Paul Carlon
09/04/08 | THANKS for a great night at Cachaça!
My heartfelt thanks to everyone who came out last Thursday to our CD release or to the Santos show. Your presence made the night one of the BEST for both groups. Special thanks to my out-of-town friends who made the trip down to New York. Help yourselves to a free download of the song 'Yorubonics' by clicking on the 'downloads & epk' link to the left.
08/18/08 | DOUBLE BILL: Octet CD Release + Grupo los Santos at Cachaça August 28th
We will be kickin' it LIVE at Cachaça with two great bands. Here's the quick details:
Thursday, August 28
Paul Carlon Octet ROOTS PROPAGANDA CD Release w/Max Pollak and Christelle Durandy
7 - 9:30 pm
Grupo los Santos w/Max Pollak
10 pm - Midnight
08/02/08 | Summerstage w/Max Pollak: We rocked it!
What an experience at Central Park's Summerstage last night: Max hits another one out of the park with Rumbatap, plus my Octet had the pleasure of guesting. If only we could have played longer...!
click the link to read a review of the show
07/11/08 | ROOTS PROPAGANDA now available online!
Our CD release is officially still a few weeks off, but advance copies are now available at CD Baby; click on the link to go there
07/10/08 | ROOTS PROPAGANDA tracks played on NPR's Morning Edition
Excerpts of both "The Limiter" and "New Life", from my new Octet CD, were featured as 'Music Interludes' on NPR this morning.
The link will take you to the NPR Morning Edition page--
06/05/08 | New Octet CD almost finished!!!
I should be getting copies of the new CD ROOTS PROPAGANDA by early next week; the official CD release date will be in August; look for soon-to-be-posted Octet release dates at the 'gigs' link
05/16/08 | New YouTube Videos of my 8tet + Max & Christelle in the studio!
Click the link for 'Backstory', one of the new tracks from ROOTS PROPAGANDA, my new Octet CD, due out at the end of the summer
05/16/08 | YouTube of 'Ochun' from ROOTS PROPAGANDA
Video of Max Pollak and I recording in Brazil
05/16/08 | 'Mambo pa' Kanoa' on YouTube
Another new track from ROOTS PROPAGANDA; Max demonstrates his patented Rumbatap technique
05/03/08 | Brand New Octet CD out this Summer: ROOTS PROPAGANDA
The new one is mixed & mastered, and I'm very happy with how it turned out. The band really came together in the studio; I owe all of the musicians many thanks for the heart, head, soul and fire they put into this recording. Also big thanks to George Petit, the recording and mixing engineer, Oscar Zambrano the mastering engineer, and the staff at Legacy Studio in NYC and NaCena Studio in São Paulo, Brazil.
I am aiming for a late July/early August release date, and will plan CD release events in NYC around that time; we also should be out on the road again, at least in the Northeast, this fall.
Updates coming soon!
Meanwhile, I've uploaded some of the new tracks, which will play as the background music to the site; or click on the 'tracks' link to hear a couple more--
04/28/08 | PC 8tet at Cachaça this Friday May 2 w/Christelle Durandy and Max Pollak!
This Friday we'll be warming up for our upcoming CD release later in the summer:
One set at 7-8:30 pm, $15 cover
Cachaça: 212-388-9099
35 West 8th St. between 5th & 6th Avenues
Subway: A, C, E, F, V, B, D to West 4th St.; 1 to Christopher St.; N, R, W to 8th St.
The Lineup:
David Smith on trumpet
Ryan Keberle and Jose Davila on trombones
Me on tenor and soprano saxophones, mbira, and flute
Anton Denner on alto saxophone and flute
John Stenger on piano
David Ambrosio on bass
William “Beaver” Bausch on drums
Christelle Durandy on vocals
Max Pollak on himself (!) Rumbatap!
04/09/08 | Back from Brazil
I'm safely landed in NYC and glad to be back after an incredibly inspiring trip. Max Pollak and I saw and heard a lot of great music, and also performed a duo show at the Teatro das Tres Marias in Fortaleza. The performance was filmed, and I'll be uploading it soon!
Thanks to:
Marco Barreto, Zeca and all the staff at Na Cena Studios in Sao Paulo Valéria Pinheiro and Vera Passos in Fortaleza
Steven Harper and Adriana in Rio de Janeiro
04/02/08 | Alo from Fortaleza
Max Pollak and I are now in residence in Fortaleza, in the Northeast of Brazil. We are spending a lot of time hanging with Valéria Pinheiro at her beautiful theater/performance space, Café Teatro das Marías. Valéria is the person who brought Max and I to Fortaleza, and is a great spirit, doing great work here. Last night we participated in the rehearsal of a percussion ensemble called Caravana Cultural; I filmed some of it and should be able to put the footage up on YouTube soon. This group plays all the traditional rhythms of the Northeast. Incredible!
03/29/08 | Greetings from Sao Paulo
For the next few days I'll be in S.P. at Na Cena Studios, a beautiful facility with an incredible live room and a great staff, currently under the fatherly tutoring of George Petit, who's doing the tracking and mixing of my next CD. This is my first time in São Paulo; I've been mostly at the studio the past couple of days and have not yet had time to check out the neighborhood or greater São Paulo, but this city is enormous.
Yesterday Max Pollak and I tracked two songs which will be on the new CD; they are sounding great and will be a departure from what we've done collaboratively before.
More to come...
03/25/08 | Hello from Rio
Well, I'm here in the cidade maravilhosa (marvelous city), taking in the sights and sounds of Brazil. Speaking of sounds, yesterday I went to the house of an incredible bassist, Itiberê, who has played with Hermeto Pascoal for thirty years. The Itiberê Orquestra Familia is his group, an incredible expression of his compositional genius and their improvisational, interactive genius. Everyone in the band is a multi-instrumentalist. They graciously allowed me to sit in with them during their five-hour (!) rehearsal, and what a mind-blowing challenge that was! I hope to return and film another rehearsal before I leave Rio.
More to come...
03/22/08 | Off to Brazil!!!
I'll be in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Fortaleza, Brazil for the next two weeks mixing the tracks for the new Octet CD, which we recorded at Legacy Studio A last week. Once again, big thanks to the NY State Music Fund and especially to Lesley Tillotson and the Central New York Community Arts Council for writing the grant that made all this possible.
03/20/08 | Another Great Tour
My Octet + vocalist Christelle Durandy are just back from Utica, NY, where we gave four Arts in Education performances for the Utica School Districts, as well as an evening community concert at Mohawk Valley Community College. As part of our trip we gave two workshops for the Donovan Middle School Jazz Band, who performed with us on the MVCC concert.
We had a great time on this trip, and I'd like to thank Lesley Tillotson for writing the NY State Music Fund grant that made the trip possible, as well as Gina Murtagh, Serena Belmont, and Monk Rowe for the myriad forms of organizational and warm-hearted support it took to put the whole thing on. And last but not least, I'd like to thank Mike Bergamo and the students at Donovan for their hard work and for doing such a great job!
02/25/08 | Octet News!!!: Upcoming gig at Cachaça; Upcoming Octet Recording; Brazil Trip!
A lot is going on these days--here's an update:
***My octet is getting ready to record our 2nd CD in March, for a targeted release date sometime in the late summer***
***We'll be warming up for the recording sessions with a show at Cachaça in NYC on Monday March 10, with guests Max Pollak, Christelle Durandy, and Pete Smith; check the gigs link for all the details***
***Through a deal with the recording engineer George Petit, I'll be mixing the Octet CD tracks in São Paulo, Brazil. Max Pollak will be joining us to record some duo tracks, and then we'll be doing some performances in Fortaleza and possibly Rio***
02/06/08 | Grupo los Santos in Brooklyn, Boston and Vermont
This weekend los Santos will be celebrating the release of "Lo Que Somos Lo Que Sea" with a Brooklyn CD Release at Barbes. Then we'll be on the road for two shows, in North Bennington, VT and Cambridge, MA. Check the 'gigs' link for all the details.
01/31/08 | Steve Cook 1970-2008
It is with a sad heart that I mourn the premature passing of Steve Cook, guitarist, singer, songwriter, and bon vivant. The younger brother of one of my best friends from the area of Central New York I grew up in, Steve was an easy-going, well-loved and hugely talented guy who will be sorely missed.
01/12/08 | New Octet Tracks Online
If you're reading this, you're probably already getting a taste of one of my Octet's new songs from a live performance this fall at Cornell University. I've added at total of three new tracks to this website's background music: 'Backstory', 'Moro Omim Ma', and 'The Most Beautiful Thing'. All these songs will be rerecorded in the studio for our upcoming release. Enjoy!!!
01/09/08 | Thanks for an incredible Santos Show at The Jazz Standard !!!
Muchas Gracias to everyone who came out Monday night and helped celebrate our CD release. The turnout was mighty, the BBQ was kickin', and we had an absolutely incredible time playing for you all. Big thanks also to Seth at the Standard for booking us, and to all the wonderful staff at the club.
12/27/07 | 'Other Tongues' on Best of 2007 List
My Octet's first CD has been included on Chuck Graham's Picks, a Best Jazz of 2007 listing published in the Tucson Citizen newspaper. Click the link to see the listing online;
Thanks Chuck!!!
12/21/07 | Grupo los Santos CD Release at the Jazz Standard Jan. 7th!!!
We'll be celebrating the release of our new CD, "Lo Que Somos Lo Que Sea", on Monday Jan. 7th at NYC's Jazz Standard. This is a major opportunity for us to perform at a great room for our New York audience; don't miss it!
Here's the details:
Monday, January 7, 2008 at the Jazz Standard, 116 East 27th Street, NYC. Sets at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.
Tickets $15. 212-576-2232
Pete Smith-Electric and 9-String Acoustic Guitars
Dave Ambrosio-Acoustic Bass
Paul Carlon-Tenor Sax
William "Beaver" Bausch-Drumset
and Special Guest Max Pollak-Rumbatap
12/05/07 | Upcoming Spring Tour
Backed up by the mighty power of the NY State Music Fund, we'll be doing four days of performances, from March 17-20, for the Utica, NY School Districts. I'm currently looking at booking road dates for us possibly both the weekend before and after these shows, in Boston, and perhaps even in the Chapel Hill/Raleigh/Durham, N.C. area.
More news about this to come!!!
11/27/07 | Jazz & Tap Special on NY1
I appear with DeWitt Fleming Jr. and Jared Grimes as part of a special program on Jazz and Tap aired in October on NY1. Click on the link below to read the accompanying article; then click the camera icon to view the program. You'll need RealPlayer to view the show. Enjoy!!!
11/13/07 | Another Kick-Ass Tour
After our four day trip, all I can say is, I can't wait to do it again!!!
Click on the link below for a review of our concert at Cornell University.
We'll be on the road again in the Spring; in the meantime I'm thinking hard about moving up the recording dates for our 2nd CD to January, which would mean an earlier release date in 2008. Stay tuned!
Big Thanks to Larry Luttinger at Jazz Central, Gary Schiro at the Hudson Opera House, Paul Merrill at Cornell U., and Gill Aharon at the Lily Pad for booking us. And Great Big Thanks to Pete Smith, Patrick Lo Re, John Funkhouser, Hugo Acosta, and Juila Boynton for various informal and formal kinds of tour support.
11/06/07 | VENUE & TIME CHANGE FOR PC OCTET BOSTON SHOW
Due to circumstances beyond our control, our Boston show this Sunday Nov. 11 has been moved from Ryles across the street to The Lily Pad. The show will still be a double bill with FunkHouse; they will go on at 4 pm and we'll be starting at 5:30.
Showtime: 4 PM (FunkHouse); 5:30 (PC Octet)
Tickets: $15/$12 for students
The Lily Pad
1353 Cambridge St. in Inman Square
Cambridge, MA
(617) 395-1393
11/04/07 | New Swingadelic CD "Another Monday Night" is out!!!
The Hoboken-based swing/jump blues band's latest, "Another Monday Night," takes its name from an original penned by yours truly. I've got two new charts on this CD, which features original music by members of the band and one classic Ellington chart. Available at CD Baby; click the link to check it out!
10/18/07 | Upcoming Northeast Mini-Tour!: Nov. 8-11
We'll be hitting the road once again for a four-day blast across towns large and small. New material will be the focus of this one; I plan on recording again in the spring, and am close to being finished writing all the new songs we'll be laying down in the studio. This will also be our first trip with vocalist Christelle Durandy, who has been knocking me out with her soul and musicianship. Joining us at Cornell and in Boston with his deep and uniquely funky Austro-Afro-Cuban groove will be Rumbatap innovator Max Pollak. Also on hand for the Boston show (at the Lily Pad in Cambridge) will be FunkHouse, the piano-trio brainchild of my very tall and good-natured friend John Funkhouser, an ol' buddy from my years at Cornell. FunkHouse will be opening the show at Ryles.
Tour Itinerary:
Thursday Nov. 8: Jazz Central; Syracuse, NY
Friday Nov. 9: The Hudson Opera House; Hudson, NY
Saturday Nov. 10: Barnes Hall, Cornell University; Ithaca, NY
Sunday Nov. 11: The Lily Pad, Cambridge, MA.; Double Bill w/FunkHouse!!!
Check the 'gigs' link for more detailed information on showtimes, ticket prices, etc.
Personnel: Paul Merrill (Nov.8 only) or Dave Smith on trumpet; Ryan Keberle and Mike Fahie on trombones; me on tenor and soprano saxophones, mbira, and flute; Anton Denner on alto saxophone and flute; John Stenger on piano; Edward Perez on bass; and William “Beaver” Bausch on drums.
09/13/07 | Upcoming Octet gig: Featuring Christelle Durandy and Max Pollak at Lang Recital Hall, Hunter College, Sept. 27th!
Don't miss it! Our first show in NYC in a while; we'll be performing mostly brand-new material including our rootsy originals and a few covers ranging from a Delta Blues classic (Skip James’ Hard Times Killin’ Floor Blues ) to Brazilian Afro-Samba (Baden Powell’s Canto de Xangô). We are in the process of working up new material for our second CD, to be recorded in the Spring of 2008.
Originally from Gaudeloupe, young vocalist Christelle Durandy brings a wide knowledge of Afro-Cuban music and the Paris jazz and world music scenes to her first appearance with the Octet. She has studied and recorded with Ivan Darroman Montoya in Cuba, and has also worked with Carlos “El Bola” Betancourt, Baptiste Trotignon, Jo Benoti, Edouard Leys, Karl W. Davis and The Milkmen, and Company Erebe-Kouliballets. Christelle has been tearing it up in rehearsals; I'm really looking forward to this show with her!!!
Also joining us with his deep and uniquely funky Austro-Afro-Cuban groove will be Rumbatap innovator Max Pollak.
Personnel: Tatum Greenblatt on trumpet, Ryan Keberle and Mike Fahie on trombones, Paul on tenor and soprano saxophones, mbira, and flute, Anton Denner on alto saxophone and flute, Nicki Denner on piano, Pedro Giraudo on bass, and William “Beaver” Bausch on drums.
Showtime: 8 PM (one 90-minute set)
Cover: $15/$10 for students w/ID
Lang Recital Hall
Hunter College North Building, 4th Floor
Entrance on 69th St. btw. Park & Lexington Aves.
6 Train to 68th St./Hunter College; F Train to Lexington Av/63 Street
08/20/07 | The New Santos CD 'Lo Que Somos Lo Que Sea' is out!!!!
Deep Tone Records proudly announces the release of Grupo los Santos' second CD. This is a don't miss record from a band that has developed a truly unique style of interplay over the last ten years. Click on the link to go to our CD Baby page and hear some tracks!
07/18/07 | New Swingadelic CD coming out by late Summer/early Fall!
The Hoboken based swing/jump blues band's latest, "Another Monday Night," takes its name from an original penned by yours truly. I've got two new charts on this CD, which bandleader Dave Post hopes to release the last week of August. More info soon!
07/13/07 | New Grupo los Santos CD out soon on Deep Tone Records!
After much labor and some procrastination, the NEW NEW NEW Santos CD, "Lo Que Somos/Lo Que Sea", has been sent to the CD manufacturer and will be ready for release this fall, with CD release event dates TBA.
This is a great sounding CD of Santos magic with some new originals by yours truly as well as some seriously badass writing from our drummer, Mr. William "Beaver" Bausch. It also features Max Pollak as a guest, and will be the 2nd release on my label, Deep Tone Records.
07/04/07 | Back from our Northeast Tour
Many thanks to everyone who came out to these gigs, and to the band for sounding so good; also special thanks to Lesley Tillotson, Monk Rowe, and Larry Luttinger for all their help in putting it together.
We road-tested some of the new material to be recorded on our 2nd CD, and also tried out a new vocalist, Sofia Tosello, who sounded beautiful.
The Lily Pad show in Cambridge was a blast! A big Whassup! to all our new fans there; stay tuned for information on our return to Boston in November with Max Pollak.
The Utica and Morrisville NY dates were also killin'; I should have some pix and possibly video up soon from the tour.
06/17/07 | Upcoming Northeast Mini-Tour!
July 1-2 The Paul Carlon Octet with Special Guest Vocalist Sofia Tosello will be doing a road trip of three gigs:
July 1: The Lily Pad in Cambridge, MA.; our first show in the Boston area!
July 2: 2 PM: Showcase for Arts in Ed; Utica, NY
July 2: 7 PM: Jazz, Blues, and Libraries Too! Concert in Morrisville, NY
Click on the 'gigs' link for more info!
05/28/07 | Interview on the Louis Free Radio Show: "The Intelligent Alternative: Brain Food from the Heartland"
This Tuesday, May 29, I'll be on Louis Free's show at 6PM. Based in Ohio, the show can be listened to online by clicking on the link below, or by tuning into WGFT 1330 AM.
04/18/07 | Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with us at The Night & Day Skylight Room at Biscuit BBQ
We'll (The Octet + Ileana Santamaria) be playing May 5 at this popular Brooklyn venue; come have some BBQ and check out some of our new material!
Sets at 9 and 10:30 PM; Cover $10 + $7 minimum
04/06/07 | Viis Show Reservations closed for Friday, Saturday & Sunday at the Joyce Soho
The theater's policy is that they don't do sales over the phone, so a reservation reserves you a seat which you pay for when you arrive. If you have a reservation make sure to be there by 7:50 or they will release your seat to someone else. If you'd still like to go Sunday, this means that if you show up at 7:15-7:30, you may still get a seat if you wait until 7:50 and someone that has a reservation doesn't show.
03/19/07 | Upcoming Rumpatap show at the Joyce Soho: Viis
My partner in creative crime, Max Pollak, brings his inimitable choreography and improvisational prowess to the JoyceSoho for a four-day run. I'll be involved as a musician and as Musical Director, and am also collaborating with Max in writing music for the show. Not to be missed! From the JoyceSoho website:
"In Viis, Nordic myth and African hero-spirits meet in a hypothetical multicultural fable inspired by ancient Finnish and Afro-Cuban folklore. Viis communicates a universal tale of creation, confrontation, loss, and reconciliation drawn from the narrative of "The Kalevala" (J.R.R. Tolkien's basis for "Lord of the Rings"). Concept and choreography by Max Pollak in collaboration with Chikako Iwahori and Nick Corley. Original music by Max Pollak and Paul Carlon."
03/09/07 | Two New Reviews of 'Other Tongues'
Two great new reviews have come out in the past week. Both of these are written by reviewers who are very well-informed about music, and who I feel really get what I'm trying to do with my group. The link below and to the right is for a review on PopMatters, an online site based in Chicago.
03/08/07 | 2nd New Review
This link is for a review in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill News Observer
02/13/07 | Paul Carlon Octet to be featured opening night of new concert series at Dekk Restaurant!
On Sunday, March 4, we'll be doing two sets (8 and 10 pm) at Dekk, a great restaurant and club in Tribeca. Check the 'gigs' link for all the details.
02/04/07 | 'OTHER TONGUES' STILL ON THE CHARTS!
At last count my Octet CD had spent 14 weeks on JazzWeek's World Music Chart.
In addition, the song "The Spirit Calls" made Latin Beat's Hit Parade Top 20 for Denver for Dec./Jan., AND we got mentioned in Nelson Gonzalez' column, "Latin Beat Music Update", in the February issue of Latin Beat.
01/22/07 | Interview Tonight on WKCR 89.9 FM
My apologies about the short notice; this just came together today. Tonight I'll be a guest on German Santana's show, "Caribe Latino", from 10pm to Midnight. We'll be spinning some tunes from my new CD 'Other Tongues', and talking about the music. Check it out if you're in radioland later tonight!
01/06/07 | IAJE in New York Jan. 10-14
For those of you who will be in New York attending IAJE, I'll be there and would be more than happy to meet any and all. Just send me an email by clicking on the 'contact' link.
--Paul
12/29/06 | PC Octet blessed with major grant money from the New York State Music Fund!
Through the Central New York Community Arts Council based in Utica, my group will be doing a series of shows in the Utica school districts in the fall of '07. This is kick-ass news! We'll be in the area for a week, and will also be booking some other dates around this mini-tour. Big thanks to Lesley Tillotson, who wrote the grant!
12/10/06 | Fat Cat was off the chain!
Man, that was crazy good fun! Thanks to all who came out to the shows; we had a great time and we really appreciate the turnout and the great vibe the audiences had. Also, special thanks to Buddy Terry for sharing his artistry with us on Saturday, and to Billy K. for managing the room with such professionalism.
11/20/06 | 'OTHER TONGUES' debuts at No. 45 on JazzWeek's World Music Chart 11/20/06!
Wow! I was really surprised and happy to get this news last week; the response to the CD has been great so far. Thanks to all!
11/10/06 | Paul Carlon Octet at FAT CAT/NYC Dec. 8th & 9th
Yes Yes Yes, we'll be at the West Village jazz den Fat Cat Friday & Saturday December 8th & 9th, from 10 pm to 1:30 am both nights. Vocalist Ileana Santamaria will be with us, as well as Rumbatap innovator Max Pollak. We'll be playing music from our new CD 'Other Tongues', as well as premiering some brand new works!
11/09/06 | The CD Release was a blast!
Thanks to all who came out Nov. 7 for the CD Release gig at Hunter College;
Guests Buddy Terry and Max Pollak brought their mojo to the stage of Lang Recital Hall, joining the octet and Ileana Santamaria for some spankin' good times. Truly a memorable evening.
11/05/06 | CD Release Party Construction Update RE: getting to Lang Recital Hall
Due to construction on the 68th St. entrance of the North Building at Hunter College, to get to Lang Recital Hall you'll need to enter the building on the South side of 69th St. btw. Lexington and Park Ave., closer to Park. There's a clearly marked Hunter College entrance there; go in the doors, take a left at the security desk and take the elevator to the 4th floor. See you there!
10/17/06 | 'OTHER TONGUES' CD RELEASE PARTY! *****November 7th******
It's here it's here it's finally here! My octet CD, 'Other Tongues', is ready to hit the streets! Details:
CD Release Party: The Paul Carlon Octet featuring Ileana Santamaria and Special Guests Max Pollak and Buddy Terry
*****Tuesday, Nov. 7 at Hunter College, Lang Recital Hall, 7:30 pm*****
Where: Lang Recital Hall is in the North Building on the 4th floor;
The North Building is on the Northwest corner of East 68th St. and Lexington Avenue
How Much: $10/$5 w/student ID; CD release special: for $15 ($10 for students), you get admission plus a copy of the new CD!
Getting There: 6 train to 68th St./Hunter College; F train to Lexington Ave/63rd St.
Paul Carlon - tenor saxophone, flute, mbira, creative & musical direction, composition
Anton Denner - alto saxophone, flute
Ryan Keberle - trombone
Mike Fahie - trombone
Dave Smith - trumpet
John Stenger - piano
Dave Ambrosio - bass
William "Beaver" Bausch - drumset
Ileana Santamaria - vocals
Special Guests:
Max Pollak - Rumbatap (a hybrid of tap dance and Afro-Cuban and world rhythms that has revolutionized the way people in the tap and world music think and feel about both expressive media)
Buddy Terry - Tenor Saxophone
We will be playing one concert set starting at 7:30 and running approx. an hour and fifteen minutes, featuring music from the CD.
09/14/06 | New Octet CD coming out this fall!
Stay tuned for CD release date and details about the CD release party; this recording features nine original compositions and one Billy Strayhorn tune arranged by yours truly...Ileana Santamaria is also featured on vocals on three songs. Special guest Max Pollak contributes his Rumbatap innovations on two songs, including a piece I wrote for him called "Rumbatapestry" (on the tracks page)...and the inimitable Buddy Terry is a very special guest, gracing "Street Beat" with his funky tenor tone (the theme song for this site).
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