Paul Carlon: tenor & soprano saxophones, flute, mbira, composition & arranging
Anton Denner: alto saxophone & flute
Dave Smith: trumpet
Ryan Keberle: trombone
Mike Fahie: trombone
John Stenger: piano
Edward Perez or Dave Ambrosio: bass
William "Beaver" Bausch: drumset
Christelle Durandy: vocals
Influences
oh man...so many to list:
on Tenor: Gene Ammons, Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt, Bird (the best), Trane (the obsessingest), Prez, Joe Hen, Wayne Shorter, Sal Nistico, Joe Procopio (my first jazz teacher and the man who really got me started), George Garzone and Bob Mintzer (my teachers), Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (the man!!!), Booker Ervin, Paul Gonsalves (also the man!!!!).
on Flute: Richard Egues, Eddie Zervigon, James Moody, Hubert Laws, Patience Higgins (my first flute teacher).
on Soprano: Sidney Bechet, Wayne, and Trane.
on everything: Duke Ellington, Lenine, Cachao, Shostakovich, Mongo, Bartok, los Van Van, Charlie Mingus, Horace Silver, Wayne Shorter, Stravinsky, Muddy Waters, Buddy Terry, Mike Holober and John Patitucci (two more mentors), David del Tredici (the master), Juan Pablo Torres, Grupo los Santos, Miles, los Munequitos de Matanzas, Roger Waters (with and without Floyd), Kenny Dorham
Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, the Mbira, Afro-Cuban Chants, Jazz, Cumbia...these elements are all part of the mix. This group was formed in the spring of 2002; we have performed in NYC at Small's, Satalla, Cachaça, Hunter College, the Soul Cafe, Fat Cat, Makor, El Taller Latinoamericano, Drom, etc...
We have also been playing around the Northeast, including Boston, Ithaca, Syracuse, Utica, North Bennington, VT, Hudson; and other major urban centers :)
I frequently collaborate with Rumbatap creator Max Pollak; check out the track "Ochun" for a taste of what we do together.
Our first CD, OTHER TONGUES, was released in 2006 and received stellar reviews and extensive airplay; it features Max as well as very special guest Buddy Terry on tenor saxophone. Buddy, the Original B.T. Express, has had a long and storied music career and is the real deal. Another guest is vocalist Ileana Santamaria, daughter of Mongo Santamaria. But the real stars are the regular bandmembers, who make the music swing and who infuse the notes on the page with brilliance, imagination and drive.
Our 2nd CD, ROOTS PROPAGANDA, was released on August 12, 2008, and has been doing very very well, getting national airplay on jazz and world stations, as well as repeated airplay on NPR's All Things Considered and Morning Edition. The album was also chosen as a PRI (Public Radio International) Global Hit for their program The World. The CD features vocalist Christelle Durandy, Max Pollak on Rumbatap, body percussion and vocals, and guitarist Pete Smith, also known for his work with Hazmat Modine.
As for my personal specs: I have been active on the New York City jazz and latin jazz scenes for sixteen years, having performed with and/or composed for James Hurt, Phil Bowler & Pocket Jungle, Harvie S, Clave y Guaguanco, the late Afro-Cuban star Juan Pablo Torres (the track "Boogie Down Broder" is dedicated to J.P.), Grupo los Santos, Rumbatap Dance Company, Swingadelic, Sonido Isleño, the Ileana Santamaria Orchestra, and Phil Woods, as well as leading my own groups. I've performed at regional, national and international music festivals, including touring all over the U.S., the Caribbean (including Cuba), and South America. In film, I appeared as a member of Grupo los Santos in two documentaries about Latin music, one called "Como se forma una Rumba", and the other, "Latido Latino". One of my original songs, Soul Soliloquy, found a home in filmmaker Kern Konwisers street basketball documentary On Hallowed Ground, originally aired on the TNT Television Network in May of 2000. (This song is on my quartet CD, Looking Up). I recently completed a Masters Degree in Music Composition at The City College of New York, where I studied with Mike Holober, John Patitucci and American master David Del Tredici.
OUR BRAND NEW CD: ROOTS PROPAGANDA!
THE PAUL CARLON OCTET: Other Tongues
Our first CD: A blend of gritty Ellingtonesque swing, Afro-Cuban timba and rumba, and hardcore NYC jazz
PAUL CARLON: Looking Up
My Quartet CD: A completely original mixture of straight-ahead jazz, Latin, and funk influences in a Tenor-Guitar-Acoustic Bass-Drumset setting. Melody-driven improvisational jazz.
HOLA!!! Saludos Musicales, Visita mi myspace y podras escuchar un pequeno adelanto de mi proximo trabajo discografico YAOUNDE HI!!!!! Musical Greeting, visit my myspace and you will be able to listen a small preview of my upcoming release YAOUNDE. Mucha Paz, amor y musica Much Peace, Love and Music
HOLA!!! Saludos Musicales, Visita mi myspace y podras escuchar un pequeno adelanto de mi proximo trabajo discografico YAOUNDE HI!!!!! Musical Greeting, visit my myspace and you will be able to listen a small preview of my upcoming release YAOUNDE. Mucha Paz, amor y musica Much Peace, Love and Music
nice stuff. nice to meet you the other day at the cloisters. like the latin stuff. maybe in a couple months I could get good enough at bari to try to hang with it? hehehe. take care, dave
HEy Paul I wish you a joyous holiday season and a happy new year. Was a wonderful year with the octet. Thank you for sharing your loves and passions. C
Aren't they fantastic? I was able to spend a week learning some of their techniques this summer when they came up to Chicago for the Rhythm World festival.
Are these trips to Brazil open to those of us eager to learn more?
