***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
The psychedelic afro-funk of Super Yamba Band. You know what to do!
Joseph Yount ~ Drums
Prince Amu ~ Bass
Eric Burns ~ Guitar
Sean Smith ~ Trumpet, Keys
Walter Fancourt ~ Sax
Evan Frierson ~ Talking Drum
Brooklyn's SUPER YAMBA BAND comprises a unique blend of inspiration born of 70s/80s West-African Afrobeat and Psychedelic Funk, with a live energy that moves everyone in the room to dance.
The band formed in 2014 on the foundation of proficient musicians finding a common inspiration amongst their love for African music, especially through rare and sometimes out of print recordings. On the road, the band has honed their craft alongside show mates such as Reptar, Yeasayer, The Afromotive, Between The Buried And Me and Trioscapes. Collaborating over a few years with Senegalese griot and talking drum master Mamadou Mbenge, known best for his work with African pop star Abdou Guite Seck, was a defining moment in the development of Super Yamba's sound and the musician's understanding of the African music tradition.
Look no further than Super Yamba Band's 2016 single, N'diarabi (feat. Ismael Kouyate), for a refreshing taste of what this imaginative group brings to the New York City music scene. The single highlights the band's progressive take on psychedelic Afro-Funk and boasts their ability to collaborate with heavy hitting performers on the African music scene. "N'diarabi" features the vocal wizardry of Ismael Kouyate, an acclaimed griot singer/dancer from Guinea, West Africa best known for his work on Beyonce's single "Grown Woman," in addition to the critically acclaimed musical Fela! On Broadway. "Opening with an unmistakable sabar groove, the track rapidly evolves into a burning Afro-stomper, with funked-out falsetto guitar licks and delirious organ riffs sitting firmly alongside Ismael Kouyate’s evocative guest vocals. Periodic horn bursts and an incessant bass groove complete the mix, making for a thoroughly fresh—and danceable—record that is sure to sound even better live." -Afropop Worldwide.
***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
LunÁtico is continually proud to present these two singular masters who never fail to take it OUT. Come see for yourselves.
Roy Nathanson ~ Saxes
Arturo O’Farrill ~ Piano
Zack O’Farrill ~ Drums
Walter Stinson ~ Bass
Based in New York, ROY NATHANSON is a co-founder of the Jazz Passengers and was once a member of John Lurie's Lounge Lizards. As primary composer for the Jazz Passengers, Nathanson has written songs for a variety of singers including Elvis Costello, Deborah Harry, Jeff Buckley, Jimmy Scott and Mavis Staples. HIs 2021 collaboration with Nick Hakim was warmly received by press and fans alike.
Nathanson studied saxophone with Jimmy Heath, Joe Allard and Les Scott, and acting with Mira Rostova. Nathanson has acted in films by directors Jim Jarmusch, Chantal Akerman and Elaine May. He also had a feature role in Peter Lilenthal's children's film, Wasserman.
ARTURO O’FARRILL, pianist, composer, and educator, was born in Mexico and grew up in New York City. Arturo’s professional career began with the Carla Bley Band and continued as a solo performer with a wide spectrum of artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Bowie, Wynton Marsalis, and Harry Belafonte.
In 2007, he founded the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the performance, education, and preservation of Afro Latin music. In December 2010 Arturo traveled with the original Chico O’Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra to Cuba, returning his father’s musicians to his homeland. He continues to travel to Cuba regularly as an informal Cultural Ambassador, working with Cuban musicians, dancers, and students, bringing local musicians from Cuba to the US and American musicians to Cuba.
Arturo has performed with orchestras and bands including his own Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and Arturo O’Farrill Sextet, as well as other Orchestras and intimate ensembles in the US, Europe, Russia, Australia, and South America.
Arturo has received commissions from Meet the Composer, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Philadelphia Music Project, The Apollo Theater, Symphony Space, the Bronx Museum of the Arts, the Young Peoples Chorus of New York, Columbia University and the New York State Council on the Arts.
***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
The ever inventive Luca Benedetti Trio just released a fantastic new record called "Slow Down For Turtles" and now you have a chance to hear it live. Don’t blow it!
Luca Benedetti ~ Guitar
Tony Mason ~ Drums
Tony Scherr ~ Bass
Guitarist LUCA BENEDETTI - heard regularly at Bar Lunatico with various outfits including Tubby, Joy Askew, Jim Campilongo, The Brooklyn Boogaloo Blowout, Moses Patrou & Bill Still - returns with his own Trio featuring the exceptional rhythm section of bassist Tony Scherr (Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, Sex Mob) and drummer Tony Mason (John Scofield, Amy Helm, Leo Nocentelli)
Recorded live in the studio with bassist Tony Scherr (Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, Sex Mob) and drummer Tony Mason (John Scofield, Charlie Hunter, Joan Osborne), "Slow Down For Turtles" unfolds as a spacious, episodic journey blending jazz improvisation, Americana, and blues with global subtleties. The trio’s undeniable chemistry allows the tracks to breathe, with Benedetti’s guitar often acting less like a solo instrument and more like a storyteller guiding the listener through shifting soundscapes.
Benedetti has been a prominent fixture in the New York City Jazz, Blues and Roots music scene since the late '90s and has worked alongside such varied artists and groups as Jim Campilongo, Steve Gadd, Ron Carter, Moses Patrou, Chris Lightcap, Joy Askew, Martha Redbone and many more. For his work as a solo artist and a producer, he has garnered critical accolades from Relix Magazine, Guitar Player Magazine, Gitarre & Bass, and Vintage Guitar Magazine, among others.
New York-based jazz musician TONY SCHERR plays acoustic and electric bass and guitar in a variety of line-ups. He played with Woody Herman while a teenager. A prolific session musician he’s worked with John Scofield, Norah Jones, Bill Frisell, Ani DiFranco, Al Di Meola, and more. He’s been a member of numerous bands such as The Lounge Lizards, Sex Mob, Jesse Harris and the Ferdinados, and Chris Brown and the Citizen Band.
New York City drummer TONY MASON has toured and recorded with John Scofield, Joan Osborne, Norah Jones, Charlie Hunter, and many others. In the studio, Tony has worked with producers Nile Rodgers, Camu Celli, Ron St. Jermaine, Matt Pierson and the legendary Russ Titleman; he has also played on many commercials and television shows.
“After listening to the pre-released album Slow Down for Turtles by Luca Benedetti, I’m looking forward to it being widely available to enjoy hearing it again and again and again.” - RON CARTER
"Luca and the two Tony’s are like a little army creating beauty and vibe, always prioritizing mood over sensation…Slow Down for Turtles is one the best albums I’ve heard yet this year." - JIM CAMPILONGO
“When you can’t quite nail down the style of an artist that’s when it gets really interesting… Blues, California surf, psychedelia, Neil Young, Frisell—but nope, none of these. It’s Luca. Absolutely fantastic.” - PAUL BOWMAN, The Century Room (Tucson, AZ)
***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
This tightly knit chamber ensemble led by guitarist Tal Yahalom features the unique instrumentation of guitar, violin, cello, woodwinds and percussion. Sporting a killer lineup, it shape-shifts through a wide palette of timbres, roles and orchestrations, creating a sound completely its own.
Tal Yahalom - electric & nylon string guitar / compositions
Ledah Finck - violin
Daniel Hass - cello
David Leon - alto sax / flute
Rogerio Boccato - percussion
Described as "one of the most impressive jazz players of his generation" and "among the most uniquely gifted guitarists in the NYC improv scene", TAL YAHALOM is an award-winning guitarist, composer and bandleader based in Brooklyn, New York since 2014.
Drawing from a wide range of influences – spanning jazz and impressionistic classical music to Brazilian repertoire and South-American guitar traditions - Tal aims to create engaging storytelling, adventurous interplay and a deep sense of groove, while expanding on the traditional roles and textural capabilities of the guitar.
Yahalom received honors at the 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition, the 2016 Montreux Jazz Festival International Guitar Competition, the 2015 Detroit Jazz Festival National Guitar Competition, as well as an AICF scholarship award of excellence in 2014-2015. He performs internationally and nationally with his own projects (Tal Yahalom Quintet, KADAWA, and Solo Guitar), and is an active member of many stylistically diverse projects in the local scene.
Performing music off their debut album - "Mirror Image" (Adhyâropa Records) - you can expect original compositions inspired by contemporary jazz, romantic classical music, and various groove-based traditions from around the world. Seeking to create meditative and reflective spaces for both performers and audience members, the music moves between through-composed sections and rich arrangements to various creative zones of improvisation and interplay.
"Exhibiting a mastery of both nylon string and electric guitars, Tal Yahalom delivers an imaginative and wide ranging set of original compositions. He has a pristine, soulful touch, immaculate technique, and great arranging skills. One of the most engaging guitar albums I’ve heard lately." - BEN MONDER
"Mirror Image is a refreshing, expansive and gorgeous record. I was hooked from the first minute on Prelude, and was struck by the depth and scope of the compositions coupled with Tal’s mastery of the guitar." - MARY HALVORSON
***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
LunÀtico warmly welcomes Gabe Terracciano to our bandstand along with longtime cohort Josh Dunn and a special guest vocalist. Expect original compositions from an upcoming duo album as well as explorations of the Great American Songbook with the addition of one of NYC's most standout vocalists.
Gabe Terracciano - Violin
Josh Dunn - Guitar
Special Guest vocalist!
GABE TERRACCIANO is a Grammy nominated violinist specializing in non-classical and improvised styles of music. Based in Harlem, he has become a strong force in the worlds of jazz, bluegrass, and Americana both in NYC and abroad. He is a member of the award winning Turtle Island String Quartet, and has played around the world with artists including Terence Blanchard, Dianne Reeves, and Cyrus Chestnut.
***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
This debut performance of Alden Hellmuth on our stage promises a precise, yet rollicking, delivery from her excellent, on-the-edge NYC quintet lineup.
Alden Hellmuth - alto saxophone
Adam O'Farrill - trumpet
Yvonne Rogers - piano
John Hébert - bass
Miguel Russell - drums
Grounded by her foundations in tradition and drawn to a wide spectrum of experimental musical practices, ALDEN HELLMUTH is deeply inspired by art that moves with emotion and lives within dissonance. In June 2026, she released Tether, a two-bass quartet album on the Berlin-based label, Leiter Verlag. She now brings this evolving musical vision to a new quintet of New York collaborators.
"An ambitious second album that pushes her music further into the territory where contemporary jazz, punk energy and improvisation collide." — Mike Gates, UK Vibe
“Out of the ordinary.” — In & Out Jazz
***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
The psychedelic afro-funk of Super Yamba Band. You know what to do!
Joseph Yount ~ Drums
Prince Amu ~ Bass
Eric Burns ~ Guitar
Sean Smith ~ Trumpet, Keys
Walter Fancourt ~ Sax
Evan Frierson ~ Talking Drum
Brooklyn's SUPER YAMBA BAND comprises a unique blend of inspiration born of 70s/80s West-African Afrobeat and Psychedelic Funk, with a live energy that moves everyone in the room to dance.
The band formed in 2014 on the foundation of proficient musicians finding a common inspiration amongst their love for African music, especially through rare and sometimes out of print recordings. On the road, the band has honed their craft alongside show mates such as Reptar, Yeasayer, The Afromotive, Between The Buried And Me and Trioscapes. Collaborating over a few years with Senegalese griot and talking drum master Mamadou Mbenge, known best for his work with African pop star Abdou Guite Seck, was a defining moment in the development of Super Yamba's sound and the musician's understanding of the African music tradition.
Look no further than Super Yamba Band's 2016 single, N'diarabi (feat. Ismael Kouyate), for a refreshing taste of what this imaginative group brings to the New York City music scene. The single highlights the band's progressive take on psychedelic Afro-Funk and boasts their ability to collaborate with heavy hitting performers on the African music scene. "N'diarabi" features the vocal wizardry of Ismael Kouyate, an acclaimed griot singer/dancer from Guinea, West Africa best known for his work on Beyonce's single "Grown Woman," in addition to the critically acclaimed musical Fela! On Broadway. "Opening with an unmistakable sabar groove, the track rapidly evolves into a burning Afro-stomper, with funked-out falsetto guitar licks and delirious organ riffs sitting firmly alongside Ismael Kouyate’s evocative guest vocals. Periodic horn bursts and an incessant bass groove complete the mix, making for a thoroughly fresh—and danceable—record that is sure to sound even better live." -Afropop Worldwide.
***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
LunÁtico is continually proud to present these two singular masters who never fail to take it OUT. Come see for yourselves.
Roy Nathanson ~ Saxes
Arturo O’Farrill ~ Piano
Zack O’Farrill ~ Drums
Walter Stinson ~ Bass
Based in New York, ROY NATHANSON is a co-founder of the Jazz Passengers and was once a member of John Lurie's Lounge Lizards. As primary composer for the Jazz Passengers, Nathanson has written songs for a variety of singers including Elvis Costello, Deborah Harry, Jeff Buckley, Jimmy Scott and Mavis Staples. HIs 2021 collaboration with Nick Hakim was warmly received by press and fans alike.
Nathanson studied saxophone with Jimmy Heath, Joe Allard and Les Scott, and acting with Mira Rostova. Nathanson has acted in films by directors Jim Jarmusch, Chantal Akerman and Elaine May. He also had a feature role in Peter Lilenthal's children's film, Wasserman.
ARTURO O’FARRILL, pianist, composer, and educator, was born in Mexico and grew up in New York City. Arturo’s professional career began with the Carla Bley Band and continued as a solo performer with a wide spectrum of artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Bowie, Wynton Marsalis, and Harry Belafonte.
In 2007, he founded the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the performance, education, and preservation of Afro Latin music. In December 2010 Arturo traveled with the original Chico O’Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra to Cuba, returning his father’s musicians to his homeland. He continues to travel to Cuba regularly as an informal Cultural Ambassador, working with Cuban musicians, dancers, and students, bringing local musicians from Cuba to the US and American musicians to Cuba.
Arturo has performed with orchestras and bands including his own Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and Arturo O’Farrill Sextet, as well as other Orchestras and intimate ensembles in the US, Europe, Russia, Australia, and South America.
Arturo has received commissions from Meet the Composer, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Philadelphia Music Project, The Apollo Theater, Symphony Space, the Bronx Museum of the Arts, the Young Peoples Chorus of New York, Columbia University and the New York State Council on the Arts.
***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
The ever inventive Luca Benedetti Trio just released a fantastic new record called "Slow Down For Turtles" and now you have a chance to hear it live. Don’t blow it!
Luca Benedetti ~ Guitar
Tony Mason ~ Drums
Tony Scherr ~ Bass
Guitarist LUCA BENEDETTI - heard regularly at Bar Lunatico with various outfits including Tubby, Joy Askew, Jim Campilongo, The Brooklyn Boogaloo Blowout, Moses Patrou & Bill Still - returns with his own Trio featuring the exceptional rhythm section of bassist Tony Scherr (Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, Sex Mob) and drummer Tony Mason (John Scofield, Amy Helm, Leo Nocentelli)
Recorded live in the studio with bassist Tony Scherr (Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, Sex Mob) and drummer Tony Mason (John Scofield, Charlie Hunter, Joan Osborne), "Slow Down For Turtles" unfolds as a spacious, episodic journey blending jazz improvisation, Americana, and blues with global subtleties. The trio’s undeniable chemistry allows the tracks to breathe, with Benedetti’s guitar often acting less like a solo instrument and more like a storyteller guiding the listener through shifting soundscapes.
Benedetti has been a prominent fixture in the New York City Jazz, Blues and Roots music scene since the late '90s and has worked alongside such varied artists and groups as Jim Campilongo, Steve Gadd, Ron Carter, Moses Patrou, Chris Lightcap, Joy Askew, Martha Redbone and many more. For his work as a solo artist and a producer, he has garnered critical accolades from Relix Magazine, Guitar Player Magazine, Gitarre & Bass, and Vintage Guitar Magazine, among others.
New York-based jazz musician TONY SCHERR plays acoustic and electric bass and guitar in a variety of line-ups. He played with Woody Herman while a teenager. A prolific session musician he’s worked with John Scofield, Norah Jones, Bill Frisell, Ani DiFranco, Al Di Meola, and more. He’s been a member of numerous bands such as The Lounge Lizards, Sex Mob, Jesse Harris and the Ferdinados, and Chris Brown and the Citizen Band.
New York City drummer TONY MASON has toured and recorded with John Scofield, Joan Osborne, Norah Jones, Charlie Hunter, and many others. In the studio, Tony has worked with producers Nile Rodgers, Camu Celli, Ron St. Jermaine, Matt Pierson and the legendary Russ Titleman; he has also played on many commercials and television shows.
“After listening to the pre-released album Slow Down for Turtles by Luca Benedetti, I’m looking forward to it being widely available to enjoy hearing it again and again and again.” - RON CARTER
"Luca and the two Tony’s are like a little army creating beauty and vibe, always prioritizing mood over sensation…Slow Down for Turtles is one the best albums I’ve heard yet this year." - JIM CAMPILONGO
“When you can’t quite nail down the style of an artist that’s when it gets really interesting… Blues, California surf, psychedelia, Neil Young, Frisell—but nope, none of these. It’s Luca. Absolutely fantastic.” - PAUL BOWMAN, The Century Room (Tucson, AZ)
***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
This tightly knit chamber ensemble led by guitarist Tal Yahalom features the unique instrumentation of guitar, violin, cello, woodwinds and percussion. Sporting a killer lineup, it shape-shifts through a wide palette of timbres, roles and orchestrations, creating a sound completely its own.
Tal Yahalom - electric & nylon string guitar / compositions
Ledah Finck - violin
Daniel Hass - cello
David Leon - alto sax / flute
Rogerio Boccato - percussion
Described as "one of the most impressive jazz players of his generation" and "among the most uniquely gifted guitarists in the NYC improv scene", TAL YAHALOM is an award-winning guitarist, composer and bandleader based in Brooklyn, New York since 2014.
Drawing from a wide range of influences – spanning jazz and impressionistic classical music to Brazilian repertoire and South-American guitar traditions - Tal aims to create engaging storytelling, adventurous interplay and a deep sense of groove, while expanding on the traditional roles and textural capabilities of the guitar.
Yahalom received honors at the 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition, the 2016 Montreux Jazz Festival International Guitar Competition, the 2015 Detroit Jazz Festival National Guitar Competition, as well as an AICF scholarship award of excellence in 2014-2015. He performs internationally and nationally with his own projects (Tal Yahalom Quintet, KADAWA, and Solo Guitar), and is an active member of many stylistically diverse projects in the local scene.
Performing music off their debut album - "Mirror Image" (Adhyâropa Records) - you can expect original compositions inspired by contemporary jazz, romantic classical music, and various groove-based traditions from around the world. Seeking to create meditative and reflective spaces for both performers and audience members, the music moves between through-composed sections and rich arrangements to various creative zones of improvisation and interplay.
"Exhibiting a mastery of both nylon string and electric guitars, Tal Yahalom delivers an imaginative and wide ranging set of original compositions. He has a pristine, soulful touch, immaculate technique, and great arranging skills. One of the most engaging guitar albums I’ve heard lately." - BEN MONDER
"Mirror Image is a refreshing, expansive and gorgeous record. I was hooked from the first minute on Prelude, and was struck by the depth and scope of the compositions coupled with Tal’s mastery of the guitar." - MARY HALVORSON
***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
LunÀtico warmly welcomes Gabe Terracciano to our bandstand along with longtime cohort Josh Dunn and a special guest vocalist. Expect original compositions from an upcoming duo album as well as explorations of the Great American Songbook with the addition of one of NYC's most standout vocalists.
Gabe Terracciano - Violin
Josh Dunn - Guitar
Special Guest vocalist!
GABE TERRACCIANO is a Grammy nominated violinist specializing in non-classical and improvised styles of music. Based in Harlem, he has become a strong force in the worlds of jazz, bluegrass, and Americana both in NYC and abroad. He is a member of the award winning Turtle Island String Quartet, and has played around the world with artists including Terence Blanchard, Dianne Reeves, and Cyrus Chestnut.
***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
This debut performance of Alden Hellmuth on our stage promises a precise, yet rollicking, delivery from her excellent, on-the-edge NYC quintet lineup.
Alden Hellmuth - alto saxophone
Adam O'Farrill - trumpet
Yvonne Rogers - piano
John Hébert - bass
Miguel Russell - drums
Grounded by her foundations in tradition and drawn to a wide spectrum of experimental musical practices, ALDEN HELLMUTH is deeply inspired by art that moves with emotion and lives within dissonance. In June 2026, she released Tether, a two-bass quartet album on the Berlin-based label, Leiter Verlag. She now brings this evolving musical vision to a new quintet of New York collaborators.
"An ambitious second album that pushes her music further into the territory where contemporary jazz, punk energy and improvisation collide." — Mike Gates, UK Vibe
“Out of the ordinary.” — In & Out Jazz
***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
Buckle up Lunatics. Manuel Valera’s New Cuban Express returns to our bandstand with this killer lineup which includes Samuel Torres on percussion!
Manuel Valera (Piano)
Vinícius Gomes (Guitar)
Samuel Torres (Percussion)
Raul Reyes (Bass)
Jimmy Macbride (Drums)
Led by Grammy-nominated pianist and composer MANUEL VALERA, The New Cuban Express is an electrifying ensemble that fuses the vibrant rhythms and melodies of Cuban music with the sophistication of modern jazz. Renowned for their bold approach to Afro-Cuban jazz, the band crafts a sound that honors its roots while pushing boundaries with a fresh, contemporary edge. Driven by a commanding rhythm section fueled by dynamic percussion and bass, their music bursts with energy and creativity. Celebrated for their powerful live performances both in the U.S. and abroad, The New Cuban Express continues to make a significant mark on the modern Latin jazz landscape.
About Manuel:
Manuel Valera is a Cuban-born pianist, composer, and bandleader renowned for his innovative fusion of jazz and Latin music. Since establishing himself in New York, Valera has become a prominent figure in the modern jazz scene, collaborating with luminaries such as Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D’Rivera, Dafnis Prieto, Jeff “Tain” Watts, and Yosvany Terry. He leads the Grammy-nominated ensemble New Cuban Express, a project that blends Cuban rhythms with jazz, funk, and R&B influences. His compositions have garnered several prestigious awards, including the 2019 Guggenheim Fellowship and multiple Chamber Music America New Jazz Works grants.
***TWO SETS: 9PM & 10:15PM***
***$10 (CASH) SUGGESTED DONATION***
***LUNATICO HAS A FULL DINNER AND COCKTAIL MENU SO COME EARLY TO EAT!***
Saxophonist Michael Blake reimagines Halloween classics with this seasoned New York Quartet. Costume or not, here we come!
Michael Blake ~ Tenor and Soprano Saxes
Tony Scherr ~ Bass
Marius van den Brink ~ Piano
Michael Sarin ~ Drums
New York saxophonist MICHAEL BLAKE stakes out fresh territory in holiday jazz with Halloween Tales. While the genre has typically belonged to the winter holidays, Blake’s new release claims the mystery, humor and cinematic atmosphere of Halloween and the harvest season instead, channeled through inventive arrangements and inspired improvisation.
Joined by Gary Versace on piano, Ben Allison on bass and Michael Sarin on drums, Blake leads a classic quartet lineup as a deliberate choice meant to echo the instrumentation of the holiday jazz records that shaped his own listening. The chemistry among the musicians runs deep: Blake and Allison first played together in New York in the late 1980s and went on to collaborate for years in the Jazz Composers Collective, while Sarin and Versace each logged extensive time with Blake and Allison across various bands and tours in the decades since.
A Montreal-born, Vancouver-raised saxophonist, Blake has called New York home since 1986 and has built one of the more wide-ranging discographies in modern jazz, moving fluidly between straight-ahead and experimental settings. The New York Times called him “an endlessly engaging improviser, and an inquisitive one.” He spent a decade touring and recording with John Lurie’s Lounge Lizards and has led his own bands and projects steadily since, including a long-running collaborative relationship with Ben Allison, who also mixed and mastered Halloween Tales. His 2023 release Dance of the Mystic Bliss landed at No. 3 on The Guardian’s list of the year’s best jazz albums, following Combobulate (2022) and Tiddy Boom (2014), both of which drew similar critical notice. Halloween Tales marks a return to the classic quartet format that first brought Blake wide attention on his 2002 album Elevated.