BIG LAZY
Barbès376 9th St, New York 11215
Big Lazy brings its New York instrumental trio to Barbès for a late set led by Stephen Ulrich on guitar, with Andrew Hall on bass and Yuval Lion on drums. The group’s music has drawn references to noir, spaghetti westerns, Lynch and Tarantino soundtracks, crime jazz and burlesque, though the listing stresses that its organic approach resists easy categorization.
Based in New York City, Big Lazy is Ulrich’s instrumental guitar trio, described by its Bandcamp as making “gritty, yet gracefully crafted American music.” The band has spent nearly two decades shaping dark, noir-tinged instrumentals. The Village Voice called them “The Big Apple’s Creme de la Creme,” while The New Yorker, writing of the album Don’t Cross Myrtle, found that Ulrich’s music “avoids specificity, leaving it to listeners to imagine where they want to,” and described a record that alternates “between the raucous and the lyrical.”
Barbès offers a compact, warmly worn space where the music feels immediate and close, with a long wooden bar and a back room under a scarlet ceiling that hosts nightly performances. The venue champions a broad spectrum of global sounds, from Balkan brass and klezmer to Afrobeat and experimental jazz, often featuring residencies like the Slavic Soul Party. The audience gathers around small tables or at the bar, sharing drinks crafted with a nod to French spirits, while the music invites attentive listening rather than loud conversation. Shows usually have a suggested donation instead of a cover charge, creating a welcoming environment where the focus is on the artists. The venue’s commitment to accessibility and its role in Brooklyn’s cultural fabric make it a distinctive spot for an evening of richly diverse live music.