Ryan Blotnick (guitar, compositions), Pete Robbins (alto saxophone), Ned Ferm (tenor saxophone),
Sam Barsh (keyboards), Mike Pride (drums)
www.ryanblotnick.com

Ryan Blotnick: Guitar

Guitarist Ryan Blotnick has been called "a vital contemporary voice" by Time Out New York, "an authentic, compelling player" by Cadence Magazine, and has garnered praise from guitarists John Abercrombie, Steve Cardenas and Ben Monder. Deeply rooted in the jazz tradition, but always listening for new sounds and trends in improvised music, Blotnick has drawn together the American and European jazz scenes. His debut album "Music Needs You" was recorded in Spain, and his upcoming release "Everything Forgets" will feature drum master Jeff Williams (of Stan Getz, Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano, etc.), Joachim Badenhorst (of the Han Benink Trio), and the Irish bassist Simon Jermyn.
Born in Alfred, Maine, in 1983, Ryan started playing guitar at age eight. He attended Maine Jazz Camp in middle school and left high school when he was sixteen to study music at William Paterson University. There he played with classmates Ned Ferm, Sam Barsh, Mark Guiliana and Tyshawn Sorey, and studied with Paul Meyers and Gene Bertoncini.
Ryan Blotnick first appeared in New York in 2004 as what he calls a "reverse exchange student" from the Rytmisk Musikkonservatorium in Copenhagen. His association with the school in Denmark between 2002 and 2006 allowed him to form relationships with some very unique European musicians and study in New York with Steve Cardenas, Lionel Loueke, Ben Street, Lee Konitz and others. Since graduating Blotnick has performed in New York, Ireland, England, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and extensively in Northern Spain. As a sideman, Ryan has worked with Pete Robbins & Centric, Michael Blake's Free Association, Tyshawn Sorey's Oblique, The Allison/Blake Morphestra, and the Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble. Blotnick has also played in various configurations with Steven Bernstein, Kresten Osgood, Gerald Cleaver, Dan Weiss, and others.

Pete Robbins: Alto Saxophone www.peterobbins.com www.myspace.com/peterobbins

”Pete Robbins is an innovator in addition to being an immensely talented musician...[He] is transforming the concept of jazz into a new medium...Pete Robbins is a bright new star.”
-Grady Harp, Amazon.com

Pete Robbins was born in New York in 1978 and was raised in Andover, Massachusetts. He moved to New York in 2002 after attending Tufts University and New England Conservatory, and immediately became a welcome presence on the creative music scene.
As a bandleader, Robbins composes for his groups “Centric,” “sILENT Z,” and the “Robbins/Pavone/Sorey Trio” and performs regularly at New York venues such as the 55 Bar, Cornelia Street Café, Barbes, the Tea Lounge, Bar 4, and others. His bands tour the U.S. and Europe regularly, including yearly appearances at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival. Pete has released three albums in his own name: “Do The Hate Laugh Shimmy,” “Waits and Measures,” and “Centric.”
In September 2004, The Village Voice recognized Robbins’ musical, promotional, and political efforts by naming him their featured Jazz Pick for the fall season. Robbins has also received multiple jazz composition grants from Chamber Music America, and has been featured in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Washington Post, the Village Voice, The Boston Phoenix, Jazztimes and Jazzwise magazines, and National Public Radio. 

Ned Ferm: Tenor Saxophone
www.myspace.com/nedferm
www.myspace.com/nedfermband 

Ned Ferm was born and raised on Mount Desert Island, where he started playing saxophone at age 9. He skipped his senior year of high school to attend William Paterson University in New Jersey as a Jazz Studies major, where he met band mates Sam Barsh and Mark Guiliana. After two years in the NYC area he left for Copenhagen, Denmark as the first American accepted into the prestigious Rhythmic Music Conservatory there (where he would stay for five years). 
A former student of Yusef Lateef, he won a Danish Grammy as the 2003  “Jazz Discovery of the Year” with the band Anderskov Accident. 
Ferm now performs all over the US, Canada, and Europe regularly as both a bandleader and sideman, and has been fortunate enough to have shared the stage with names like Roswell Rudd, Airto Moreira, Cuong Vu, Chris Speed, Kenny Wollesen, Jesper Zeuthen, and Jakob Bro. His versatility and unique sound enable him to shine in many musical settings, while always remaining true to himself and being easily identified by listeners.  
Ned leads several bands, including The Ned Ferm Failure, and is a sideman with dozens of groups throughout the year. He is featured on more than 20 recordings worldwide and is currently working on his first album in his own name. Most recently, the Anderskov Accident album "NEWSPEAK" was named to the Best-Of-2008 lists in both Down Beat Magazine and the Polish music magazine Hi-Fi-Muzyka. 

Sam Barsh (keyboards)
www.barshmusic.com
www.myspace.com/sambarsh

"Pianist with the gift of groove" -Nate Chinen, New York Times

Sam Barsh is a performer, through and through. Whether in dark and quiet trance-like ballads or explosive jams, Barsh's intensity and deep connection to music always come through. He grew up in the Chicago area, and has been playing music since the age of 4, starting on piano, and expanding to organ, synthesizers, vintage keyboards, and melodica. Barsh moved to the east coast in 1999 to attend William Paterson University's renowned jazz studies program on a full-tuition Presidential Scholarship.
Barsh has been based in New York City since 2001, but has traveled all over the world sharing his music and the music of others. His own group, the Sam Barsh Band, performs his funky blend of jazz, r&b and slick ambient grooves. Their debut record, “I Forgot What You Taught Me,” was released in early 2008.
From 2003 through 2006, Barsh was a member of the renowned Avishai Cohen Trio. With Cohen, Barsh recorded 3 albums and a live DVD, performed at many of the world's biggest jazz festivals and received much international acclaim.
Barsh has had the good fortune to perform with a diverse group of incredible artists throughout his career, including Cassandra Wilson, Jeff Parker, Boyz II Men, Bobby McFerrin, The Brand New Heavies, Robin Eubanks, Debbie Friedman, Branford Marsalis, Lonnie Plaxico, Christophe Schweizer, Dave Samuels (of Spyro Gyra), Ku'umba Frank Lacy, Kenny Wollessen, Curtis Watts, Nguyen Le, Ben Monder, Hans Glawischnig, Todd Carey and many others.

Mike Pride: Drums
www.mikepride.com
www.myspace.com/snugglestencil

"Drummer Mike Pride stokes the furnace with fire, while never stinting on finesse."
-Time Out NY

Percussionist/composer Mike Pride was born and raised in the Portland, Maine area. He has been playing & composing music since he was a child. While living in Maine, Mike studied with Les Harris, Jr., Bill Street and Matt Wilson, performed with legendary composer & jazz educator David Baker, & produced experimental, shock-rockers Ned Muffleburger & the DSL's. In 2000, Mike moved to New York City where he studied briefly with drum & bass master, Amir Ziv. Mike then began studying with the legendary percussionist/healer/teacher, Professor, Milford Graves. Since his move to NYC, Mike has performed and recorded throughout the U.S. and North America, Europe, Asia, & Australia with many wonderful musicians including: Anthony Braxton, Eugene Chadbourne, Nels Cline, Andrew d'Angelo, Milford Graves, Mark Helias, Fred Hess, Vijay Iyer, George Lewis, Frank Lowe, Mat Maneri, Tony Malaby, William Parker, Perry Robinson, Sonny Simmons, Chris Speed, Steve Swell & John Zorn. Pride has been featured on over 40 recordings, and has composed music for the MTV Production "Room Raiders," video games, radio jingles and independant film scores. He currently runs Funhole Live Recording in Brooklyn, NY, and is an active painter/visual artist/designer.

In case of rain, all outdoor events will be held at Carmen Verandah, right next to the Village Green.