Hendrik Meurkens Quartet
Cellar Dog75 Christopher Street, New York 10014
Hendrik Meurkens brings his quartet to Cellar Dog for an evening centered on his chromatic harmonica and vibraphone work, with the group’s sound built around those instruments and a swinging rhythm section.
Born in Hamburg and now based in New York, Meurkens moves between straight-ahead jazz and Brazilian music, a blend Berklee calls his “trademark sound.” His collaborations include Ray Brown, Paquito D’Rivera, Charlie Byrd, Jimmy Cobb, Ivan Lins and Astrud Gilberto. He has been described as “the de facto chromatic harmonica heir to Thielemans.”
Cellar Dog offers a focused jazz experience with nightly performances starting at 7pm, often extending into late-night sets that can go until 2am. The venue features a bar and a modestly sized room where the audience can enjoy the music up close, with seating arranged to encourage attentive listening. The space invites a blend of dedicated jazz fans and those looking for a relaxed evening out, with a balance between conversation and immersion in the music. Shows are ticketed, and the venue’s hours stretch late into the night on weekends, making it a spot for extended musical evenings. The location in New York’s West Village adds a neighborhood charm, with a straightforward setup that puts the music front and center without distractions.