News From 2006
Back
17 January 2006
I will be appearing with Darcy James
Argue's Secret Society
at the
Bowery
Poetry Club
on Friday, January 20th at 10:00pm.
"Darcy James Argue has developed an experimental yet
accessible voice as a composer... his gifts are outstanding."
-Bob Brookmeyer
An emerging composer on the New York jazz scene,
Darcy James Argue directs Secret Society, a dynamic new
big band featuring his original works. It is also a showcase
for a number of singular, exciting soloists like trumpeter
Ingrid Jensen, saxophonist Joel Frahm, trombonist Marshall Gilkes,
pianist Mike Holober, and drummer Jon Wikan. Secret Society is a
forward-looking ensemble, influenced by contemporary big bands like
the Maria Schneider Orchestra and the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble,
but also atmospheric post-rock bands like Tortoise and Calexico, and
adventurous new music ensembles like Alarm Will Sound. Secret
Society made their New York debut at the CBGB Lounge on May 29,
2005, playing to a large and enthusiastic audience.
For more information visit, secretsociety.typepad.com
6 February 2006
"The MU Jazz Ensemble, directed by Michael Galloway, will present
a concert with special guest artists, trumpeters Ingrid Jensen and
MU alumnus Andre Canniere and drummer Jon Wikan on Saturday,
February 11, 8 p.m. in Steadman Theatre. The program will also
feature local favorite, the X-Ray Big Band." (Read the
Press Release)
16 February 2006
"As of Yet" is now available! Click the image to buy your copy today.
The release party will be on March 23rd at Jimmy's Restaurant.
1 March 2006
Friday night I'll be appearing with the Lars Halle Jazz Orchestra
in their hometown of Philadelphia. Performing with us will be tenor
saxophonist Tim Warfield. Saturday night I'll return
to Brooklyn to play with SPIN at a new club called Goodbye Blue Monday.
I've added a few updates to my links page to include a few more amazing musicians that I've encountered
in the past several months.
23 March 2006
Tonight is the official CD release party for the
Andre Canniere Group's
debut album,
As of Yet. The event will be showcased at Jimmy's Restaurant
as part of the weekly Freestyle Jazz Series.
Featuring the usual suspects:
Josh Rutner
Ryan Ferreira
Ike Sturm
Tommy Crane
(Ted Poor is touring with
Cuong Vu).
The CD is now also available at Tower Records.
18 April 2006
Back again with Darcy James
Argue's Secret Society
at the
Bowery
Poetry Club
tonight at 10:00pm. $12 cover at the door.
In this week's Time Out New York...
21 April 2006
Congrats to the Respect Sextet and Naked Brunch for a fantastic
show last night!
I'll be playing with Ben Gallina
and Ryan Ferreira
at mAnnAhAttA
on Sunday the 23rd from 1-4pm.
2 May 2006
As the days following the Vernal Equinox slowly become the pleasantly
warm (eventually hot & disgusting) days of Summer, so begins marathon
training season for many New York City runners. Having completed two
marathons already (both in Philadelphia), I am very much looking
forward to running in my own city where I will be surrounded by
several friends (runners and spectators). Another bit of exciting
news is the decision by seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer
survivor, Lance Armstrong, to commit to this years NYC Marathon.
Maybe despite his success as a cyclist, he is a terribly slow runner
and I'll beat him... Right.
Important Date: Sunday, May 14, 2006 - The Andre Canniere
Group will be playing at the Knitting Factory from 9:00 - 10:30 PM.
This will be our first performance since September with the original
personnel. Bring your mothers!
10 May 2006
This past weekend I watched one of the funniest albeit poignant films
I have seen in awhile. Writer/director Bruce Robinson's semiautobiographical
"Withnail and I" (1986) is a story about two unemployed actors from
London who "accidentally" escape for a week in the English countryside.
Beatles fans will be interested to know that it was executive produced
by George Harrison and Richard Starkey (aka Ringo Starr) was a special
production consultant.
If you haven't seen this, I strongly urge you to go out and buy or rent it.
Below are a few of the many fantastic quotes from the movie.
"We've gone on holiday by mistake."
"My thumbs have gone weird. "
"Look at my tongue; it's wearing a yellow sock."
"GET IN THE BACK OF THE VAN!"
"I don't advise a haircut, man. All hairdressers are in the employment of the government. Hairs are your aerials. They pick up signals from the cosmos, and transmit them directly into the brain. This is the reason bald-headed men are uptight."
"I want something's flesh."
Withnail: "Who says it's a Camberwell Carrot?"
Danny: "I do. I invented it in Camberwell, and it looks like a carrot."
"Flowers are simply tarts; prostitutes for the bees."
"Politics man. If you're hanging on to a rising balloon, you're presented with a difficult decision; let go before it's too late, or hold on and keep getting higher. Posing the question, how long can you keep a grip on the rope?"
14 May 2006
Happy Mother's Day!
Tonight:
ANDRE CANNIERE GROUP
@ The Knitting Factory (74 Leonard Street in Manhattan)
9:00 PM - 10:30 PM
featuring
Josh Rutner
Ryan Ferreira
Ike Sturm
Ted Poor
18 May 2006
More CD news...
The Andre Canniere Group's new CD is now available at
iTunes.
Composer, band leader and blogger extraordinaire
Darcy James Argue
is
currently offering one of the tracks from As of Yet on his
site as an
exclusive free download.
19 May 2006
This weekend I'm playing with the
Astoria Symphony Orchestra
in two performances of Johannes Brahms'
Requiem
(Saturday in Manhattan
& Sunday in Astoria). The orchestra, choir and soloists all sound
tremendous and this concert is bound to deliver a highly
memorable musical experience.
22 May 2006
Brava to Jean Rohe for her
forestallment of Senator John McCain’s
self-righteous speech at the New School graduation ceremony on Friday.
She also happens to be a jazz singer who is performing at the
Rockwood Music Hall this Friday night.
Speaking of the
Rockwood Music Hall... I’ll be playing there tonight
with
James Moorhead and the band, which includes pianist
Randy Ingram,
saxophonist/flautist
Erica von Kleist, bassist
Dan Loomis, and drummer
Rohin Khemani at 10:00 PM.
31 May 2006
Is the sky falling?
Al Gore’s edifying film/documentary, “
An Inconvenient Truth",
opened last week following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
I think everyone should make an effort to see this film regardless
of any political bias. Those who support the theory of global
warming (you know, scientists and educated people) can take part by
watching it and spreading the word. Those who believe
otherwise
will undoubtedly sustain the level of insularity that is required
for them to uphold their narrow-minded principles.
Join the BBC's climate change
experiment.
2 June 2006
Check your website's google page rank...
Mine is a 5 with the highest being 10. I only found two sites that
came up with a 10.
Google
and
iTunes.
13 June 2006
Transylvanian born composer
György Sándor Ligeti
died yesterday at the age of 83. If you aren't familiar with his work, you might know
him from his music featured in the Stanley Kubrick films 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining,
and Eyes Wide Shut.
15 June 2006
Here's a fresh review of the Andre Canniere Group's CD,
"As of Yet" .
"As of Yet is trumpeter André Canniere's debut. Four studio cuts are
complemented by (and, in two cases, overlap with) three live
recordings. The inclusion of the latter is a good thing, as they
yield a rawer view of the band (and not only because of the cavernous
sound quality) and a better take on the title track: the studio
version of "As Of Yet" is rather dry and inexpressive, but live,
timbral nuances give it expressiveness and the particularly punchy
rhythm section gives it lift.
Canniere's at his best as composer and arranger: long melodies that
unfurl majestically before suddenly flaring up and melancholy ballads
both sit easily on top of often complex rhythmic and harmonic
patterns. As a writer, Canniere's melodic sense is highly informed by
contemporary rock and pop, so a downcast ballad like "The Rest" has
as least as much in common melodically with quiet indie-rock as with
the traditional jazz ballad. This sounds natural: the sound of a
generation that's been developing, on both sides of the Atlantic,
since the late '90s.
There's an excellent rapport between bassist Ike Sturm and drummer
Ted Poor, which sets the basis for a context that seamlessly blends
jazz, rock and pop rhythmic feels while balancing extensive
arrangements with spontaneous decision-making. The extended groove
that opens the live version of "Accelerated Decrepitude" is a good
example of how well the pair works together.
The trumpeter is conspicuously generous with solo space but guides
his soloists with an unoppressive invisible hand. As the band digs in
more aggressively and buoyantly outside the recording studio, the
tunes' building blocks inspire rather than hinder, which is what
jazz composer/arrangers are supposed to do, right? On the studio
version of "Accelerated Decrepitude," the best of the leader's five
compositions, Canniere fluidly swaggers through the changes before
saxophonist Josh Rutner (both Rutner and Poor are members of the
Respect Sextet) leisurely turns one of the tune's riffs inside out.
Rutner mines the same idea on the live version, but this time shares
the work with Sturm and guitarist Ryan Ferreira.
Ferreira, showcased on "As of Yet" and "The Rest," is a strikingly
patient improviser who extends the compositions in fitting yet
unexpected ways: fragmented, fairly static phrases only slowly
expand their note and rhythmic choices. For example, on the live
version of "As Of Yet," he's happy to engage the groove solely with
oddly-paced block chords."
-Mwanji Ezana
be.jazz
18 June 2006
"Birthday greetings, bottle of wine"...
Paul McCartney turns 64 today.
22 June 2006
TONIGHT - 8:00PM
Supergroup,
spiN makes their debut @ Jimmy's (The Small Stage)
as part of the weekly
Freestyle Jazz Series .
Featuring the usual spinsters...
Andre,
Dave,
Red,
Mike and
Brady,
plus special guest
Josh Rutner.
Jimmy's is located at 43 East 7th Street on the corner of Second
Avenue. $10 per set and 1 drink min. Arrive early or call (212) 982-3006 for reservations.
27 June 2006
Pianist
Toby Koenigsberg
has just released his latest CD, Sense which
includes a pair of my compositions ("Thirteenth Species" and
"Realizing"). Sense is Toby's second recording as a leader
but marks the debut of his Oregon based trio featuring bassist
Tyler Abbott and drummer Jason Palmer. I have yet to hear the CD in
its entirety, but what I have heard sounds amazing. Read reviews
here
and
here .
7 July 2006
Darcy James Argue's
Secret Society returns to the
Bowery Poetry Club
tonight at 8:00 PM.
Co-Conspirators:
REEDS
Ben Kono
Jeremy Udden
Sam Sadigursky
Dan Willis
Alden Banta
TRUMPETS
Ingrid Jensen
Andre Canniere br>
James De La Garza
Tom Goehring
Dave Rezek
TROMBONES
Alan Ferber
James Hirschfeld
Mike Fahie
Darrell Hendricks
RHYTHM
Sebastian Noelle , guitar
Kris Davis , keyboards
Matt Clohesy , bass
Jon Wikan , drums
10 July 2006
Here's the latest review of
As of Yet
in
All About Jazz .
Trumpeter Andre Canniere's debut is aural evidence that good things can descend from the Ivory Tower. Every one of the players on As of Yet is an Eastman School of Music grad (Canniere in 2003), but they transcend the typical stereotypes often associated with university-trained musicians, the most common being that they "think" the music, rather than "feel" it. As this album shows, much of what used to be considered academic music has now been assimilated by a new generation of musicians who are as comfortable on the fringes as they are in the pocket. (In the interest of full disclosure, I've known several of these players for years.)
The recording opens with the title track, a slowly building collection of intricate melodies over a rock-solid bass line from Ike Sturm. Canniere and saxophonist Josh Rutner step into the ring to bob and weave around each other as the piece builds to a climax. The loose but intricate tune would be quite at home on a Dave Douglas or Ben Allison record.
Rutner opens "Bridges" in Brecker-Berg style�an aspect of his playing that's come out more in his Latin work than in his main band, The Respect Sextet. The loping gospel melody is propelled by the rolling drums of Ted Poor, who's been making a name for himself over the past few years in a trio led by trumpeter Cuong Vu.
"Accelerated Decrepitude" has a Balkan-influenced melody that leads into strong trumpet work from Canniere. Guitarist Ryan Ferreira opens the piece with long attack-less tones, then switches to pointed comping under the solos.
One programmatic issue with the record is a preponderance of slow, airy tunes. After the opening two tracks, the disc could probably have done without "The Rest," another slow creeper. Cutting it, though, would mean doing without Ferreira's pointillistic and lovely guitar solo. It's not surprising that Ferreira is Canniere's guitarist of choice, given the trumpeter's previous work with Ben Monder, another guitarist who works wonders with wide-open spaces.
The CD closes with three live tracks of better-than-bootleg quality recorded at various New York City clubs in 2005. Ryan Ferreira mutates into a different creature on "Thirteenth Species." Gone is the Frisell sound and Mack truck-sized space between each note, replaced by a driving fuzz chop that propels Rutner to screaming heights. Then the music takes another left turn and Poor and Ferreira start a monstrous Metallica march behind Canniere's solo. Heady stuff. Live versions of "As of Yet" and "Accelerated Decrepitude" close the recording.
Despite a few more slow spots than necessary, As of Yet is a strong opening statement from Canniere, who has immersed himself in the New York scene with everyone from Maria Schneider and Donny McCaslin to the Westchester Chamber Orchestra and the New York Repertory Orchestra. His debut gives listeners a reason to wait at the bottom of the Ivory Tower to see what else might come down from the hallowed halls of academia.
-
Jason Crane ,
All About Jazz
18 July 2006
Recently played on the iPod...
31 July 2006
After a recent conversation with my good friend and fellow trumpeter,
Eli Asher, I've decided to make a long overdue investment in some audio equipment
for my trumpet. I found a clip-on mic from
SD Systems
that seems to be the most recommended and widely used. It also happens to be quite chic to look at...
I'm also looking for a small/portable amplifier with a focused, high quality
output and switchable clean/overdrive modes. I've played far too many
gigs where the sound system provided is less than desirable, or there
isn't a sound system at all and I'm forced to compete with amplified
instruments. Why shouldn't a trumpet player be able to control their
sound and volume like a guitar player?
4 August 2006
While those of us that live in the northern hemisphere have been
enjoying record heat (2006 is the hottest year on record in the US),
the southern hemisphere (South Africa) is experiencing record low
temperatures, serious flooding and heavy snow. Seems pretty inconvenient.
Maybe The Day After Tomorrow is coming sooner than we think...
14 August 2006
Several months ago I recorded a couple of tracks with the Brooklyn based
singer and songwriter, Angela Ortiz.
I've just discovered via Angela's myspace page
that her debut album, All About You
is now available. The CD release party is on September 19th at
Rockwood Music Hall.
Congratulations Angela!
17 August 2006
"I really don't want to disturb the neighbors but the high volume is
needed in the battle against the devil..." A seven-member family in
Berlin is fighting an eviction order for loud night prayers.
Sounds like something straight out of the The Onion.
18 August 2006
Dave Douglas posted several blog entries on the Greenleaf Records site a few weeks ago, regarding the need for an "unbiased history" of
post sixties music and culture. He also mentions the Smithsonian
Collection of Classic Jazz in one of his posts and the possibility
that the Smithsonian is planning to release an update later this year.
Hopefully this time the Smithsonian has delegated the responsibility
of compiling the music to a committee of musicians with
extensive knowledge and experience. I think it was a mistake to ask
one person (Martin Williams) to select all of the music on the
original collection which was intended to represent an entire era of
jazz history. In Martin's defense, it must have been an overwhelming
task, but choosing "Alabama" to represent John Coltrane is one example
of why multiple opinions should be taken into consideration.
It may not be possible to sum up Coltrane's contributions to jazz
with one track, but perhaps "Giant Steps" would have been a better
choice.
Taking into consideration that many jazz history teachers at schools
and universities regard the Smithsonian as such an essential resource,
every effort should be made to create a more
comprehensive collection. It would be great if when they release the
new SCCJ, they would re-release the original collection with complete
versions of all the excerpts and fill in some of the gaps.
24 August 2006
Thousands of trumpet players around the world stopped trying to play a double high C just long enough to offer a moment of silence for the passing of the legendary Maynard Ferguson. He died at age 78 on August 23 at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, California, of kidney and liver failure (full article). Despite varying opinions about Maynard's trumpet playing, it has to be said that he inspired hundreds of aspiring lead players and his big band music is probably what kept a lot of high school jazz programs going. He will definitely be missed.
29 August 2006
Hurricane Katrina one year on, and Bush celebrates with pancakes.
I just watched Spike Lee's HBO documentary about the aftermath of Katrina.
The four part film will be shown in its entirety tonight at 8:00 PM on HBO.
4 September 2006
Tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman,
most famous for his collaborations with Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett, died
Saturday, September 2 in Brooklyn. The first time I heard Dewey Redman was on Keith
Jarrett's Shades album, which is still my favorite from the KJ American Quartet
records.
13 September 2006
Friday night I'll be performing with pianist Red Wierenga (of the
Respect Sextet) at the
Rockwood Music Hall.
We hit at 6:00 PM.
27 September 2006
Yesterday I recorded with the immensely talented singer/songwriter,
Fredo Viola for his upcoming
release on the European label, Because.
After the recording session, which was one of the easiest and fastest
I have ever done (that's a compliment to Fredo), he showed me a
video that he created using 15 second jpg movies from his Nikon
Coolpix 775 still camera. He made the video for his song entitled
The Sad Song, which paid tribute to his father who passed away in
2004. It isnt surprising that Fredo has an eye for film and video
considering that he studied filmmaking at NYUs Tisch School. The
music and the video are equally impressive as separate entities (as
it should be with any great work combining media), but together they
create quite a powerful end result. Check it out.
2 October 2006
October officially marks the third anniversary of my move to New York
City. I don’t remember the exact date, so I’'ll have to settle with
October 1st until someone remembers differently. Despite the
occasional feeling that it'’s completely impractical and
impossible to live here and that developing a career as a freelance musician
seems incredibly slow sometimes, the pros still easily outweigh the
cons. I've met and worked with some of the most incredible musicians in
the world over the last three years and I'm looking forward to continuing
those relationships as well as forming new ones.
4 October 2006
Last night I went to Makor to hear the Cuong Vu Trio in one of their rare NYC appearances (the last time I saw Cuong was when he came to one of my shows in September 2005). All the touring they’ve been doing over the past year has had huge impact on their playing and it was very evident in last night’s performance (Ted & Stomu play as though they were born joined at the hip). Aside from being completely comfortable with the music, they have developed a much more organic and natural approach to the way they improvise together.
This performance was part of the fourth annual Festival of New Trumpet Music, or FONT. FONT is a month long festival based in New York featuring many of the greatest creative and innovative trumpeters. After the show, I spoke with Dave Douglas about FONT 2007 which will be featuring the Andre Canniere Group in the lineup (things were a little hectic this year, hence the absence of the ACG in 2006).
Aside from seeing Cuong and Dave, I saw several other familiar faces including Laurie Frink, Chris DiMeglio, Ryan Ferreira, Nate Radley and Peter Evans. I also witnessed what I believe is an event that shall go into the modern jazz history books. Pat Metheny (Cuong Vu’s employer) made it out to the show as well, and afterwards when people were standing around talking, Cuong asked Dave if he had met Pat yet. Dave had not! So I and a few other people saw Dave Douglas and Pat Metheny meet for the first time. Pretty amazing.
6 October 2006
Tonight I'll be performing as a special guest with the Brent Follis Trio
which includes bassist
Dan Loomis and keyboardist
Matthias Bublath.
We hit at 8:00 PM at the New Leaf Cafe.
8 October 2006
The latest review
of the Andre Canniere Group's debut CD,
As of Yet,
has been published in the October issue of Cadence Magazine.
Trumpeter Andre Canniere is yet another one
of New York City’s young musicians who seeks to
make music that not only draws on the worlds of
Jazz, but also of Rock and elsewhere. While a member
of several ensembles, Canniere takes his solo
bow on As of Yet, a mix of four compositions performed
in the studio, as well as three live “bonus”
tracks that take the sheen out of two studio tracks
and add a new tune. A look at Canniere’s bio and
one can tell that the music contained here will likely
reach beyond the traditional, citing influences
that range from Maria Schneider to Wayne Shorter
to Pat Metheny to Stravinsky to Jeff Buckley (you
get the picture). With such signposts, the compositions
are a far cry from the staid template contained
on many Jazz records. Instead Canniere prefers to
challenge his ensemble (all friends and 2003 graduates
of the Eastman School of Music) to maximize
the harmonic drama and consistently shifting rhythmic
sequences. But it is the solo spaces that offer
the most exciting moments, particularly the clean toned
Canniere, as well as tenor saxophonist Josh
Rutner, who is sure to follow in the footsteps of
players like Chris Potter and Donny McCaslin, as
well as guitarist Ryan Ferreira.
Although not specifically cited as an influence,
several tracks bear the markings of writing
that could have emerged from the pen of saxophonist
Dave Binney, especially the lyrically sweet
touches of “As Of Yet.” Following on the heels of
the opener are the Blues-tinged “Bridges,” and the
funky, yet incandescent rhythms of “Accelerated
Decrepitude” that sounds like a mix of John
Scofield’s “Picks And Pans” and funky Latin shadings.
As for the latter, it is a vivid workout for the
bustling rhythm section of bassist Ike Sturm and
the increasingly in-demand drumming of Ted Poor,
certainly the hidden force behind this date. As for
the final cuts of the studio piece, the quintet glistens
on the lovely ballad, “The Rest,” a forlorn
piece that thrives on its countryish tones.
Perhaps the only minor complaint that can
be levied at this session is that the studio atmosphere
tends to foster a restrained sensibility that
makes the more optimistic themes sound somewhat
lightweight. While the live tracks are sonically
distracting and almost seem tacked-on, they do
present the group in a looser setting, one that fosters
a heightened interactive state. The minimized
polish on “As Of Yet” and “Accelerated
Decrepitude” are enlightening, though the knotty
“Thirteenth Species” is the high point. Featuring a
driving rhythmic base, Rutner’s inspired solo over
the tense rhythmic vamp, followed closely by
Canniere’s own zealous ruminations presents,
shows the group at its best.
Andre Canniere and his associates show a
great deal of promise on this debut, particularly due
to the compositional aspirations, as well as Rutner,
Canniere and Ferreira’s improvisational work.
Jay Collins, Cadence Magazine,
October 2006
© Cadence Magazine 2006. Published by CADNOR Ltd. All rights
reserved.
Reproduction or use of contents prohibited without written
permission from publisher.
19 October 2006
I'll be playing with the great James Moorhead again tonight at
Rockwood Music Hall. James
always puts on a fantastic show and he's promising new tunes as well
as the classic Moorhead songbook. One set starting at 9:00 pm.
Tomorrow night I'll be back with the Brent Follis Trio
at the trendy New Leaf Cafe in beautiful Fort
Tryon Park. Also in the line-up this week will be pianist Red Wierenga. Two sets
starting at 8:00 pm.
2 November 2006
More recent listening...
6 November 2006
My official time yesterday - 4:01:55. I finished 12,747th
out of 37,954 runners.
27 November 2006
Thursday night (Nov 30) I'll be playing with Darcy James Argue's Secret
Society again, marking the ensemble's return to its regular base of
operations at the
Bowery Poetry Cub. In
addition to the existing Secret Society repertoire (all composed by
Darcy James Argue), we will
be playing the first US performance of Darcy's latest work, which was
commissioned and premiered by the
Cologne Contemporary Jazz Orchestra.
The show starts at 10:00 PM. Click here for more details.
5 December 2006
James Moorhead returns to
Rockwood Music Hall
tonight at 7:00 pm. The band is James Moorhead - vocals/guitar/piano,
Randy Ingram - keyboards,
Dan Loomis - bass, Rohin Khemani - drums,
Erica Von Kleist -
saxophone/flute, and yours truly - trumpet. We will also be at
The Cutting Room next Monday
(Dec 11) at 10:00 pm.
20 December 2006
Isn't it about time??
I keep hearing about a potential film that will depict the complex and
legendary (to some) life of Miles Davis. Apparently, there are actually
two in the making. One is a screenplay adapted by Quincy Troupe from
his memoir, "Miles and Me" (Troupe was also involved with the famous
Miles autobiography). There are also plans to make a biopic authorized
by the Davis estate which will feature Don Cheadle, who will direct
and star in the film.
The Andre Canniere
Group is back! On Thursday, January 4th we will be playing our
first show since July. While the group has been on a six month hiatus,
I have been writing new music for our next recording project, some of
which will be premiered at the January performance. The show will be
at the Knitting Factory (Old Office) and is
part of an entire night of jazz, featuring the Dimitri Moderbacher Band at 7:00 pm,
the Toby Koenigsberg Trio at 8:00 pm
and the Andre Canniere Group at 9:00 pm.