Alex Harding & Lucian Ban duo:

The relationship between Alex Harding and Lucian Ban has been long and fruitful. Their combination of elements of improvisational music have helped the pair develop a unique musical language that transcends the expectations of the jazz genre.

Pianist Lucian Ban arrived in New York City from Romania to study at the New School in 1998. As he first began to immerse himself into the local scene, Ban was fortunate to hear baritone saxophonist Alex Harding. The two hit it off immediately and formed a fast friendship leading to musical collaboration. This led to Ban providing a handful of songs for Harding and Harding becoming an essential voice on Ban’s recording debut on their co-led album, Somethin’ Holy (CIMP, 2002). It was Harding’s unique voice that attracted Ban, one that had also captured the ears of many legendary collaborators, including Sun Ra, Muhal Richard Abrams, and Julius Hemphill. Harding’s heartfelt and blues-drenched baritone sax playing lent well to Ban’s open-minded and improvisatory approach to music. Harding’s visceral style lent an edge and authenticity to their music, a sound and feeling anchored in the blues that Ban came to the States to try to discover and absorb. Their communion was a true celebration of the spirit, as both found something in the other to help free their spirit in performance. Harding was essential in introducing the young pianist to the luminaries of the jazz scene, including Sam Newsome, Nasheet Waits, Brad Jones, and the incredible tuba player Bob Stewart. These relationships have been long lasting and essential to the pair’s musical development. The music that they created leans into the blues, in feeling, sound, and color. The tones are mysterious yet rooted. Occasionally speaking to early traditional sounds of jazz but the use of Fender Rhodes giving a contemporary, Afro-Futurist meets new music tint. As Alex Harding and Lucian Ban’s musical partnership has grown, the pair have been able to incorporate elements of their musical backgrounds into an intriguing and singular sound.

David Dzubinski & Carlos Santiago duo:

David Dzubinski's interpretive playing incorporates freedom with an eye toward frame of reference. While never letting go of the reference points in tunes, Dzubinski journeys in and out of harmonic dissonances and rhythms, chaos and unity, creating a lovely dance of tension and release. With the basic structure of the tune always central, his whirlwind of colors and rhythms swirls around it, allowing the listener to be inside and outside of the tune at the same time. This inside/outside approach is, in fact, Dzubinski's goal as both a performer and composer. He has performed with: G. Calvin Weston, Doug Wimbish, Elliott Levin, Corey Glover, Darlene Love, Anwar Marshall, Sarah Dash, Tim Motzer and many others.

Carlos Santiago was born and raised in Philadelphia and was educated at The Hartt School of Music and Temple University. Approaching music from multiple standpoints, Carlos has relished performing in a wide variety of musical settings and styles such as the multi - disciplinary Bismuth String Quartet, the complex mathematical compositions of the rock band Normal Love, soloing with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, playing Tango, Salsa, and Afro-Caribbean jazz with Sonic Liberation Front, or Roma jazz with BeauDjango. Past teachers include John Blake, Diane Monroe, Yusef Lateef, Adolf Sandole, Louis Lanza, and Nicholas Mann. Sharing the unity of all of these types of music is the driving force behind his passion for sonic exploration.

accessibility: two steps from street to venue.

Please note, entrance is via the side door on Arizona Street.

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