The second-annual Spy Music Festival happens June 29th through July 15th, featuring "46 sets of music at 7 venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn." That's a big expansion from last year when it took place on two nights at Shea Stadium and Zebulon. This year's fest, run by the folks at Northern Spy Records, will happen at Union Pool, the Issue Project Room, The Stone, Vaudeville Park, 285 Kent, Death by Audio and Roulette. Amongst the artists performing are Rhys Chatham, Matthew Shipp, Dustin Wong, Arthur Doyle, Eugene Chadbourne, PG Six, Guardian Alien and Magik Markers.

The full Spy Music Festival schedule -- bands, venues, prices -- is below. There's no all-inclusive festival pass, but tickets to all the shows are available here. And the fest organizers have also made a sampler featuring the artists performing this year and you can stream that below as well.

Continue reading "Magik Markers, Dustin Wong, Eugene Chadbourne, Matthew Shipp and more playing NYC's Spy Music Festival"

FOUR NIGHTS celebrating the incredible, dynamic, explosively creative jazz, instrumental, and adventurous music being made in New York City.

May 9th: A Marathon of Concerts in Greenwich Village
May 10th: Medeski, Martin & Wood & ?? at Brooklyn Masonic Temple, featuring So Percussion, Steven Bernstein, Vernon Reid & more!!
May 11th: Night Of The Living DIY in Brooklyn, Seattle, Norway & more...
May 12th: Improvised Round Robin Duets at 92Y Tribeca

Lovingly and tirelessly organized by Adam Schatz of Search & Restore, and Brice Rosenbloom of BoomCollective.

The 2012 Undead Music Festival (formerly known as Undead Jazz Fest) starts Wednesday (5/9) with three shows in Greenwich Village, including a Tonic reunion happening at Le Poisson Rouge on Wednesday, 5/9. (There's a Tonic Reunion tonight at The Stone tonight, 5/7, too, unreleated to the Undead fest.)

Other Undead performers include Medeski, Martin & Wood at Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Thursday (5/10) and a multi-venue "Night of the Living DIY" on Friday (5/11) which includes the previously mentioned Bjorkestra show at the new Shapeshifer Lab (which meanwhile is hosting two nights of Undead-presented shows with Nels Cline, Tim Berne & Jim Black).

Four days passes are still on sale. More detailed info (performers, tickets) is available at the Undead Music website and the full schedule is below.

Continue reading " Undead Music Fest this week: a 2nd Tonic reunion, Medeski, Martin & Wood & much more (full lineup, schedule, dates)"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Opsvik & Jennings - Windswept (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Opsvik & Jennings - Anchor Lane Parade (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Opsvik & Jennings - September and Starry-eyed (MP3)

Dave Douglas...

FONT (Festival of New Trumpet music) hosts Forward Flight, a four-night fest of diverse cross-genre jazz, chamber pop and classical, at Abrons Arts Center from Wednesday, January 13th to Saturday, January 16th. Last night was the opening benefit night which featured brass innovator and composer Dave Douglas, trumpeter and fest honoree Wilmer Wise and "a gathering of special surprise guests."

Tonight (1/14) Wise leads new chamber arrangements of Ornette Coleman works. Then Friday (1/15), the fest hosts an eclectic bill: chamber pop group Opsvik & Jennings pairs with electro-acoustic trumpeters Ignite a Noise Trumpet Trio (who also use iPhones, Wiimotes and more), Thrill Jockey jazz from Chicago Underground Duo (Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor, whose new album Boca Negra , just came out on the label), and folk group The Low Anthem with special appearance by Dave Douglas. Full fest passes and individual tickets are on sale.

The tracks above are from Opsvik & Jennings's latest, A Dream I Used to Remember, which came out on the Loyal labelin 2009. A stop-motion video of Low Anthem's song "Charlie Darwin" is below.

Drummer Chad Taylor and another of his groups, Circle Down (with pianist Angelica Sanchez and bassist Chris Lightcap), will be at Jazz Gallery for two sets on January 14th. Tickets are on sale. The band plays again at The Stone on January 29th.

A full schedule and videos are below...

Continue reading "FONT Music's Forward Flight Fest is underway (Dave Douglas, Opsvik & Jennings, Low Anthem, & more)"