Arthur Kell Speculation Sextet
Bar LunÀtico486 Halsey Street, New York 11233
Arthur Kell leads the Speculation Sextet for two sets, billed with a double-alto-sax front line.
Brooklyn-based bassist and composer Kell is a Bar LunÀtico co-founder whose Speculation Quartet has toured Europe and released Live at LunÀtico. He has worked with Thomas Chapin, Matt Darriau, Guillermo Klein, Steve Cardenas, Sam Newsome and Roy Nathanson. DownBeat called the group “a terrific group” and noted Kell’s openness “for new sounds and experiences.”
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.