PK/the mi3

The mi3 on CD
Click on the CDs below for more information and audio samples.

Betwixt
hatOLOGY 652, 2008
(session photos)

Free Advice
Clean Feed, 2007

We Will Make A Home For You
Clean Feed, 2005

poster by Monte Antrim (click on image for full size)

"Free Advice is a timeless trio masterpiece destined to surprise listeners for years to come."
Troy Collins, All About Jazz

"This is a gem. The colors of the Rhodes, the level of musicianship, and good old inspiration make for the most musical of collisions. It hasn’t left my player for weeks. "
Dan Rose, OneFinalNote

"If you asked me to make a long enough wish-list for musical projects, I'm sure I'd wind up asking for a trio with an elite post-jazz keyboardist smearing a Fender Rhodes electric piano over a snap-crackle-pop free jazz rhythm section. You can imagine how great it felt to have any such wish pre-empted by a disc that jumps right into the stratosphere with a leadoff take on Dolphy's "Gazzelloni" that fits the proposable scheme as tight as I could hope for. This disc just destroys me... "
Michael Anton Parker, Downtown Music Gallery (NYC)

"The set consists mostly of Monk tunes, with three Karayorgis originals (including "Disambiguation," one of my faves), one by Hasaan Ibn Ali, and a crushingly good version of [Eric Dolphy's] "Gazzelloni." After a few listens -- especially to their quirky, ruminative "Ugly Beauty" and shifty, mischevious "Monk's Point" -- it's apparent that, as with the best Monk interpreters, there's no slavish appropriation of key monastic gestures....It's a killer recording."
Jason Bivins, Signal to Noise

"Betwixt reveals (Karayorgis) as a sonic architect of the highest order, a visionary improviser whose enthusiasm for the possibilities of sound knows no limit. Together, Karayorgis, McBride and Newton offer a thrilling set guaranteed to turn heads."
Troy Collins , All About Jazz

(full reviews are available on each CD's individual page, click on the CD images to the left)

Boston Globe article ...

Audio
Excerpts from our 3-month Sunday series at the Abbey Lounge in the Spring of 2002.

From our CD Free Advice featuring acoustic piano:
Who Said What When
(P. Karayorgis)

From our CD Betwixt:
Saturn
(Sun Ra)

(More audio samples are available on each CD's individual page, click on the CD images above.)

Video
Composite clip from our May 2003 recording session at the Artits-at-Large Gallery for "We Will Make A Home For You."

(13 MB) watch

Click image to download promotional material in PDF format.

Pandelis Karayorgis
(Fender Rhodes el. piano or piano)
Born in Athens, Greece in 1962. Prior to moving to the U.S. in 1985, performed in small jazz groups while pursuing a degree in Economics. Earned BM and MM degrees in music from Boston's New England Conservatory while studying with Paul Bley, Jimmy Giuffre, George Russell, Dave Holland and Joe Maneri (composition) among others. Studied and performed extensively the music of Thelonious Monk and Lennie Tristano and in 1991 compiled a collection of all of Monk's compositions.

In the last twenty years mostly led or co-led groups whose recordings have often been voted into reviewers' top-10 lists in magazines such as Coda, Cadence, Jazz Times and Jazziz. Performed and recorded with Mat Maneri, Joe Maneri, Ken Vandermark, Tony Malaby, Michael Formanek, John Lockwood, Randy Peterson and Guillermo Gregorio among many others. Numerous performances at festivals and clubs in Europe and the United States. Recordings appear on labels such as Leo Records, Hat Art, Clean Feed, Nuscope, Boxholder, Okkadisk, Cadence, Accurate, Leo Lab, Ayler and HatOLOGY among others.

In the nineties worked closely with violinist Mat Maneri producing several recordings on Leo Records mostly in duo format, but also featuring Tony Malaby, Michael Formanek, Joe Maneri, John Lockwood and Randy Peterson. During the same time also co-led a group featuring much of the Tristano repertoire and originals with which two CDs were made and a trip to Europe in 1997 as well. Also, in 1998 released first trio CD "Heart And Sack" to wide critical acclaim (among others it was featured on National Public Radio's program Fresh Air).

In the past few years toured and recorded in duo format with Ken Vandermark (there is also a 2001 trio CD with Vandermark and McBride) and also with Guillermo Gregorio (with whom there are two previous HatArt collaborations). Performed also with Dave Rempis, Josh Abrams, Jeff Parker, Jeb Bishop, Tim Daisy, Jason Stein, Mike Reed, Josh Berman, Keefe Jackson, Nori Tanaka, Daniel Levin, Frank Rosaly, Charlie Kohlase, Luther Gray, Jef Charland, Forbes Graham, Matt Langley, Jeff Galindo, Chad Taylor, Jason Adasciewicz, Charles Waters and the TILT Brass band, Chris Lopes, Okay Temiz, Hans Koch, Michael Griener, Jan Roder, Floros Floridis , Jorrit Dijkstra, Jacob William, Laurence Cook, Eric Hofbauer, James Falzone, Steve Swell.

A new quintet album, System of 5, featuring all original compositions and arrangements,has just been released by hatology. Also in the spring of 2011, a quartet album featuring Dave Rempis, Forbes Graham and Luther Gray will be released on not two records.

Quotes:
"Over the course of nearly 20 years and approximately that many recordings, Karayorgis has established himself as one of the singular, and significant, pianists of his generation."
Art Lange

" ... by this stage, Karayorgis has developed a powerful piano language of his own and this is its definitive statement to date."
The Penguin Guide To Jazz Recordings, (8th Edition) in reference to solo piano CD "Seventeen Pieces" (2004).

Discography:
• System Of 5, Pandelis KarayorgisQuintet, Hatology 682, 2011
•Betwixt, Karayorgis/ McBride/ Newton (the mi3),Hatology 652, 2008
• Free Advice, the mi3 (Karayorgis/McBride/Newton), Clean Feed CF098CD, 2007
• Carameluia, Pandelis Karayorgis Trio (with Nate McBride and Randy Peterson),Ayler Records, aylDL-076, 2007
• Foreground Music, Pandelis Karayorgis/Ken Vandermark,
Okka Disk, OD12065, 2007
• Chicago Approach, Guillermo Gregorio/Pandelis Karayorgis/Nate McBride, Nuscope 1019, 2007
• We Will Make A Home For You, the mi3 (Karayorgis/McBride/Newton), Clean Feed CF039CD, 2005
• Seventeen Pieces, Pandelis Karayorgis, solo piano, Leo Records CD LR 417, 2004
• Disambiguation, Pandelis Karayorgis/ Mat Maneri Quintet (with Tony Malaby, Michael Formanek and Randy Peterson), Leo Lab CD334, 2002
• Blood Ballad, Pandelis Karayorgis Trio (with Nate McBride and Randy Peterson), Leo Records CD325, 2001
• No Such Thing, Ken Vandermark, Pandelis Karayorgis and Nate McBride, Boxholder BXH 018, 2001
• Let It, Pandelis Karayorgis and Nate McBride, Cadence CJR 1115, 2001
• Red Cubed, Guillermo Gregorio (with Mat Maneri), hatOLOGY 531, 1999
• Heart And Sack, Pandelis Karayorgis Trio (with Nate McBride and Randy Peterson), Leo Lab CD048, 1998
• Lift & Poise, Pandelis Karayorgis/Mat Maneri (with Joe Maneri and John Lockwood), Leo Lab CD041, 1998
• Approximately, Guillermo Gregorio (with John Lockwood, Mat Maneri and Eric Pakula), Hat Art 6184, 1996
• Lines, Pakula/Karayorgis Quartet, Accurate AC-5014, 1995
• In Time, Mat Maneri/Pandelis Karayorgis, Leo Lab CD002, 1994
• Between Speech And Song, Pakula/Karayorgis/Rosenthal Quartet, Cadence CJR 1055, 1994
• The Other Name, Pandelis Karayorgis, Motive MP001, 1992
• Hand Made, Pandelis Karayorgis, Lyra/OM 053, 1989

Nate McBride
(bass)
Nate McBride's MySpace page

Born 5 May, 1971 in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, bassist Nate McBride was raised in Seattle and lived there until moving to Boston to attend college in 1990. While working on degrees in English and music- including bass studies with Cecil McBee and Donald Palma- he gained extensive performance experience in Boston’s jazz and improvised music scene. This period saw the beginning of several long-running collaborations which would prove critical to his development as a musician, including those with drummer Curt Newton, guitarist Joe Morris, pianist Pandelis Karayorgis and reedist Ken Vandermark. For the decade following college Nate was recording, performing and touring widely in the U.S. and Europe with those musicians and others, while sustaining an active performance schedule in Boston.

In the early years of the 21st century Nate co-founded, organized and managed the Modern Improvised Music series (a Boston concert program featuring local and international artists which continues to be a critical part of that city’s musical landscape), while pursuing increasingly intensive work with his musical associates.

Among his musical influences are the instrumentalist/composer/bandleader model exemplified by Charles Mingus and Duke Ellington, the flexible and propulsive music of blues guitarists such as Skip James and Fred McDowell, the energy and DIY ethos of punk rock, Baroque music, and the forward thinking approach of the AACM. In late 2004, Nate relocated to Chicago, and performs on an ongoing basis with his own Boston-based Quartet; the Pandelis Karayorgis Trio; the mi3; Tripleplay; Spaceways, Inc.; FME; and Bridge 61. As well as those musicians already cited, he has appeared on record or in concert with a variety of other improvisers, including Mat Maneri, Joe McPhee, Paal Nilssen-Love, Jim Hobbs, Charlie Kohlhase, Allan Chase, Satoko Fujii, James Rohr, and Hamid Drake.

Discography:
Betwixt, Karayorgis /McBride /Newton, (hatOLOGY)
Free Advice, the mi3 (Clean Feed)
Carameluia, Pandelis Karayorgis Trio (Ayler Records)
Chicago Approach, Guillermo Gregorio/Pandelis Karayorgis/Nate McBride (Nuscope)
We Will Make A Home For You, the mi3 (Clean Feed)
Spaceways Incorporated, Ken Vandermark (Atavistic)
Tripleplay, Ken Vandermark (Boxholder)
Antennae, Joe Morris Trio (Aum Fidelity)
Let It, Pandelis Karayorgis and Nate McBride (Cadence Jazz Records)
You Be Me, Joe Morris Quartet (Soul Note)
Symbolic Gesture, Joe Morris Trio (Soul Note)
Racket Club, Joe Morris, Jim Hobbs, Steve Norton (About Time)
Utility Hitter, Barrage Double Trio with Ken Vandermark (Quinnah)
The Vision, Cornelius Claudio Kreusch Trio featuring Marvin "Smitty" Smith (Enja)
Riot Trio, James Rohr (Day Job)
Lines, Pakula/Karayorgis Quartet (Accurate)
Blood Ballad, Pandelis Karayorgis Trio (Leo Records)
No Such Thing, Ken Vandermark/Pandelis Karayorgis/Nate McBride (Boxholder)
Heart And Sack, Pandelis Karayorgis Trio (Leo Lab)

Curt Newton
(drums)
Click here for Curt Newton's website

Boston-based drummer and percussionist Curt Newton has been playing uncompromising original music since 1986. A highly versatile ensemble player and soloist, he integrates innovative sounds and extended techniques with the jazz and rock drumset traditions. He has worked with Ken Vandermark, Joe Morris, Nate McBride, Pandelis Karayorgis, Charlie Kohlhase, and Debris; performed across the United States, Canada, and Europe; and appears on CDs released by leading independent labels like Okkadisk, Boxholder, Soul Note, Music and Arts, Buzz, and Rastascan.

Curt currently performs with the following groups:
• Nate McBride Quartet (w/ Charlie Kohlhase, saxophones; Taylor Ho Bynum, brass; Nate McBride, bass)
• the mi3(w/ Pandelis Karayorgis, fender rhodes; Nate McBride, bass)
• The Chris Allen Estate
• Trio Ex Nihilo (w/ Jeff Song, cello; Taylor Ho Bynum, brass)
• on rare occasions, The Poppies
He has worked since 1986 with Chicago saxophonist and composer Ken Vandermark, releasing three acclaimed CDs; their most recent project is the group Tripleplay with bassist Nate McBride. He also plays with leading musicians including Hans Poppel, Joe Morris, James Rohr, Greg Kelley, and Jorrit Dijkstra.

Percussion Performances
Curt has been developing a solo drumset repetoire for several years, with original compositions, improvisations, and occasional works for drumset by other composers. Select peformances include
• an all-drumset concert with master drummers Alan Dawson and Bob Gullotti (1992)
• world premiere of John Zorn's Hwang Chin Ee for two drumsets and narrator (New England Conservatory, 1996)
• original transcription of Lutoslawski String Quartet for solo drumset (1997)
• activating Chen Zhen's sculpture Jue Chang (50 Strokes to Each) at Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art (2002)

Education and Influences
Curt studied drum set with Bob Gullotti and has a Master of Music degree in Jazz Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music. His musical influences and interests, in no particular order, have included Max Roach, Andrew Cyrille, Steve Shelly, Gerry Hemingway, Joey Baron, Paul Lovens, Bob Gullotti, Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, Eric Dolphy, Cecil Taylor, Son House, Captain Beefheart, Igor Stravinsky, Iannis Xenakis, Witold Lutoslawski, and the traditional music of Morocco, Ghana, Egypt, Turkey and Greece.

Discography:
Click here to see Curt Newton's discography on his own website.

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