Pianist/composer Sylvie Courvoisier, originally from Switzerland, has lived in Brooklyn for 20 years. She has led several groups over the years, recorded 10 albums as a band leader, and appeared in about 50 albums (25 Cds co-leader and 25 cds as a side person) for different labels, notably ECM, Tzadik and Intakt Records.
Courvoisier has performed and recorded with John Zorn, Yusef Lateef, Mark Feldman,
Erik Friedlander, Joey Baron, Ellery Eskelin, Susie Ibarra ,Tim Berne , Wadada Leo Smith and the flamenco dancer Israel Galvan among others.
Currently, she is the leader of her own Trio with Kenny Wollesen and Drew Gress ; co-leads the Miller's Tale QUARTET with Evan Parker, Ikue Mori and Mark Feldman ; the VWCR QUARTET with Ken Vandermark, Nate Wooley and Tom Rainey and TISM Quartet with Tom Rainey, Ingrid Laubrock and Mark Feldman.
Since 1997, she performs regularly in Solo and in Duo with Mark Feldman. Since 2017, she plays in duo with Mary Halvorson. Since 2010, she has been a pianist and composer for Flamenco dancer Israel Galvan's project "La Curva". In 2018, Galvan and Courvoisier premiered "Cast-a- Net", a new project with Evan Parker, Mark Feldman, and Ikue Mori. In 2020, they premiered "La Consagracion de la primavera" with Cory Smythe, performing the Stravinky's Rite of Spring and Courvoisier's Spectro for two pianos and dance.
Courvoisier received numerous awards including the United States Artist Fellow (2020); the Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists (2018); Swiss Music Prize (2018); Switzerland SUISA’s Jazz Prize (2017); and Switzerland's Grand Prix de la Fondation Vaudoise de la Culture (2010). She received commissions to compose new works from The Shifting Foundation (2019) and the Chamber Music America's New Jazz Works (2016).
Composer/Performer Ned Rothenberg has been internationally acclaimed for both his solo and ensemble music, presented for the past 35 years on 5 continents. He performs primarily on alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, and the shakuhachi - an endblown Japanese bamboo flute. His solo work utilizes an expanded palette of sonic language, creating a kind of personal idiom all its own. In an ensemble setting, he leads the trio Sync, with Jerome Harris, guitars and Samir Chatterjee, tabla, works with the Mivos string quartet playing his Quintet for Clarinet and Strings and collaborates around the world with fellow improvisors, including John Zorn, Marc Ribot, Sylvie Courvoisier, Sainkho Namtchylak and Steve Nieve. Recent recordings include In Cahoots, with Mark Feldman and Sylvie Courvoisier (Clean Feed), Antiphonen, with Sainkho Namtchylak and Dieb13 (Klanggalerie), The World of Odd Harmonics, Ryu Nashi (new music for shakuhachi), Quintet for clarinet and Strings and Inner Diaspora, all on John Zorn's Tzadik label, as well as Live at Roulette with Evan Parker, and The Fell Clutch, on Rothenberg's Animul label. He has been Associate Professor in the Ensemble dept. at Berklee College of Music, instructor and artist in residence at Marlboro College and currently teaches at The New School College of Performing Arts in New York City.
Born May 4, 1963 and raised in Detroit, Gerald Cleaver is a product of the city’s rich music tradition. Inspired by his father, drummer John Cleaver, he began playing the drums at an early age. He also played violin in elementary school, and trumpet in junior high school and high school. As a teenager he gained invaluable experience playing with Detroit jazz masters Ali Muhammad Jackson, Lamont Hamilton, Earl Van Riper, and Pancho Hagood. While attending the University of Michigan as a music education major, he was awarded a Jazz Study Grant, from the National Endowment for the Arts, to study with drummer Victor Lewis. He graduated in 1992 and began teaching in Detroit where he worked with Rodney Whitaker, A. Spencer Barefield, Marcus Belgrave, Donald Walden, Wendell Harrison, and with visiting musicians Hank Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Barry Harris, Kenny Burrell, Frank Foster, Cecil Bridgewater, Ray Bryant, Eddie Harris, Dennis Rowland, Howard Johnson, Diana Krall and Don Byron. In 1995 he accepted an appointment as assistant professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Michigan, and in 1998 also joined the jazz faculty at Michigan State University. He moved to New York in 2002. He has performed or recorded with Franck Amsallem, Henry Threadgill, Roscoe Mitchell, Lotte Anker, Reggie Workman, Marilyn Crispell, Matt Shipp, William Parker, Craig Taborn, Kevin Mahogany, Charles Gayle, Mario Pavone, Ralph Alessi, Jacky Terrasson, Jimmy Scott, Muhal Richard Abrams, Dave Douglas, Tim Berne, Jeremy Pelt, Ellery Eskelin, David Torn and Miroslav Vitous, among others. Cleaver has released two recordings as a leader. His 2001 recording Adjust (Fresh Sound New Talent) was nominated in the Best Debut Recording category by the Jazz Journalists Association. His latest release, Gerald Cleaver’s Detroit (FSNT), is an homage to his hometown and to the late, great Detroit drummers Roy Brooks, Lawrence Williams, George Goldsmith and Richard “Pistol” Allen. Cleaver leads the bands Violet Hour, NiMbNl and Uncle June.
On this day our dear friend Stephanie Stone would have turned 100 years old. For those of you who knew her you will have no doubt why we want to mark this occasion. For those who didn't take a look at https://ethaniverson.com/guest-posts/stones-by-kevin-whitehead-and-irving-stone/