Ben Kono -][- CROSSING [Nineteen-Eight Records]

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Ben Kono, Heather Laws, Henry Hey, Jazz, John Hébert, John Hollenbeck, Pete McCann, Woodwinds

Ben Kono - CROSSING

Ben Kono -][- CROSSING – [Nineteen-Eight Records, 2011]

From the artist: ==== Throughout this project the musicians in my band have been an integral part of the compositional process and have kept the whole thing fun. Henry Hey and I have been writing, playing, sailing boats, and drinking lots and lots of coffee together since our days at University of North Texas. Beyond being an incomparable pianist, he is a real positive and motivational force. He knows so much about the production process, and I could not have done this project without his guidance. Pete McCann and I have played countless ‘commercial’ gigs together, as well as more creative ventures, since I moved to New York.

Whether we’re playing “Disco Inferno” for the hundredth time or the newest thing to come out of the BMI workshop, Pete plays with more integrity, care and energy than anyone I know, and always with his unique sound and style. John Hollenbeck I’ve know the longest, and our history goes back to our first years at Eastman School of Music together. He’s my favorite drummer, period, and his own compositional style has had a huge impact on my own, as well as an entire new generation of writers. Much of this music I wrote specifically with him in mind. John Hebert I had only played with a few times, but I remember the incredible hookup he and Hollenbeck had during a gig we played at Bowery Poetry Club. He is the baddest bass player around. And finally, as accomplished a singer and musician my wife, Heather Laws, is I had never considered using her for a project like this until I heard her in the Broadway production of “Company”. As I watched her fly from french horn to trumpet to singing faster-than-human Sondheim lyrics, I was stunned by her musicianship. I realized I had to use her, and I think she lends a well-needed dramatic element to the mix. —Product Description | Amazon.com

Released: 2/25/2011
Ben Kono – saxophones, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, English horn; Henry Hey – piano; Pete McCann – guitar; John Hébert – bass; John Hollenbeck – drums; Heather Laws – vocals/French horn

..:: SOURCE: Amazon.com ::..

The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, NPR, All Music Guide & More All Agree The Claudia Quintet’s Royal Toast is A Hit

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Drums, Jazz, John Hollenbeck, The Claudia Quintet

Fully Altered Media

The Claudia Quintet will perform next in New York City on June 14th at The Theatres at 45 Bleecker presented by Search & Restore. This concert will immediately follow the 14th Annual Jazz Journalist Association Jazz Awards
(in which Claudia Quintet ringleader John Hollenbeck is nominated for Composer of the Year and Arranger of the Year).

The Claudia Quintet - Royal Toast

On their fifth CD, Royal Toast, The Claudia Quintet raise a glass in salute to their regal muse with a set of new music fit for a king?—?albeit one with more refined tastes and open mind than your average monarch.

If a round table seems a wholly appropriate setting for this egalitarian ensemble (with an extra place setting this time out), theirs is as much Algonquin as Camelot, renowned for their sophisticated wit as well as their sharply-honed musical jousting.

As composer/leader John Hollenbeck points out, the title might also sound a bit “silly”?—? but there’s something in its odd incongruity that exemplifies the band’s one-of-a-kind sound.