Elew Trio
Zinc Bar82 West 3rd Street, New York 10012
ELEW Trio comes to Zinc Bar for an evening led by Eric Robert Lewis, the American concert pianist known as ELEW. The listing presents the group in trio formation, with two performances across the night. Expect a piano-led set shaped by ELEW’s Rockjazz approach, bringing jazz improvisation into contact with rock and pop material. No additional players or special guests are named for this date.
ELEW is the stage name of Eric Robert Lewis, an American concert pianist who has found crossover success playing rock and pop music. His work is distinguished by a physical, unconventional relationship to the piano: he performs without a bench and may reach inside the instrument to pull directly on its strings. He calls his approach “Rockjazz,” describing it as taking the improvisational aspect of jazz and threading it “through the eye of the needle of rock.” That idea makes the trio setting a useful frame for hearing both the forceful attack of his piano playing and the improvisatory core of the music.
Zinc Bar offers a richly textured experience where the past and present of jazz converge in a single, dimly lit room adorned with Art Deco details like velvet upholstery, polished brass, and a Parisian zinc bar. The venue’s layout centers around a close-up stage and a vintage bar, creating a setting where the music is both the focus and a shared journey. Patrons can expect expertly crafted cocktails alongside performances that range from world-class jazz to vibrant Brazilian and African rhythms, often featuring multiple sets and occasional late-night jams. The seating is lounge-style, encouraging attentive listening rather than casual chatter, making it a place to immerse fully in the sound. This is a space where history lingers, once hosting legends like Billie Holiday and Thelonious Monk, now continuing their legacy with a sophisticated yet welcoming vibe.