Friday, December 15th at 8:30 and 10:00 p.m. 45 Crown Street in New Haven, CT On Tuesday, December 15th, New Haven's Firehouse 12 will close its 2006 Fall Jazz Series with a two-set performance by Gerald Cleaver Violet Hour.
Led by in-demand New Jeremy Pelt, saxophonists Andrew Bishop and JD Allen, pianist Ben Waltzer and bassist Chris Lightcap. The band's New Haven performance will be followed by two nights at New Mr. Cleaver's drumming perfectly suits the fluid requirements of jazz's post-everything avant-garde, wrote the New York Times' Nate Chinen.
Time Out New York recently called him a drummer with a sophisticated style, adding, Gerald Cleaver has become a staple of the downtown scene. In his review of his 2001 debut as a leader, R. Adler wrote, Cleaver is on fire behind the drum kit, but he also proves himself an extraordinary composer on this wholly original outing.
Repeated listens are recommended, and pleasure is assured. Born and raised in Detroit, Cleaver considers himself a product of his hometown's rich musical tradition, especially the influence of his father, drummer John Cleaver. He worked in addition to earning a B.
A. in Music Education from the University of Michigan. A member of the New York jazz scene since 2002, Cleaver has worked with Ralph Alessi, Vitous and Reggie Workman among many others.
In addition to Violet Hour, he also leads Firehouse 12 is an award winning full-service bar, state-of-the-art recording studio and District. Painstakingly renovated over the course of four years by owner/producer/ engineer Nick Lloyd and Gray Organschi Architecture, this once-abandoned firehouse doors in April 2005. It has also quickly gained a reputation as one of the premier Creativity (TEC) Awards, the recording studio features world-class acoustic design by renowned acoustician John Storyk of Walters-Storyk Design Group.
The striking 1200- square foot space features a Steinway concert grand piano, and doubles as an 80-seat names in creative music. Past performers include Han Bennink, Tim Berne, Dave Douglas, Susie Ibarra, Joe McPhee, Joe Morris, William Parker and Mario Pavone among many others. In a June 2005 feature, New Haven Independent's Regina DeAngelo called Haven from far away.
She went on to write, fabric-covered walls are angled to urge music to flow, not bounce, through a womb-like space. It's almost like sitting in the hull of an instrument. Luckily, the Firehouse attracts people who bring near-religious reverence to the music, producing an exchange of energy that often fires great James Keepnews of the New Haven Advocate echoed DeAngelo's praise, calling the venue a remarkable new cultural outpost and a resounding success.
Yale of Connecticut.
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