Harriet Tubman + OCEANS AND Tim Berne, Aurora Nealand and Hank Roberts
October 25 @ 8:30 pm – 10:30 pm
First Set: OCEANS AND
Tim Berne – alto sax
Aurora Nealand – accordion, clarinet, voice
Hank Roberts – cello, voice
Second Set: Harriet Tubman
Melvin Gibbs – bass
Brandon Ross – guitar
J.T. Lewis – drums
“As free as their iconic abolitionist namesake, Harriet Tubman is an irresistible force of truth, beauty, and electric improvisation”
– Village Voice
“For the past six decades Tim Berne has ranked as one of the most indefatigable, uncompromising figures in jazz and improvised music. Beneath his bitingly sarcastic persona and deservedly cynical view of the jazz industry, he literally bursts with creativity and fresh ideas, all while maintaining an instantly recognizable sound.“
– Peter Margasak
“[Tim Berne is] a saxophonist and composer of granite conviction”
– New York Times
Harriet Tubman
The music group, “Harriet Tubman” formed in 1998 when drummer J.T. Lewis, guitarist Brandon Ross and bassist Melvin Gibbs came together to start a band with meaning. Named after the heroic African-American slave who risked her life to escape from slavery and help more than 300 others to do the same, Harriet Tubman is deeply inspired by the ideals of freedom. The trio’s music — a fusion of soul, rock, jazz, and blues — examines the depths of these genres for their own unique liberated musical expression.
The band counts Jimi Hendrix, Ornette Coleman, and Parliment-Funkadelic as contributors to its musical DNA. Guitarist and singer Brandon Ross, bassist Melvin Gibbs, and Drummer JT Lewis have collaborated with artists as diverse as Cassandra Wilson, Living Colour, Lou Reed, Herbie Hancock, Henry Threadgill, Sting, Arrested Development, the Rollins Band, David Murray and Meshell Ndegeocello. Their own sound is pure and liberated musical expression—a deep and soulful meditation on the concept of freedom.
https://www.harriettubmanmusic.com/
Tim Berne
Tim Berne’s work is characterized by tireless artistic dedication and creativity. His newly formed trio with accordionist and multi-instrumentalist Aurora Nealand and cellist Hank Roberts takes the listener on a sonically adventurous journey on Oceans And and delights with much imagination and amazing musical diversity. The pieces are penned by Tim Berne and all open doors to infinite interpretation and development. “The breathtaking music, created by Tim Berne, Aurora Nealand, and Hank Roberts can be deservedly and on all accounts deemed: profound, probing, intriguing, distinct, intricate, raw, courageous, mysterious, and thoughtful. The group’s concerted effort to achieve a cohesive blend is a refreshing relief. An honest crusade of in-depth imagination, this music is a beacon of light in an unsettling world,” writes Baikida Carroll in the liner notes and adds: “It stimulates the brain, animates the imagination, and charms the heart.”
photo by Peter Gannushkin