NYE in Los Angeles with Antibalas

Catch me headlining this free party in downtown LA with Antibalas. Hosted by Novena Carmel of KCRW and lots of good bands and DJs.

Suns of Mothers (Live) 12-29-2024

The second installment of the trio I’m part of with Tommy Guerrero and Nino Moschella. Performing live at Little Hill Lounge, El Cerrito California 12-29-2024. (Free)

We spent two days in the studio last week to record some ideas and shape together some songs. It has been quite liberating to play in a small ensemble with so much space for texture, silence, and rhythm. We just started playing together a few months ago but we have spent decades drinking from a lot of the same musical fountains and when we get together, things just flow.

Suns of Mothers: Debut Performance

Suns of Mothers is a new improvisational music trio me 🎷🪈Tommy Guerrero 🛹🔥🎸and Nino Moschella 🥁🎙️ put together.

We played our first show 11-20-2024 at the Little Hill Lounge in El Cerrito, California. It was a jam. We were joined by vocalist Destani Wolf who took us and the music to a whole other dimension.

I regret we didn’t record the whole set as it turned out to exceed my wildest expectations, but some friends fortunately shot a few clips. We are hoping to do this once a month at Little Hill- next one late December or early January. Stay tuned IG: @sunsofmothers

Los Angeles: The Golden Thread

Playing multiple woodwinds in this really fun concert with a few of my oldest musical friends and some brand new ones, at one of my favorite venues in Los Angeles.

25th Anniversary of Antibalas: Two nights at Brooklyn Bowl

Just recovering from two nights of sublime and intense music in my old stomping grounds of Williamsburg Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Bowl. We had DJ Rob Castillo from Caracas via CDMX, Kaethe Hostetter and her magic violin (fri) and Stuart Bogie’s Magic Hands (Sat) for support.

The Band: (both nights)Trumpet: Jordan McLean; Trumpet: Andrew McGovern, Tenor sax: Drew Vandewinckel, Baritone sax/flute/percussion: Martín Perna; shekere/vox: Marcus Farrar. congas: Reinaldo deJesus; drums: Kevin Raczka; guitar: Timothy James; guitar: Bryan Vargas; keys: Jake Pinto.

Guests night 2: trombone: Raymond Mason; tenor sax: Max Kassoy; Tenor sax: Stuart Bogie;

From the Dap Kings: percussion: Bosco Mann, percussion: Elizabeth Pupo-Walker; trumpet: Dave Guy; tenor sax: Cochemea Gastelum; from Skatalites/Frightnrs: Anant Pradhan; From Havana, Cuba on congas Pellito el Afrokan

Antibalas: 2022 Tour Dates

The band is back on the road in 2022 with a new repertoire as well as a few old gems.

Summer 2021 News

Time continues to march on. I’m at my studio a lot, just collaborating with MoonRun on a new film soundtrack at Tiny Telephone in Oakland, dipping into the the studio for some last-minute horns to the new Toro y Moi album, and vocal engineering and production with vocalist Chris Gabo, writing new music for the next Antibalas record, and taking care of my baby daughter.

Stranger’s Guide, the literary / travel magazine of which I’m a contributing editor, recently won two major magazine awards: the ASME / National Magazine Awards for 1) General Excellence, Literature, Science and Politics, 2) Photography. This was a big win as the only other organizations that won more were the New Yorker and ProPublica.

I’m also excited to announce the release of an album I’m on, a long time in the works, Daptone Super Soul Revue - Live at the Apollo. My group Antibalas, along with Sharon Jones (RIP) and the Dap Kings, Charles Bradley (RIP), Naomi Shelton (RIP) and the Gospel Queens, Sugarman Three, Budos Band, Menahan Street Band did three nights at the Apollo in December of 2014, the culmination of a summerlong tour through Europe.

Listen / preorder HERE:

1/21/2020: Live in Los Angeles at Hodgepodge

This Tuesday 1/20 I’ll be at Apotheke in Los Angeles with my man Todd M Simon and friends for his Hodgepodge musical night. I’ll be playing saxophones, flute, percussion and who knows what else.