The Brooklyn Jazz Underground

The Brooklyn Jazz Underground is an association of independent bandleaders with a shared commitment to improvised music. Through cooperative effort, members of the BJU strive to create greater awareness of their work.

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Anne Mette Iversen Bass

Acoustic bassist! Composer! Female! Bandleader! Contemporary! Jazz! Creative! Orchestral! Music!

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Alexis Cuadrado Bass

A vibrant bassist and composer crossing boundaries that build a personal style.

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Sunny Jain Drums / Dhol / Percussion

"Jain has arrived at an intriguing amalgam that alternately swings in straight 4/4 fashion and mesmerizes while injecting bits of Indian music along the way." - Jazztimes

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Benny Lackner Piano, Keyboards, Laptop

"Lackner may be the first established pianist to come from the Mehldau school. With a contemporary approach, he helps give the piano trio a much-needed face lift." John Kelman, AllAboutJazz.com

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Dan Pratt Saxophone

A passionate blend of traditionalism and experimental instincts.

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Jerome Sabbagh Saxophone

Modern, organic music that appeals to listeners beyond the traditional jazz audience.

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Alan Ferber Trombone

Balancing the natural tension between improvisation and arrangement.

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Tanya Kalmanovitch Viola, Violin

"Tanya Kalmanovitch, the Juilliard-trained violist and violinist who's been tearing up the scene" -Time Out New York

05/31/2009 BJURecords June releases

Our sister company BJURecords are sending out their 2nd batch of releases this June, and celebrating with a 2-weekend festival at The Jazz Gallery, NYC, June 18-20 & 25-27. Visit their website: www.bjurecords.com for more info.

12/22/2008 BJU Festival and CD sampler Vol 3

On January 9-11, BJU will hold their annual festival at Smalls Jazz Club. The BJU bandleaders will showcase what they are currently working on and with, and celebrate the release of the 3rd annual BJU CD sampler. Read the program on the news page.

11/26/2008 WHAT BENNY LACKNER HAS BEEN UP TO

The BLT's latest album, 'Pilgrim', is being released by the german label, BHM-Music at the end of october 2008...they are doing a mass mailing of cds and press as well as setting up interviews for me with 'Jazzthing' and other established music publications. Finally, the record will be available in stores in Europe. Im in germany right now about to go on a tour with Will Bernard, Andrew Emer and Teun Verbruggen / Rainer Winch. We will be playing in Spain, Germany and Greece in support of our new Album 'Night for Day' released on the Brooklyn Jazz Underground label in June 2008. On october 29th i am performing at the A-trane, berlin with Jonathan Robinson's Fat Dragon. Then, I am doing a wonderful play with Actor / Musician Oliver Urbanski at the Radial System on November 7th, 8th, 9th. The play is called 'Das letzte Weh' and is a dark comedy about a funeral band that slowly goes insane. Angela Winkler recorded a song for the play as well. After that, I am doing an evening of Marlene Dietrich songs with Eva Matthes in Baden-Baden

10/16/2008 Jerome Sabbagh Quartet Videos

The Jerome Sabbagh quartet with Ben Monder, Joe Martin and Ted Poor has videos of live performances here and there.

10/16/2008 Jerome Sabbagh | New Trio CD

Jerome Sabbagh has recorded a new trio album with bassist Ben Street and drummer Rodney Green. "One Two Three" (Bee Jazz).

10/01/2008 Jerome Sabbagh Trio on tour in France

Jerome Sabbagh will play in France with bassist Ben Street and drummer Rodney Green on October 29, 30 and 31 for the European release of "One Two Three" on Bee Jazz.

09/19/2008 New Podcasts!

Check Out the latest 3 podcasts in our series. Dan Pratt, Tanya Kalmanovitch and Ted Poor tell us about their life, carrer, concepts and much more. Visit the Podcast Section of this website.

09/12/2008 DPOQ West Coast Tour and Recording!

The Dan Pratt Organ Quartet tours the west coast in preparation for recording session for the Los Angeles based Posi-Tone Records Fronted by sax and bone, and backed by Hammond organ and drums, this fresh take on a traditional instrumentation features all original compositions and some heavy blowing by four of New York's top up-and-coming jazz musicians, including Brooklyn Jazz Underground Members Dan Pratt and Alan Ferber The band is: Dan Pratt: tenor sax, Alan Ferber: trombone, Jared Gold: organ, Mark Ferber: drums

07/21/2008 Jerome Sabbagh in Japan with Laurent Coq

Jerome Sabbagh will play with the Laurent Coq Blowing Trio in Tokyo, Japan from August 24 to August 31.

06/24/2008 BJU Records

Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records; sister company to Brooklyn Jazz Underground, was launched with great success this spring '08. Three BJU artists, Benny Lackner, Alexis Cuadrado and Anne Mette Iversen, each released their new record on BJUR, which also manages the new Brooklyn Jazz Underground CD Sampler Vol. 2. Visit bjurecords.com to learn more.

04/28/2008 check out the interview with Anne Mette Iversen and Alexis Cuadrado from Jazz Improv Magazine

Read the full interview in our press section!

04/21/2008 Jerome Sabbagh Kennedy Center video

Jerome Sabbagh and his quartet with Ben Monder, Joe Martin and Ted Poor recently completed a tour in France and a 3 day stint in Washington and Baltimore. The concert they gave at the Kennedy Center on April 14 is documented on video HERE.

04/21/2008 Jerome Sabbagh gets CMA/FACE grant

Jerome Sabbagh was recently awarded a grant from CMA/FAJE for French-American jazz projects for a trio recording with bassist Ben Street and drummer Rodney Green. The project is to be recorded this summer for Bee Jazz in Europe and Sunnyside in the US. The band will tour upon the release in the Fall.

04/15/2008 2008 Press

Check out the press section for coverage of the 2nd Annual Brooklyn Jazz Underground Festival

02/27/2008 WHAT BENNY IS UP TO....

See news page for further details

01/08/2008 BJU Sampler Vol 2 Now Available

See news page for further details

12/12/2007 2nd BJU Festival

Read more on the News page

12/11/2007 Nobel Peace Prize Concert

Read more on the News page

11/01/2007 BJU Benefit for Public Schools

Read more on the News page