There are few jazz artists working today who have the power to evoke tears, laughter and even confusion with a single phrase from a single instrument. Jazz pianist Bill Carrothers has been jabbing at our emotional as well as intellectual frailties since his first recordings and performances in the early 1990s, as an inventive composer and perhaps more so as a creative re-arranger of familiar standards and even the sounds of American pop culture.

One of his recent releases goes so far as to make modern jazz of such mundane tunes as “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” and the Oscar Meyer Weiner theme song (check out Play Day on his Bridge Boy Music label).

Bill Carrothers and his international Trio check in for six nights at the Village Vanguard in Manhattan, July 14th-19th, 2009.
(Sets at 9:00pm & 11:00pm)

While it is not uncommon to see Carrothers in conert (especially in the Twin Cities areas) it is definitely rare to have the opportunity to enjoy what European audiences are able to access often — Bill Carrothers’ International Trio, with Belgian bassist Nicolas Thys and drummer Dre Pallemaerts. A long overdue booking at the Village Vanguard (July 14th-19th) prompted a mini tour, including a stop in Chicago at the Green Mill and at the Artists Quarter in St. Paul. This is arguably the collaboration that best fits his simultaneously off-kilter and accessible music.

More Information About His Upcoming Performance At The Village Vanguard.

Location:
Village Vanguard
178 Seventh Avenue South
New York, NY
(212) 255-4037
http://villagevanguard.com

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