Myra Melford and Ben Goldberg


Pianist Myra Melford has appeared on more than thirty recordings, including sixteen as a leader, performed in more than 30 countries, won major awards for composition and piano performance, and worked with some of the world's most innovative musicians.

In the early '90s, she toured and recorded extensively with her acclaimed trio featuring Lindsey Horner and Reggie Nicholson. In the late '90s, she led a quintet, "The Same River, Twice", which featured Dave Douglas, Cuong Vu, Chris Speed, Erik Friedlander, and Michael Sarin. She is one third of the group "Equal Interest" with Joseph Jarman and Leroy Jenkins, and frequently performs in duo with Marty Ehrlich. Among her recording credits are work with Henry Threadgill, Han Bennink and Mark Dresser.

Her teachers include Art Lande, Gary Peacock, Henry Threadgill, Jaki Byard and Don Pullen. She was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study North Indian music on the harmonium. She is currently Assistant Professor of Improvisation and Jazz in the Music Department at UC Berkeley.

S.F. Chronicle Interview

www.myramelford.com/


Clarinetist Ben Goldberg grew up in Denver, Colorado. He received his undergraduate music degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a Master of Arts in Composition from Mills College. He was a pupil of the eminent clarinetist Rosario Mazzeo, and studied with Steve Lacy and Joe Lovano.

Ben’s group "New Klezmer Trio" took a slightly different view of Jewish music. Their CDs, "Masks and Faces", "Melt Zonk Rewire, and "Short for Something", are on the Tzadik label. Ben's other recordings include two records by Junk Genius (with John Schott, Trevor Dunn, and Kenny Wollesen), "Here by Now" (Music and Arts), "What Comes Before" (Tzadik), "Eight Phrases for Jefferson Rubin" (Victo), "Twelve Minor" (Avant), and "Light at the Crossroads", co-led with Marty Ehrlich (Songlines). He recently released "the door, the hat, the chair, the fact", dedicated to Steve Lacy, and featuring Devin Hoff, Carla Kihlstedt, Ches Smith and Rob Sudduth.

Ben currently performs with Carla Kihlstedt, Mark Orton, Zeena Parkins and Ara Anderson in the group "Tin Hat". He has worked with Andrew Hill, Bobby Bradford, John Zorn, Cecil Taylor, Roswell Rudd and Nels Cline, among many others.

Ben appeared here previously with "Clarinet Thing" and "Plays Monk".


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