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I play mallet percussion (vibraphone, marimba, $15 glockenspiel,) and uh... ethnic(?) percussion. (Cajon, pandeiro, shakers, hand drums, some frame drums, etc.) If you hear something here with percussion and no vibraphone, that's probably me playing percussion. If you hear something with vibraphone and percussion, that's probably me playing vibraphone. If you hear something with JUST vibraphone, just grit your teeth, it'll be over soon.
I play jazz, Carribean, Brazilian, improvised, chamber, folk, electric, etc musics in New York and the surrounding area. I also write compositions and arrangements for mine own groups and others'. I also design myspace pages with complex, haunting, award-winning themes. (This one is red, with a hint of misinformed boasting.)
I appear regularly playing vibes AND percussion with the following groups--
The Jo Lawry Quintet
The Peter Eldridge Group
The Spinetti/Vega Project: Ambos Mundos
Lina Orfanos' Poetica Ensemble
The Steve Kroon Sextet
I've also also appeared as a percussionist with Alan Harris's "Cross That River" project, Philadelphia violinist Diane Monroe's quartet, Club Medley (which right now consists of biennial appearances on Canada Day @ Joe's Pub to play an epic cajon-driven Rush medley, but look for us in your town soon!) and as a frequent special guest with Kate McGarry's band.
Selected Discography
Jo Lawry -- "I Want to Be Happy" Fleurieu Music 2008
vibes, marimba, percussion, composition and arrangements
Kate McGarry -- "If Less is More..." on Palmetto Records 2008
pandeiro, tan-tan, djembe, cajon, misc. percussion
Kate McGarry -- Sing Along with the Thomson-Hinely Picture Dictionary for Children (2007)
percussion, vocals, compositions
Steve Kroon -- "El Mas Alla (Beyond)" on Kroonatune Music 2008
pandeiro, arrangements
Dr. Lonnie Smith -- "Rise Up!" Palmetto Records 2009
congas, bongos, shakers, tambourines, misc. percussion
Andy Stack -- "Like a Light" (release date TBA)
vibraphone
Peter Eldridge -- "Mad Heaven" (release date TBA)
vibes, congas, bongos, pandeiro, rebolo, misc. percussion
The Spinetti/Vega Project: Ambos Mundos USA -- Live From Wave Hill (2007)
vibraphone, marimba, pandeiro, cajon, arrangements
Since 2001 I've been leading an on-again-off-again sextet called the NSA, which plays my own compositions and arrangements of songs by Bjork, Radiohead, Beck, etc. I have recently resurrected this group with some old and new friends; the first fledgling efforts of its new existence can be heard on my music player-- the tracks called "Deep Down Crazies" and "Tried and Tried."
My newest project is Nós Novo, a quartet that plays Irish music the way it sounds when it runs into the other influences rolling around in my head. You can read more about it on its very own myspace, which you can find just below. The band is myself on vibes, melodica, and percussion, Jo Lawry on vocals and mandolin, Keith Ganz on guitars, and Rogerio Boccato on percussion.
Recently I had the pleasure and honor of participating in the "Solo, Duo, Trio" Professional Training Workshop led by Fred Hersch at Carnegie Hall. It was a great week of playing mostly freely improvised music under the watchful ears of Fred, Jane Ira Bloom, Jason Moran, Ralph Alessi, and Kenny Baron, culminating in a memorable concert at Zankel Hall. It was quite an experience, and I'm grateful to have been a part of it.
In addition to those mentioned above, I've been very fortunate to study music over the years with an inspiring cast of master musicians and deeply dedicated educators including the following: Hal Galper, Charles Blenzig, Doug Munro, Joe Locke, Arthur Lipner, Ted Piltzecker, Todd Coolman, Ray Vega, Jim MacElwaine, Jon Faddis, Scott Feiner, Ze Mauricio, Cyro Baptista, Billy Martin, Max Vanderbeek, and Mr. Lewis Dutrow.
