The Nu Band

The Nu Band: In Memory of Mark Whitecage: The Nu Band Live At The Bopshop

by Mike Jurkovic
January 14, 2022

The fearless improvised legacy of veteran, free bop sax man Mark Whitecage may not hold a prominent place in the immediate lexicon of upstarts and legends, but the man could blow his horn. Whitecage could dice and slice a piece of music, solemn or otherwise, to shreds with his sharp metallic, testosterone tone then reassemble it seamlessly with his long, flowing phrases. So it is fitting and more than welcome that he brings it big time on this final recording ...

The Nu Band: In Memory of Mark Whitecage: The Nu Band Live At The Bopshop

by Dan McClenaghan
January 5, 2022

Multiple reedman Mark Whitecage (1937-2021) may not have enjoyed the profile he deserved, but he was an extraordinary improvisational free-jazz force who recorded prolifically for CIMP Records. Bassist Joe Fonda, a member of Whitecage's Nu Band, enjoyed a forty year musical involvement with the man, and In Memory Of Mark Whitecage: The Nu Band Live At The Bop Shop is Fonda's posthumous tip of the hat to his old running mate. It is a recording bursting with the lifeforce --one ...

The Nu Band: The Final Concert

by John Sharpe
February 19, 2017

The title refers to trumpeter Roy Campbell's last appearance with the outfit he founded with drummer Lou Grassi twelve years before. Campbell died in 2014 at the age of 61, 21 months after this March 2012 live date from Bad Hofgastein, Austria at the conclusion of a European tour. This limited edition LP constitutes the seventh entry in the band's discography and affirms their credentials at the pinnacle of the free-bop game. Both Campbell and reedman Mark ...

The Nu Band: Live In Paris

by John Sharpe
December 31, 2010

An average of one album every other year is pretty good going for a free jazz collective, and that's what The Nu Band has achieved. Its fifth, Live In Paris, comes ten years after their first communion in 2000. It's also a departure, not in that it is a concert recording as there are already three of those in the discography, but in that, for the first time, the quartet showcases its considerable talents at instant composition. ...

The Nu Band: The Dope and The Ghost: Live in Vienna

by Glenn Astarita
October 24, 2007

The Dope and The Ghost commences with Joe Fonda's retro, beatnik style walking bass lines and the artists' President Bush-bashing in front of a Viennese audience on “BushWacked. The political component sets the tone for the band's progressive jazz and improvisational forays. The members orate a denouncement for seemingly every policy that the President has put in place, setting high expectations for when the musical festivities would kick in. And the sparks really do fly when the band gets down ...

The Nu Band: Live At The Bop Shop

by AAJ Staff
December 15, 2002

"Nu" is an apt term for the group leading this adventurous live outing. It's the first time these four veteran players have joined forces. It's only the second release on the new Portuguese Clean Feed label. And it documents the quartet's third (!) performance. “Nu" indeed.

But there's nothing new about these musicians. Each has his own history deep in the roots of the free/energy music continuum, and all have shared musical connections at one point or another ...

Yuchtet’s Debut Album 'Earworm' Is A Modern Big Band Jazz Statement Worth Hearing

Source: Chris Bush
July 16, 2025

Brooklyn-based composer, drummer, and bandleader Leo Yucht released earworm, the debut album from his jazz group YUCHTET. The six-track, 45-minute record is now available for streaming everywhere and on limited edition translucent blue swirl vinyl pressed by PMP in Nashville, TN. Blending influences from classic big band jazz to modern trap, earworm invites listeners on imaginative journeys across time and genre – evoking a jazzy, cool ride around New York City in “Citi Bike Anthem" or a frantic cannon battle ...
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Saxophonist Ron Blake Streamlines & Simplifies His Musical Delivery With 'Scratch Band,' Due August 8 On 7tēn33 Productions

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity
July 2, 2025

Ron Blake makes the case that less is more with the lean, uncluttered, direct sound of his SCRATCH Band, set for an August 8 release on his 7tēn33 Productions label. The debut of the tenor and baritone saxophonist’s eponymous ensemble is a more intimate affair than usual, placing Blake in a trio with bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer John Hadfield, and applying that folklike sonic reduction to the rhythmic and melodic sensibilities that surrounded Blake growing up in the U.S. ...
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Elio Villafranca Big Band Tres Aguas At Dizzy's Club on March 7, 8, 9, 2025

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations
February 28, 2025

Elio Villafranca's latest outstanding project is entitled Tres Aguas. This exciting performance will be held at Dizzy's Club on March 7, 8, 9 with sets at 7:00pm and 9:00pm. Commissioned by Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Tres Aguas is an exhilarating celebration of rhythm and movement. Drawing from flamenco, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Peruvian, jazz, and New Orleans traditions, this suite brings together vibrant musical styles from across the Americas, the Afro-Diaspora, and Spain. Through the universal language of ...
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Zildjians, Atlantic Records And Jazz: The Legacy Of Istanbul In America Features Jazz Orchestra And A Mehter Band On Thursday, February 27 In Boston

Source: Braithwaite & Katz Communications
February 8, 2025

The Jazz Studies department and the Intercultural Institute at NEC present a full-day event on Thursday, February 27 which includes a workshop, presentations, and a panel discussion followed by a concert featuring the NEC Jazz Orchestra and a mehter band (so-called “Ottoman Janissary Band”). The 7:30 p.m. concert at Jordan Hall also features the world premiere of Echoes from a Forgotten Past by NEC faculty member Mehmet Ali Sanlikol. Guest performers include saxophonist Sam Newsome and drummer and faculty member ...
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New England Conservatory Jazz Orchestra, Ken Schaphorst Big Band At Regattabar In Cambridge on November 6, 2024

Source: Ann Braithwaite
October 25, 2024

The 17-member NEC Jazz Orchestra makes an off-campus appearance on Wednesday, November 6 at the Charles Hotel’s Regattabar (1 Bennett St., Cambridge). The orchestra is the opening act for the Ken Schaphorst Big Band, the 17-piece ensemble of acclaimed composer, performer and Jazz Studies Co-Chair Schaphorst. The performance starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $20-$30. For information visit regattabarjazz.com. The NEC Jazz Orchestra performance celebrates the 150th birthday of revered composer Charles Ives by performing Schaphorst’s new arrangements of some of ...
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'Terry Gibbs Dream Band, Vol. 7: The Lost Tapes, 1959' To Be Released October 11 (CD), November 8 (digital) On Whaling City Sound As Gibbs Turns 100

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity
October 1, 2024

The gift of Terry Gibbs’ vast tape archive keeps on giving with the October 11 release of Terry Gibbs Dream Band, Vol. 7: The Lost Tapes, 1959 on Whaling City Sound (digital release November 8). The newly discovered tapes find the vibraphonist and first-generation bebopper (still alive and kicking as his 100th birthday approaches on October 13) leading his legendary 16-piece Dream Band at two Hollywood nightclubs in March and November 1959. The 18 tracks feature superb performances by some ...
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​​​​​​​hudson hall Announces A Semi-staged Musical Drama Based On The Life Of Frederick Douglass no Cowards In Our Band, November 2, With Musical Arrangement By Orrin Evans

Source: AMT Public Relations
September 18, 2024

Concept and Libretto: Anthony Knight, Jr. Musical Arrangement: Orrin Evans Director: Michael Hofmann Masud Olufani, Frederick Douglass Nia Drummond, soprano Edward Washington II, tenor Gregory Sheppard, bass Orrin Evans, piano Saturday, November 2, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. Hudson Hall Hudson Opera House 327 Warren Street Hudson, NY 12534 Tickets on sale now. Hudson Hall at the historic Hudson Opera House announces No Cowards in Our Band, a powerful musical drama ...
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Yaacov Mayman Debuts New Song With All-Star Band At Made In NY Jazz Festival, Montenegro

Source: Yaacov Mayman
August 8, 2024

Grammy-Nominated saxophonist Yaacov Mayman talks about the debut of his composition “Tik Tok" at the Made in NY Jazz Festival, Montenegro. Q: Yaacov, congratulations on performing at Montenegro's Made in NY Jazz Festival. How was the experience performing at the Submarine Muzeon in Tivat? Yaacov Mayman: Thank you! Performing at the Submarine Muzeon in Tivat was an unforgettable milestone. The unique setting and the venue's rich history made it a truly magical experience. The audience was incredible, and the atmosphere ...
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Danilo Pérez & Bohuslän Big Band Collaborate On The New Album 'Lumen' - Releases October 25, 2024

Source: Vivo Musique Internationale
August 6, 2024

Danilo Pérez and Swedish jazz orchestra, Bohuslan Big Band collaborate on the new album Lumen, where Pan-American rhythms meet the Nordic big band sound. The album, characterized by improvisation and playfulness, is evidence of music's power to unite cultures. Danilo Pérez and Swedish jazz orchestra, Bohuslän Big Band collaborate on the new album Lumen, where Pan-American rhythms meet the Nordic big band sound. The album is characterized by improvisation and playfulness, is evidence of music's power to unite cultures. Lumen ...
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Wheaton Downtown Presents Sol Roots Band On Friday July 26 For Summer Concert Series

Source: 9th Floor Music
July 27, 2024

The Wheaton Arts & Entertainment District, in Wheaton Maryland, has partnered with the iconic Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center for this year’s TGIF Summer Concert Series, offering after-work celebrations on Friday evenings. The weekly series, which continues through Aug. 30, will feature bands ranging from The Nighthawks, Sol Roots, Chopteeth, and Gordon Sterling and The People. The concerts take place at the Marian Fryer Town Plaza, adjacent to the Wheaton Business Triangle. Chuck Levin’s has carefully curated a mix of ...
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