James Carney Quartet
Photo by Robert Lewis
Pianist and composer James Carney has worked with
Ravi Coltrane, Christian McBride, Michael Cain, Darek
Oleszkiewicz, Tim Berne, Nels Cline, and Todd Sickafoose.
He has recorded five albums as a leader: "Thread" (2002), "Offset
Rhapsody" (1997), "Fables from the Aqueduct" (1994), all on the
Jacaranda label, and "Green-Wood" (2007) and "Ways & Means"
(2009), on Songlines.
The septet he leads on the two latest recordings, features some of New
York’s most creative and in-demand musicians: Ralph Alessi,
Tony Malaby, Josh Roseman, Peter Epstein, Chris Lightcap, and Mark
Ferber.
A sixth recording, featuring Ravi Coltrane, Oscar Noriega, Stephanie
Richards, Dezron Douglas,
and Tom Rainey will be released in 2016.
Commissions have come from Chamber Music America and the Doris Duke
Charitable Foundation, the Puffin Cultural Foundation, the California
Arts Council, The Extension Ensemble brass quintet, and the Syracuse
International Film Festival.
James is a recipient of the ASCAP / Chamber Music America
“Adventurous Programming" Award. He also won the 1999 Thelonious Monk
International Composers Award, a California Arts Council fellowship in
composition (2000), and two American Composers Forum Subito Grants
(2001 & 2004).
He has been a visiting artist at The Eastman School of Music, New York
University, Cal State Los Angeles, the University of Nevada at Reno,
Ithaca College, Williams College, Saddleback College, California
Institute of the Arts and the University of Missouri at St. Louis. He
is also on the faculty of the School for Improvisational Music in
Brooklyn.
He graduated from
California Institute of the Arts, where he studied with
Charlie Haden, James Newton, and John Carter.
http://www.jamescarney.net/
Trumpeter Ralph Alessi was born in San Francisco.
After taking degrees in jazz trumpet and bass—he studied under the
legendary Charlie Haden at CalArts—he moved to New York, where he's
been a frequent collaborator with such notable musicians as Steve
Coleman, Jason Moran, Don Byron, Ravi Coltrane, Fred Hersch, Uri Caine,
and
Dafnis Prieto.
Alessi has recorded nine albums of original compositions. He currently
records for the ECM record label and in 2013
released "Baida" which was called “unstoppably inventive” by the New
York Times.
In early 2016, he will release "Quiver", which will coincide with a
week long
engagement at The Village Vanguard.
Alessi is the founder and director of the School for
Improvisational Music in New York City.
He has taught at the Eastman School
of Music, New York University, and New England
Conservatory.
http://www.ralphalessi.com/
Bassist John Hebert has performed and recorded with
Andrew Hill, Fred Hersch, Lee Konitz, Paul Motian, Kenny Wheeler, Paul
Bley, Matt Wilson, Russ Lossing, Joel Frahm, Tony Malaby, Bennie
Wallace, Andy Milne, Billy Drummond, Jeff Williams, John O'Gallagher,
Tim Berne, Marty Ehrlich, Mat Maneri, and Mary Halvorson.
In addition to his extensive sideman work, he has released two Cds as a
leader. 2009ʼs "Byzantine Monkey" (Firehouse
12) features saxophonists Tony Malaby and Michael Attias. 2010ʼs
"Spiritual Lover" (Clean Feed) features pianist Benoit Delbecq and
drummer Gerald Cleaver
http://www.johnhebert.com/
Drummer Mark Ferber
began his musical studies on piano at the age of five in Moraga, CA.
Mark studied classical
percussion with Mitchell Peters and drums with Billy Higgins and Joe
Labarbera.
A partial list of his playing credits include Lee Konitz, Dave Liebman,
Don Byron, Norah Jones, Kenny Werner, Steve Swallow, Fred Hersch, Billy
Childs, Bob Sheppard, Jack Wilkins, Bud Shank, Anthony Wilson, Larry
Goldings, Jared Gold, Ralph Alessi, Diana Krall, and Alan
Ferber.
Mark can be heard on recent recordings with various artists on Soul
Note,
Fresh Sound/New Talent, Sunnyside, Omnitone and Steeplechase Records.
He is a part time faculty member for the City College of New York and
the School of Improvisational Music. Currently, Mark resides in
Brooklyn, New York.
He has appeared previously at Chez Hanny with John O'Gallagher, the
Ferber Brothers
& Le Boeuf Brothers, Dan Pratt, Jonathan
Kreisberg, and the Jon Gordon Trio with Joe Bagg.
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