On Friday, January 9th, Ropeadope Records will convene its fourth New Music
Seminar at the Bowery Ballroom in Manhattan. The semi-quarterly events,
which began in 2002, typically feature a broad array of the headstrong
Brooklyn label’s considerable talent playing by themselves and in
spontaneous configurations. Ropeadope promises five popp’n fresh
interlocking sets featuring new and spontaneous collaborations from a base
of musicians that make a habit of crossing jazz and hip-hop with highly
entertaining grooves.
The lineup for Friday includes ubiquitous Ropeadope mainstay DJ Logic,
eight-string guitarist Charlie Hunter (Right Now Move), Sacred Steel
masters The Campbell Brothers (None But The Righteous), good time
avant-jazzers Sex Mob (Dime Grind Palace), the tweaked-arse Tom
Green-look-alike saxophonist Skerik (Syncopated Taint Septet), Bobby
Previte (Come In Red Dog, This Is Tango Leader), and all-around
Ropeadope buddy John Medeski (who’s made guest shots on a good half-dozen
Ropeadope sides). The label also promises to unveil their newest signing, a
closely held secret, for a sweatily syncopated headlining set.
As with previous Seminars, numerous non-Ropeadope treats are expected as
well. Previous events have included appearances by Phish bassist Mike Gordon
(who later released Inside In on the label, though wasn’t yet a
Ropeadope artist), rock and roll gadabout Warren Haynes, Living Colour
founder Vernon Reid, saxophone heavyweight Joshua Redman, underground
hip-hoppers The Anti-Pop Consortium, and many others. Reporting by Jesse Jarnow