Hi there.

I just wanted to quickly mention that my sextet, Central Chain, will be making it’s NYC debut tonight, February 13, at Cornelia St Cafe. I hope you Philadelphia/NYC-area locals can make it! Doors open at 8:30 pm and we start no later than 9, and we’ll play 2 different sets of music. Cover is $10 and there is a $10 drink minimum.

the band:

Tim Berne, alto saxophone
Oscar Noriega, bass clarinet
Mary Halvorson, guitar
John Hebert, bass
Tomas Fujiwara, drums

the press:

NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/arts/music/11jazz.html?_r=3&ref=music
A nice blurb from Jim Macnie in the Village Voice: http://www.villagevoice.com/events/matt-mitchells-central-chain-2365428/
and a Critic’s Pick in Time Out NY: http://newyork.timeout.com/music-nightlife/music/886819/matt-mitchells-central-chain

the venue: http://corneliastreetcafe.com/downstairs/performances.asp

Also coming up this week, two more critic’s picks from Time Out NY

Background Music at Korzo 11pm 2/15: http://newyork.timeout.com/music-nightlife/music/887181/background-music-kirk-knuffke-trio
and the debut of my duo with Dan Weiss at Barbes 2/16: http://newyork.timeout.com/music-nightlife/music/886673/weissmitchell-duo

finally, on 2/19 I fly to Columbus, OH for a gig with Rez Abbasi’s Invocation: http://www.wexarts.org/pa/index.php?eventid=5257
I just got back from a 2-night run at the Rex in Toronto with this band [with Jon Maharaj and Damion Reid playing bass and drums, respectively] that was explosively fun.

other recent things…recording and European tour with Tim Berne’s Los Totopos happened in January, West Coast tour with John Hollenbeck’s Large Ensemble coming up March 1-8, European tour with John Hollenbeck’s Claudia Quintet April 1-9, some gigs with Shane Endsley’s Music Band this month and in April…and sometime in there I’m making a new electronics record.

thanks for reading! if you would like to be removed from the list, just hit reply and tell me.

peace,

-mm

Hello everyone. Hope summer is going ok [or winter for the sub-equator folk amongst you]…

I have a few interesting gigs coming up the next few weeks:

Friday 7/30 – 8:30 pm

Darius Jones Quartet
me, Trevor Dunn, and Ches Smith
Roulette – 20 Greene Street (between Canal and Grand Streets).
Reservations/Tickets: 212.219.8242
$15: General Admission
$10: Students, Under 30s & Seniors, Harvestworks & DTW members
FREE: Roulette Members

I’ve been getting together with Darius a good deal during the past several months and I’m very excited for this gig!

From August 2 through 6 I’ll be participating once again as a core faculty member for the Brooklyn based School for Improvised Music. As per usual there will be a faculty concert that week. These concerts [and the workshop itself] are always very fun, I’m sure this one will be no different.

Wednesday 8/4 – 8:30 pm

SIM Faculty Concert
Ralph Alessi, Tim Berne, Chris Lightcap, Gerald Cleaver, and me
58N6 Media Labs
58 North 6th St
Brooklyn NY 11211

L train to Bedford
$10 donation

Sunday 8/8 – 1 pm

Brad Shepik’s Human Activity Quintet
Caramoor Festival
Brad Shepik, Ralph Alessi, Drew Gress, Tom Rainey, and me

Always fun to play with this group!

Tuesday 8/17 – 9:30 pm
Tim Berne’s Los Totopos [Tim, Oscar Noriega, Ches Smith and me]
Korzo [667 5th Ave in Brooklyn]

We had a great run of gigs in June and it will be great to hit it again at one of my new favorite places to play.

and finally, an interesting bit of news…it was brought to my attention that I am one of the piano nominees for the 2010 Downbeat Reader’s poll. While I have some issues with such polls [many glaring omissions on several instruments, for one thing] it nonetheless is fun to see my name alongside friends whom I admire deeply [Aaron Parks, Craig Taborn] and legends who I’ve listened to my whole life [Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett]. Thank you to whoever made that happen! If you’re at all inclined to check out the poll you can find it at www.downbeat.com.

thanks for reading!

peace,

-mm

Hello, everyone.

I have many fun and interesting performances coming this month, the details of which I want to share with you.

The backbone of my activity this month is the ‘Invasion of Privacy’ tour with Tim Berne’s Los Totopos [which also includes Oscar Noriega and Ches Smith]. Specifics are below, and you can also find them at www.screwgunrecords.com, along with 3 10-14 minute live recordings of Los Totopos from last fall.

All gigs are in NYC unless otherwise noted.

June 8 – 10 pm at the Stone
Oscar Noriega
also with Ingrid Laubrock, John Hebert, and Tom Rainey

I’ve been playing a lot with Oscar both in Los Totopos and my band [which also includes John], but this will be my first time with him as the leader. Very excited.

June 11 – 9 pm in Philadelphia at Moonstone, presented by Lucky Old Souls
Waveform Razorback with Doug Hirlinger and Ben Gerstein

Doug, Ben and I play together from time to time and this time we’re playing a set of Doug’s forward-looking compositions. Love playing with these guys. I’ll be playing keyboard/electronics.

June 13 – at Le Poisson Rouge – part of the Undead Jazz Fest
10:20pm – with John Hollenbeck’s Large Ensemble
11:20pm – with Tim Berne’s Los Totopos

I’ll be playing two sets in a row as part of the first ever Undead Jazz Fest. Very convenient!

June 14 – 10 pm at 45 Bleecker
with John Hollenbeck’s Claudia Quintet

We’ll also be playing at WBGO earlier that day. I went to Europe and Australia with Claudia the past few months and I’m certainly looking forward to playing more with them.

June 15 – 8 pm at IBeam
with Tim Berne’s Los Totopos

Brian Drye’s Bizingas plays after us.

June 16 – 8 pm at the Stone
with Tim Berne’s Los Totopos

June 21 – 9:30 pm at Local 269 – part of Vision Festival XV
with Tim Berne’s Lowest Common Denominator

This will include Herb Robertson and Dan Weiss. I’ll be playing electronics/laptop on this gig [NOT guitar as was posted on the interwebs several weeks back…]. This will be my first time playing with Herb and I’m pumped.

June 22 – 9:30 at Korzo
2 sets with Tim Berne’s Los Totopos

June 24 – 8 pm at the Philadelphia Art Alliance, presented by Ars Nova Workshop
2 sets with Tim Berne’s Los Totopos

June 25 – 8/9:30 pm in Baltimore at An Die Musik
2 sets with Tim Berne’s Los Totopos.

and finally…

June 30 – 9 pm at IBeam
duo with Tim Berne

Craig Taborn will play solo at 8 pm – I highly recommend coming to see his set as well.

That should do it. I just want to add that the debut gig of Central Chain on April 13 went incredibly well and was extremely well received. I had a great time and am super grateful for my band: Tim Berne, Oscar Noriega, Mary Halvorson, John Hebert and Tomas Fujiwara. We’ll definitely be playing more and I’ll definitely be writing a lot more for the band. You’ll of course be the first to hear about any new performances…

Thanks and I hope to see you at one or more of the above gigs this month!

best wishes,

-mm