Ari Hoenig Trio
Bar LunÀtico486 Halsey Street, New York 11233
Ari Hoenig brings his trio to Bar LunÀtico for two sets, with Gadi Lehavi on saxophone, Ben Tiberio on bass and Hoenig on drums. The billed lineup puts three virtuosos together for an evening built around close group interplay, with Hoenig's rhythm work meeting Lehavi's saxophone and Tiberio's bass in real time. It is a focused late-night trio performance rather than a supporting role for the drums.
Raised in Philadelphia in a family of classically trained musicians, Hoenig is known for an unusual, intense approach to drumming: complex rhythms work in direct harmony with the other players, and the drums become an indispensable part of the music rather than simply keeping tempo. He has recorded, written and produced fourteen albums as a leader; his groups have toured worldwide and performed regularly at Smalls Jazz Club in New York. His quartet, with tenor saxophonist Tivon Pennicott, won the BMW Welt competition in 2013. Hoenig has also performed or recorded with Shirley Scott, Jean Michel Pilc, Mike Stern, Kenny Werner, Joshua Redman, Wayne Krantz, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Robert Glasper, Richard Bona, Chris Potter, Toots Thielemans, Pat Martino and Billy Childs.
A basement club in Bedford-Stuyvesant, LunÀtico is a musician-owned space where live music starts at 9pm nightly, following dinner service. The stage is modest, with a single chair for the band, and the audience sits on wooden booths or the floor, close enough to feel the energy. The room is lit by dim bulbs, with walls lined with vintage posters and a few well-worn speakers. There's a bar with original cocktails, craft beer, and wine, and a dinner menu available from 6pm to 11pm. Shows are donation-based, with a $10 recommendation in cash. It's a place where people listen to music and talk afterward, in a familiar, unpolished setting.