CDs Page

Jenny Scheinman
12 Songs (Cryptogramophone, 2005)

This was an exercise in first-thought-best-thought composing. I wrote it all very quickly, tried not to question my instincts or my ear, fussed over it as little as possible, kept adding musicians without any clear plan for arranging, tried to imagine that I wasnít actually composing but just transcribing songs from collective-subconscious melody bank. Thereís some whim in there, and some carny, some seascape, a very very short trip in a small satellite, and a few melodies that come as close as Iíll ever come to pop. featuring Bill Frisell (guitar), Doug Weiselman (clarinet), Ron Miles (cornet), Rachelle Garniez (accordion, claviola, piano), Tim Luntzel (bass) and Dan Rieser (drums). read reviews...

Jenny Scheinman
Shalagaster (Tzadik, 2004)

This music was written to feature my longtime inspiration, pianist Myra Melford, and was recorded for the Oracles Series of Tzadik, a catalogue celebrating women players and composers. Much of its inspiration comes from outside of the human realm; landscapes and light, a particular bird that I studied while on a retreat up in Alaska, looking out from a darker or covered place into a clearing, an indistinct melody in the wind. Featuring Myra Melford (piano), Russ Johnson (trumpet), Trevor Dunn (bass), and Kenny Wollesen (drums). read reviews...

Jenny Scheinman
The Rabbi's Lover (Tzadik, 2001)

This music was commissioned by John Zorn for his Radical New Jewish Culture Series and was supposed to express something Jewish either about me, or music, or something. I investigated the Jewish true and untrue stories of my family with hopes that it would influence my stubborn imagination: my grandmother who ran away from a rural childhood in Palestine when she was knocked up by a young violinist on the boat back from England; my grandfather, not Jewish at all but nonetheless the chief prosecutor at the Nurenburg trials; the pagan-Jewish blend of rituals adopted and adapted by my small town tribe. Iím not sure how much this helped. The catalyst was ultimately a crush — at a lesbo wedding in Vermont I became totally captivated by a young girl-boy that accompanied the Rabbi — I donít know exactly how this translated into music, but immediately after leaving the wedding I was able to write. If love be the food of music, love on! The recording features Russ Johnson (trumpet); Adam Levy (guitar); Greg Cohen and Trevor Dunn (bass, alternately); and Kenny Wolleson (drums). read reviews...

Jenny Scheinman Quartet
Live at Yoshi's (Avant, 2000)

This is my first solo recording as composer and bandleader. It was recorded in September of 1999 at Yoshi's Nitespot in Oakland, California, and features seven of my original compositions (Junius Elektra, Sensitive Newage Caveman, 25 at 2525, Weighing Water, Stumble Light, Parenthesis, and Through the Dark.) With me is Dave Mac Nab on guitar, Todd Sickafoose on bass, and Scott Amendola on a small drumset which we call the "babydrumkit" (16" bass drum and set to match plus lots of famfoozels, barboingers, and some scrap metal ducting that he had lying around his house.) Jeff Cressman mixed and recorded the show, and then a month later mixed the album. I originally intended to put this out myself on Evander Music but before I had time to get it all together John Zorn called and suggested that I release it on Avant. read reviews...

Jenny Scheinman Quartet
The Django Project (Self-produced, 1998)

Not so long ago very few people in the general public knew the name Django Reinhardt. Now, since Woody Allen's Sweet and Lowdown, some of his rightful honor has been restored. As a composer he was influenced by is own gypsy heritage, by contemporary American swing of the 30s, and by his French classical contemporaries, Debussy and Ravel. This album features those compositions most clearly influenced by the latter and includes Fluer d' Ennui, Tears, Manoir de Mes Reves, Nuages, Porto Cabello, Troubland Bolero, Melodie au Crepescule. After years playing the Django repertoire very traditionally with the Hot Club of San Francisco I became interested in bringing these into the more interactive, open, modern jazz context of my quartet. The other players on the album are Adam Levy on guitar, Jon Evans on bass, and Scott Amendola on drums. I never got around to doing graphics or mastering the album so beware - it isn't good looking and isn't very fancy sounding but it has some killing playing.

Giant Trio
Giant Trio (Self-produced, 1996)

Giant Trio was a quintet. Like the Django Project it was recorded in the basement of the San Francisco house where three of us were then living. Unlike the Django Project it was mastered and finished as a shrink-wrapped product. It features compositions by most of the members of the group. With Scott Foster-guitar, Jim Peterson-alto saxophone, Jon Evans-bass, and Dan Foltz-drums.

Norah Jones
Come Away With Me (Blue Note, 2002)

When I got the framed gold record of Come Away With Me I sent it to my dad and told him to wrap it up and put it under the tree in for his white elephant party. Two days later when I read that she was already working on a double platinum it sank in. What an incredible thing to witness - the phenomenal success of a real singer, a singer who doesn't have to have her own perfume line and TV show and six ex-movie star husbands, who isn't represented by a huge record label (well, now they're getting interested for sure, but Blue Note? We're talking jazz!), who doesn't sell sex, who features excellent musicians... my only complaint is that she stole my band! More about Norah at www.norahjones.com; also check out songwriter Jesse Harris at www.jesseharrismusic.com.

Bill Frisell
Unspeakable (Nonesuch, 2004)

This record was awarded a Grammy in 2004 for Best Contemporary Jazz Album and is a magnificent and ambitious collaboration between Bill Frisell and Hal Wilner. The process was totally unpremeditated and I canít remember how many times Bill told me, during the year it took to make, that he had no idea what he was doing or what this thing was going to sound like. Bill Frisell (guitar), Hal Wilner (turntables), Jenny Scheinman (violin), Eyvind Kang (viola), Hank Roberts (cello), Tony Scherr (bass), Kenny Wollesen (drums), Steven Bernstein (trumpet), Briggan Krauss (saxes), Curtis Fowlkes (trombone), Don Alias (percussion)

Bill Frisell
The Intercontinentals (Nonesuch, 2003)

This group has brought so much new music into my life: Christos Govetas's vast repertoire of traditional Greek/Macedonian/Balkan melodies; Vinicius Cantuaria's inspired Brazilian pop tunes, Sidiki Camara's songs from Mali; Greg Leisz, who brings with him a lifetime of experience with all the greats of the pop and country music; and of course Bill's leadership and masterful guitar playing and improvisations. Nominated for a Grammy!

Bill Frisell
RICHTER 858 (Songlines, 2005)

This CD was originally included as part of a limited-edition oversized hardcover book containing 61 reproductions of Gerhard Richter's painting suite Abstract Picture (858-1 through 858-8) with poems by thirteen American poets, and essays by Dave Hickey and Klaus Kertess.

Scott Amendola Band
Band (Artofmyheart, 2000)

This was recorded the same week that I recorded my Live at Yoshi's release. In the same breath, with the same breadth, and with the same band plus Eric Crystal on saxophone. It features mostly Scott Amendola's compositions. With Eric Crystal-saxophones, Dave Mac Nab-guitar, Todd Sickafoose-bass, and Scott Amendola-drums. More about Scott at www.scottamendola.com.

Scott Amendola Band
Cry (Cryptogramophone, 2002)

This is Scott's second CD featuring Eric Crystal-saxes, Nels Cline-guitar, Todd Sickafoose-bass, Scott Amendola-drums, me-violin. More about Scott at www.scottamendola.com.

Scott Amendola Band
Believe (Cryptogramophone, 2005)

This is Scott's third CD featuring Nels Cline and Jeff Parker-guitars, John Shifflett-bass, Scott Amendola-drums, me-violin. More about Scott at www.scottamendola.com.

Charming Hostess
Eat (Vaccination, 1999)

Charming Hostess is a great rock band that I played with for most of the years I lived in the SF Bay Area. The recording features three women vocalists (Julia Eisenberg, Carla Kihlstedt and Nina Rolle), me playing a homemade blue electric violin with effects, and the rhythm section that was then the core of Idiot Flesh (Nils Frikdahl, Danny Rathbun and Wes Anderson.)

Shweta Jhaveri
Anahita (Intuition, 1998)

I can say for sure right now that Shweta is the greatest singer I will ever play with and possibly the best singer I will ever hear. Produced by Lee Townsend for Intuition Records. More about Shweta at www.songtone.com/artists/jhaveri_link.htm

Gabriela
Viento Rojo (Intuition, 1999)

It was on this recording session that I met Bill Frisell. I barely remember playing. What I remember is that all of us except the unshakeable Viktor Krauss had contracted a deadly bug and were extremely sick. I was sicker than I've ever been as an adult with a fever peaking at 104 and hanging around 103 for way too long. We weren't exactly unhappy though, that was the strange thing. We all entered this altered consciousness, this state of total submission to the body. I remember laying on the floor of the isolation booth in a puddle of sweat, waiting for my cue, and looking over and seeing Bill with his head on his guitar and his eyes closed doing just the same. Produced by Lee Townsend for Intuition Records. More about Gabriela at www.songtone.com/artists/Gabriela/gabriela_vr.html.

Vinicius Cantuaria
Vinicius (Transparent Music, 2001)

Vinicius is a brilliant guitarplayer/singer/composer/multi-instrumentalist from Brazil who wrote some of the Caetano Veloso hits from the '70s and who now lives in Brooklyn. His other albums are also very good. Produced by Lee Townsend for TransparentMusic. More about Vinicius at www.vinicius.com.

Vinicius Cantuaria
Live: Skirball Cultural Center 8/7/03 (Kufala, 2003)

This is a new favorite of mine. I had just come off the road with Vinicius from a tour with The Intercontinentals where I'd spent hours in planes, buses, trains and roadsides with the incredible Vinicius. So we were personally bonded, but still had only played one concert of his music together. So, in a way, it was all new to me, and yet all so familiar. The setting was the outside courtyard of The Skirball Center on a stage surrounded by water. desert air, twilight, a huge audience, and the best rhythm section one could dream of.

Rova::Orkestrova
Electric Ascension (Atavistic Worldwide, 2005)

I hurt my hand last spring and had to take three weeks off. My first gig after the break was with Rova on Easter playing the music of John Coltraneís Ascension, a very moving performance which proved that this ensemble has the power to heal, to rejuvinate, not to mention to ascend. This recording is not from our Easter recording, but from our debut a year earlier.

Paul Sprawl
Blue Suitcase (Intuition, 1998)

Produced by Lee Townsend for Intuition Records. More about Paul at www.paulsprawl.com.

Pharoah's Daughter
Exile (Knitting Factory Works, 2002)

Basya! Oh Basya! What a character and an inspiration. Former Orthodox Jew turned radical hitchhiker/hippie/hebrew teacher/good friend. This is her stuff in English and was produced by Frederick Rubens. It's dark and beautiful and is filled with incredible melodies. More at www.pharaohsdaughter.com.

Tony Scherr
Come Around (Smells Like Records, 2000)

Tony has been one of my main inspirations here in New York. He lives up the street from me, and he's turned me on to so much good music: Leslie Feist, Ron Sexsmith, those Bob Dylan IRS tapes. On this album he sings and accompanies himself on the guitar. With Kenny Wollesen and Bill Frisell and a whole string section, among others.

Leni Stern
Finally The Rain Has Come (LSR, 2002)

I've played with Leni a lot over the last few years. She's a muse in New York for so many people, filled with energy, inspiration, positivity. She's off in India on a little trip with John McLaughlin and Senti (Henry Threadgill's wife) - what a life! The record is great. Great songwriting, great lyrics, and an extravagant production. More about Leni at www.lenistern.com.

John Schott
Shuffle Play: Elegies for the Recording Angel (New World, 1999)

This album features many of the improvising musicians of the SF Bay Area in various combinations. It has many repeated inter-reflecting motifs (one of which is a melody that I recorded on solo violin that keeps returning in different forms), and is meant to be listened to on shuffle play. John Schott was a main inspiration and collaborator when I lived on the West Coast. More about John at www.johnschott.com.

Pablo Ablanedo Octet
From Down There (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2000)

This is a lush big band in the Argentinian tradition of one of my all time favorite bands, Los Gauchos, led by the brilliant Argentinian, Guillermo Klein.

Pablo Ablanedo Octet
AlegrÌa (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2002)

John Zorn
Voices in the Wilderness (Tzadik, 2003)

Marta Topferova
La Marea (World Village, 2005)

Marta Topferova
Sueño Verde (Circular Moves, 2000)

Lovely.

The Hot Club of San Francisco
Swing This (self-produced, 1997)

The Hot Club of San Francisco is led by guitarist and Django Reinhardt aficionado Paul Mehling, and presents the repertoire of The Quintette of the Hot Club of France. This recording features many of the people that have been involved with the HCSF over the years. My favorite track is an arrangement for voice (Steven Strauss) and string section (me, Julian Smedley, and Jeremy Cohen) of The Very Thought of You. More about Paul and the Hot Club at www.hcsf.com.

The Hot Club of San Francisco
Live MCMVC (Hot Club Records, 1996)

This was recorded live at the Filoli Jazz Festival, the way all good gypsy swing records should be made. More about Paul and the Hot Club at www.hcsf.com.

Carla Bozulich
Red Headed Stranger (DiChristina Stair Builders, 2003)

This is a brilliant re-interpretation of Willie Nelson's concept album featuring the man himself.

A. J. Roach
Dogwood Winter (New FolkStar, 2003)

Matt Aiken
Detour (Ellory Werks, 2003)

Paul Brill
New Pagan Love Song (Scarlet Shame, 2004)

Beth Custer
The Maverick Strain and Other Stories (self-released, 2000)

Dan Levinson's Roof Garden Jass Band
Echoes In The Wax (Stomp Off, 2003)

This is considered by a contentious few to be transcribed from the first jazz recordings ever made. And who woulda known that there would be a fiddle player in the band?

Dan Levinson & his Canary Cottage Dance Orchestra
Crinoline Days (Stomp Off, 2005)

Doug Wieselman
Dimly Lit (Tzadik, 2003)

Scott Rosenberg
I E (For Large Ensemble) (Barely Auditable Records, 1997)

Crushing Spiral Ensemble
Pictures Of An Inhibition (self-released, 1999)