My dear friends, Happy February! Energized by 2 fabulous shows with The Howard Levy 4 last weekend, I can’t wait to jump off into other realms this month.
Two big reunions are coming up:
I’m playing in West Palm Beach, FL with Garrison Keillor and the full cast of A Prairie Home Companion(!) on Feb.10. Having been on the show as a guest soloist over 50 times, this will be my first appearance with Garrison in about 6 years, and I am delighted to be part of his wildly imaginative and eclectic universe.
The band will be led by long-time music director Rich Dworsky, along with some stellar players including the great Stuart Duncan on fiddle and guitarist Mike Seal. I’ll be joining the band and performing some of my own tunes as well. Unlike previous shows, this one won’t be broadcast on NPR, making it an exclusive in-person experience that you won’t want to miss. TICKETS
The other highly anticipated reunion will be with German bass clarinetist/composer Michael Riessler and his son Lorenzo on drums, marking our first collaborative performance in 5 years. To say that Michael is amazing is an understatement- you have to see him live to fully grasp his mastery of the bass clarinet and his innovative musical approach. We have toured extensively in Europe for 30 years in many configurations, also recorded the album Silver and Black, and performed multiple times with Lorenzo, who is an exceptionally skilled and advanced drummer/composer.
Later this month, I will welcome the Riesslers to Steve Rashid’s beautiful Studio5 in Evanston, IL on Feb.23 (TICKETS), followed by a FREE concert on Feb.25 at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill (INFO). The repertoire, composed by the three of us, is incredibly complex and wild with plenty of virtuosic, interactive improvisation and humor. Chicago and NC friends- don’t miss this one-of-a-kind trio!
See y’all soon, Howardinho
