BAND
HAZMAT MODINE plays the kind of Blues one might have found in a barrelhouse in New Orleans had the city been inhabited by gypsies who performed with Otis Redding and the city had been built on the Black Sea. The band is driven by harmonicas, tuba, drums, guitars, Banjo and a full horn section. Guests play such exotic instruments as the Romanian cimbalom, the banjitar, and the Claviola. Front man Wade Schuman has the appropriately throaty voice of someone who has both hopped freight trains and collaborated with the Throat Singers of Tuva. For the past fifteen years, the band has been touring in over 40 countries worldwide. They have collaborated/performed with a vast range of artists including Bombino, Kronos Quartet, Cat Empire, the Gangbe Brass band from Benin, Son of Dave, Balla Kouyate and Natalie Merchant. The title track from their first CD BAHAMUT was used in the 3D film Pina by Wim Wenders, and currently in a performance by Pina Bausch and the Stuttgart Ballet. Their second CD Cicada was awarded the Charles Cross award in France for best blues album of the Year, and topped number one on the World Music Charts in Europe. More recent CDs include Hazmat Modine - Live, Extra-Deluxe-Supreme,
and Box of Breath out now on Geckophonic records. Wade
Schuman Playing the harmonica since the age of ten, Wade is an accomplished
master in the early Blues and musical styles of the 1920's and 30's.
He grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan which has long had a vital and interesting
musical scene, and currently resides and works in New York City. He draws
musical inspiration from among others: Desmond Dekker, Jaybird Coleman,
Sidney Bechet, Taraf De Haidouks and Slim Gaillard. Recording credits
include Joan Osborn's "Relish" which was nominated for
four Grammies. Joseph
Daley Joseph is a native of New York and perhaps this country's
most consistent and creative "Lower Brass Specialist". Among
others he has played with Sam Rivers, Carla Bley, Taj Mahal, Charlie Haden,
Gil Evans, Lionel Hampton, Howard Johnson, Dave Douglas, and Muhal Richard
Abrams. He appears on well over a dozen recordings. Pamela
Fleming NYC trumpet player and composer Pam Fleming is the leader
of original world jazz group Fearless Dreamer. Pam is best known for her
work with Lilith Fair artists Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan, Indigo
Girls; Reggae stars Burning Spear, Dennis Brown and Maxi Priest; and Klezmer
groups Metropolitan Klezmer and Isle of Klezbos. Steve
Elson As a teenager, saxophonist Steve Elson toured with the legendary
Johnny Otis Rhythm and Blues Revue, featuring Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson,
Shuggie Otis and the Three Tons of Joy.He has gone on to play in a wide
variety of settings including world tours with David Bowie, film soundtracks
for Philip Glass, several hundred pop, jazz, klezmer, R&B and new
music recordings. Elson has been a recipient of numerous composition grants
and fellowships from the NEA, NYFA and Mary Cary Flagler. among others.
He leads his group Steve Elson's Lips and Fingers Ensemble. Reut
Regev Reut Regev was born and raised in Israel. Since arriving
at NYC in 1998 Reut has taken part in various musical projects, playing
Jazz, Latin music, Improvised and Contemporary Classical, Klezmer, Blues,
Rock, and more. She has worked with Anthony Braxton, Butch Morris,
Frank London Klezmer All-stars, Firewater and Grupo Irek among many others.
Her debut recording as a leader, This is R Time, is scheduled to be released
Jan 2009 on Ropeadope Records. Erik Della Penna
Erik is a songwriter and guitarist living in New York City. He studied
western classical music at The Mannes College of Music. After graduation
he spent years performing around the Northeast in ensembles informed by
American roots music traditions. Erik then went on to write, record and
tour extensively with artists such as Joan Baez, Natalie Merchant, Joan
Osborne and David Yazbek.
Erik has written music for A&E television, The New York Historical
Society, as well as dozens of documentary films. His guitar and drum duo,
Kill Henry Sugar, is currently in the process of recording their seventh
collection of original songs.
In addition, Erik is working on two musicals now in development, one in
Chicago and one in New York City.
Daisy Castro
Daisy Castro’s unique style refreshes and renews with a modern edge
and global influence and instrumentation, bridging the distance between
Django’s generation and her own in a very exciting way. Patrick Simard
("Hazmat" is a portmanteau of "hazardous material" and "Modine" is the name of a company that manufactures commercial heaters but may be used to refer to the heater itself.)
Diatonic Harmonica, Lute Guitar, Guitar, Lead Vocals
Tuba
Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet,
Duduk, Flute
Trombone, Flugabone, Slide Trumpet
Guitar,
Banjitar, Vocals
Violin, Vocals
Daisy has been an active member of the “Gypsy Jazz” community both
in the United States and in Europe since she was quite young. She has
played on stages on both continents and beyond with all of the most
revered players of this style, earning the respect of these luminaries
and their discerning audiences. With a repertoire encompassing
everything from the Django songbook to Salsa to traditional Turkish
music to original compositions, along with an occasional addition of
effects pedals, a whole new world of musical exploration awaits all who
attend a performance.
Drums,
Percussion
Patrick’s love for drumming and musical exploration brought him from
his French-Canadian roots, to study Jazz Composition and Drumset
Performance on a full scholarship at Berklee College of Music at the age
of 17. Patrick then spent the following 10 years playing, touring, and
recording with various artists such as: Bootsy Collins, AR Rahman,
Alejandro Sanz, Danilo Perez, Peia, and Lamine Touré from Senegal, with
whom he traveled to study the traditional Senegalese sabar drumming. In
addition to recording and producing his original music, Patrick now also
supports various projects as a drummer/percussionist/
