involved.

All the info for the above mentioned gigs, plus a look at my March schedule as it stands, is listed below.


Tue 2/21 10:00pm - 2:30am w/Mona's Hot Five @ Mona's (224 Ave B btwn 13th and 14th) Happy Mardi Gras
Wed 2/22 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/Gelber and Manning @ The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens)
Thu 2/23 9:30pm-12:00am w/Willie Martinez La Familia Sextet @ The Nuyorican Poet’s Café236 E 3rd St) $7 cover
Wed 2/29 8:00 w/Lucy Woodward @ The Studio At Webster Hall (125 E 11th St) Tickets $15

Sun 3/4 7:00pm - 9:30pm The Epistrophy Five @ Epistrophy Cafe (200 Mott St btwn Spring and Kenmare)  Reservations: 212-966-0904
Wed 3/7 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/Gelber and Manning @ The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens)
Thu 3/8 9pm - Midnight w/JC Hopkins Trio @ The Rum House (228 W47th St)
Sun 3/11 7:00pm - 9:30pm JWH Trio @ Epistrophy Cafe (200 Mott St btwn Spring and Kenmare)  Reservations: 212-966-0904
Wed 3/14 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/Gelber and Manning @ The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens)
Fri 3/23 9:30pm w/Jack Grace Band @ The Maple Leaf (8316 Oak St. NEW ORLEANS, LA)
Thu 3/29 9:30pm-12:00am w/Willie Martinez La Familia Sextet @ The Nuyorican Poet’s Café236 E 3rd St) $7 cover

March 2012


Sun 3/4 7:00pm - 9:30pm The Epistrophy Five @ Epistrophy Cafe (200 Mott St btwn Spring and Kenmare)  Reservations: 212-966-0904


Wed 3/7 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/Gelber and Manning @ The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens)


Thu 3/8 9pm - Midnight w/JC Hopkins Trio @ The Rum House (228 W47th St)


Fri 3/9 10:30pm – 2:30am w/The Big 72 Garage (99 7th Ave S)


Sun 3/11 7:00pm - 9:30pm JWH Trio @ Epistrophy Cafe (200 Mott St btwn Spring and Kenmare)  Reservations: 212-966-0904


Wed 3/14 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/Gelber and Manning @ The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens)


Fri 4/29 11:30pm - late w/Jack Grace Band @ The Maple Leaf (8316 Oak St. NEW ORLEANS, LA)



Thu 3/29 9:30pm-12:00am w/Willie Martinez La Familia Sextet @ The Nuyorican Poet’s Café236 E 3rd St) $7 cover


updated 3/21/12

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Mardi Gras gig posted

Looks like I'll be playing at Mona's for Fat Tuesday frivolities.  Hellzyeah.  That'll be a scene fer sure.

Tue 2/21 10:00pm - 2:30am w/Mona's Hot Five @ Mona's (224 Ave B btwn 13th and 14th) Happy Mardi Gras


As always, see the full updated schedule with the "gig schedule" link in the menu to the right, or by clicking here.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

HVD - Astor Room 2nite & 2morrow - Dominion/Garage Fri - Superfine Sun

Valentine's Day.

Oy.

Just the mere mention of this day always sends a vast array of emotions over different people. You'll see indifference, hostility, annoyance, umbrage, and I hear there's even some bozos out there actually like it.  Man, that's crazy.  I guess I gotta count myself as one of the bozos though.  I've always liked it, even when I hated it.  It's a really fun holiday to totally trash... I mean, there's so many awesome reasons to trash it!  It was originally coined for an early Christian martyr, and face it, martyrdom of any kind hardly makes one think luvvy duvvy thoughts for a sweetheart.   Now it's become just another Hallmark®™ holiday, it inspires some of the worst design and artwork imaginable, the candy that's hawked for it is often way too sweet/cheaply made, and the holiday can put an unduly amount of unnecessary guilt, expectation, and stress upon any person in a relationship.  It especially inspires men to act like loons and jump incredible hoops to garner favor.   But yeah, even when I hate it, I kinda like it.  So, Andy and I give you this:


 

Tonight I'll be leading a Valentine's Day quartet featuring Tom Beckham on the vibraphone, Brian Nalepka on the bass, and Andy Burns on the drums for a special extended set (or three) at the beautiful Astor Room in Astoria.  There will be a special menu for the holiday, and I promise you this joint will impress a date with the vintage styling, the early motion picture mojo, the incredible food, and the top notch cocktails.  Reservations are recommended.

Tomorrow night I'll be at the Astor Room again, with the same band (except we'll be joined by Jim Whitney on bass) where you can either drown your post Valentine sorrows, or enjoy your extended endorphin (or sugar) high from the day before.

Friday night I'm rockin' a double.  I'll play a few tunes as a special guest with 
Terry Radigan as she plays her CD release party at Dominion in the East Village.  I also play on that CD there that she's releasing.  Later that night, I'll be playing four hard-hitting sets of tailgate trombone with the incredible Kevin Dorn and The Big 72.

Sunday night, you'll find me tromboning and uking with the mellow amazing-ness that is Daria Grace and the 
Pre War Ponies at Superfine in DUMBO, which houses my favorite pork chop in the city.  This is gonna be a lot of fun, I guarantee!

You'll find all the pertinent information for the above mentioned gigs below:


Tue 2/14 7:00pm - 10:00pm w/JWH Quartet featuring Tom Beckham @ The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens) HAPPY VDAY! Reservations: 718.255.1947
Wed 2/15 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/JWH Quartet featuring Tom Beckham @ The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens) Reservations: 718.255.1947
Fri 2/17 7:30pm as special guest on a couple tunes w/Terry Radigan @ Dominion (428 Lafayette St - across street from the Public Theater) Tickets $15
Fri 2/17 10:45pm – 2:45am w/The Big 72 @ Garage (99 7th Ave S)
Sun 2/19 7:00pm - 11:00pm Pre War Ponies @ Superfine (126 Front Street, Dumbo BROOKLYN)
Wed 2/22 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/Gelber and Manning @ The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens)
Thu 2/23 9:30pm-12:00am w/Willie Martinez La Familia Sextet @ The Nuyorican Poet’s Café236 E 3rd St) $7 cover
Wed 2/29 8:00 w/Lucy Woodward @ The Studio At Webster Hall (125 E 11th St) Tickets $15

Take care!

w

February 2012



Wed 2/1
 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/JWH Quartet featuring Tom Beckham The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens)

Wed 2/8
 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/JWH Quartet featuring Tom Beckham The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens)

Sun 2/12 7:00pm - 9:30pm JWH Trio @ Epistrophy Cafe (200 Mott St btwn Spring and Kenmare)  Reservations: 212-966-0904


Tue 2/14 7:00pm - 10:00pm w/JWH Quartet featuring Tom Beckham The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens) HAPPY VDAY!

Wed 2/15
 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/JWH Quartet featuring Tom Beckham The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens)


Fri 2/17 7:30pm as special guest on a couple tunes w/Terry Radigan @ Dominion (428 Lafayette St - across street from the Public Theater) Tickets $15

Fri 2/17
 10:45pm – 2:45am w/The Big 72 Garage (99 7th Ave S)

Sun 2/19 7:00pm - 11:00pm Pre War Ponies @ Superfine (126 Front Street, Dumbo BROOKLYN)


Tue 2/21 10:00pm - 2:30am w/Mona's Hot Five @ Mona's (224 Ave B btwn 13th and 14th) Happy Mardi Gras


Wed 2/22 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/Gelber and Manning @ The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens)

Thu 2/23
 9:30pm-12:00am w/Willie Martinez La Familia Sextet @ The Nuyorican Poet’s Café236 E 3rd St) $7 cover

Wed 2/29
 8:00 w/Lucy Woodward @ The Studio At Webster Hall (125 E 11th St) Tickets $15


updated 2/16/12