It’s always a joy to play with bassist-composer Mark Dresser’s quintet, on either coast. Last week, we performed some of Mark’s new compositions in San Diego with a west coast lineup, including flutist Nicole Mitchell joining the band for the first time, and pianist Joshua White and drummer Kjell Nordeson. Once again, the dedicated listener-scribe Robert Bush wrote a beautiful review of the concert.
In November 2014, I enjoyed performing two concerts in CA with my trio, featuring Chris Tordini and Dan Weiss, in which we premiered a new scorestream composition that was commissioned by the Fromm Foundation. Titled Somewhere In The Upstream, this piece is dedicated to my former teacher Yusef Lateef, who passed about a year ago. If you … Read more
I enjoyed starting fall 2014 performing 4 gigs with some fantastic bands. The first was to premiere some new compositions by Mark Dresser with his quintet at Cornelia St. Cafe in NYC, along with Rudresh Mahanthappa, Denman Maroney and Michael Sarin. Then back on the west coast I had another chance to play on LA’s … Read more
I’m grateful to be featured in a “players profile” by Joe Tangari in the current issue of Downbeat magazine. It’s subtitled “Interactive Systems” and he discusses my trio and my work with live electronics, as well as composing for telematic concerts. And my latest trio CD, Resonating Abstractions, was also reviewed this month in All … Read more
I’m honored to be on this fantastic new CD on New World Records by Marty Ehrlich, a musician I deeply admire and also a mentor and friend. His Large Ensemble features an incredible group of people, including some veteran master musicians on our scene. The title track is especially powerful, a concerto-like work featuring the … Read more
My new trio CD, titled Resonating Abstractions, is now out on Clean Feed Records. It’s a multi-part composition that was inspired by seven contemporary abstract painters and commissioned through Chamber Music America’s “New Jazz Works” award, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. It also features the phenomenal artistry of my collaborators, Christopher Tordini on … Read more
With the extreme cold weather in the northeast US this year, few things would make me excited about leaving southern California in February for a tour that goes as far north as Montreal… but this is one of them: 5 concerts with a fantastic band led by my longtime friend and collaborator Jason Robinson and … Read more
I’m thrilled to be performing two concerts in Southern California with drummer Han Bennink, violinist/violist Mary Oliver and bassist Mark Dresser. They’re all phenomenal improvisers and wonderful people, and it’s always a special privilege to play with Han, who has been part of this music’s history since the 1960s and has such a beautiful mix … Read more
Yusef Lateef passed away today, at the age of 93. Yusef will always be an inspiration for me. He was the first teacher who helped me develop a practice of creating my own music as a composer-improviser, and he provided a profound model for what that could mean. He was one of the most exceptionally … Read more
I’m looking forward ending 2013 by playing music with some fantastic people in New York City, New Haven (CT) and Northampton (MA), including two gigs with the Mark Dresser Quintet (Firehouse 12 and Cornelia St. Cafe), one with my own trio (Seeds in Brooklyn) and one with some friends in Northampton. Details are on the … Read more
I had a fantastic experience in September 2013, hearing a reading of my orchestral composition, Slippages, by the La Jolla Symphony and conductor Steve Schick. They were a pleasure to work with and I’m so grateful to Steve and all the musicians and organizers for this opportunity. It was made possible through the Jazz Composers … Read more
I’m thrilled to be a member of the Mark Dresser Quintet, which recently released a new album called Nourishments on Clean Feed Records. Mark’s music is always profoundly inspiring for me, so it’s been a privilege and pleasure to collaborate with him closely in this band and many other projects during the past decade. The … Read more