music
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Fictions, Emmanuel Michael
Matei Predescu is a Romanian-American pianist, keyboardist, composer, and improviser whose omnivorous musical pursuits range from their modern jazz and creative music project “Fictions/Ficțiuni” to experimental noise and electronic ambient projects.
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Matei’s original music explores themes of cultural memory, generational trauma, and Romanian American identity through the intersection of Black American music, Eastern European folk music traditions, and experimental music.
Catbus Collective
Catbus Collective is a seven piece jazz ensemble known for its unique fusion of Ghibli, anime, and City Pop soundtracks blending with jazz music. Founded by Jasper Dutz, the ensemble showcases the talent of NYC AAPI musicians who share a collective interest in Japanese pop, folk, anime and video game music. Since their debut in fall of 2023, they’ve performed at anime conventions including Kogaracon, Yukibana, Setsucon, esports gaming centers, venues such as Clement's Place and Wonderville, and held a weekly residency at the Red Pavilion in Bushwick for more than a year.
No DJs Allowed
NO DJs ALLOWED is a simulation of the underground DJ rave environment - instead with humans performing the music with electronic tools, live and in-person. This show series serves as a love-letter to DJs who have fostered the underground sound for many decades while providing a proper and safe space for live electronic musicians to perform.
The Amick Ambach Experiment
The Amick Ambach Experiment is the duo project of Felix Ambach and Noah Amick. Usually playing drums and bass together in other people’s projects, they use this duo as a chance to play improvised electronic music. Their sets are high energy and fully improvised, exploring sound design and groove.
Bring your instrument and join in the collective improvisation!
Andrew Pereira Quartet
Andrew Pereira is a saxophonist and composer currently residing in Brooklyn, NY. Andrew became steeped in the vibrant Philly music scene in his younger years, learning from the established musicians in town while developing his creative concept of the saxophone with the talent present on the scene. His skills at interpreting music of many eras led to big band engagements that featured artists such as Peter Erskine, while his versatile sound made him a valuable side-man on a wide range of recording projects. During this time, Andrew was also awarded 2nd place in the North American Saxophone Alliance 2016 jazz competition.
Since his move to NYC in 2018, Andrew has doubled down on honing his skills in composition, and received a Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies from The City College of New York. He continues to expend more of his time and energy into bandleading, taking on the ambitious task of performing all-original sets of music, and continues to expand his catalog of compositions ripe for recording. Andrew’s debut album, Lost In Plain Sight, was released in December of 2023 under the Fresh Sound New Talent label.
The Quarter lineup will feature:
Andrew Pereira - Alto Sax
Max Light - Guitar
Dan Pappalardo - Bass
Jonas Esser - Drums
Habibi Gun
Habibi Gün showcases the works of revered Arab composers such as Riyad al Sunbati and Mohammed Fawzi alongside Western influences like Ennio Morricone, Link Wray, and that late, great Lebanese- American, Dick Dale. The resulting listening experience is sprawling, evocative, and unique—stark and contemplative one moment, abandoned and trance-inducing the next.
Biophany
This Sunday’s open jam will be hosted by Biophany, a jazz ensemble led by Brooklyn-based drummer Jarred Chase. The evening will begin with a set of original music, and then two sets of an open jam where musicians are welcome to hop onstage and join in the collective improvisation.
Cole Stone-Frisina
We’ll have two sets of electrifying jazz from our friend Cole Stone-Frisina and his band as part of their monthly residency at Umbra. Cole is a genre-bending and virtuosic saxophone player based in Brooklyn, New York. He originally hails from Atlanta, Georgia.
Valentine's Day Dinner with Naama
Make your Valentine's Day easy, as we'll set the mood for you with sultry jazz from Naama over a gorgeous 5-course tasting menu!
While the items are not finalized, the five courses will consist of an amuse-bouche, an appetizer, salad, entree, and dessert. If you have any dietary restrictions, DM us on @umbrabrooklyn or email us at info@umbrabrooklyn.com and we will do our best to accommodate.
All early seating reservations will be approximately 90 minutes. If you'd like more time to hang out and enjoy drinks after your meal is over, be sure to reserve the later seating when there won't be a rush to wrap up.
The schedule for the evening will be:
Naama - Early Set (Seating begins at 6:15pm)
7:00 PM
Naama - Late Set (Seating begins at 8:15pm)
9:00 PM
Dan Weisselberg
Dan Weisselberg is a contemporary straight-ahead jazz bass player.
After over a decade of experimenting and learning the world of Jazz and western music, it is easy to hear many influences from both old school bass masters as Oscar Pettiford, Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, Bob Cranshaw, and Ron Carter, alongside bass players of our time – Pat O’leary, Ari Roland, Neal Miner, Tyler Mitchel, and Neal Caine to name a few.
Sunday Art Hang
Every 2nd Sunday of the month Natie hosts her Sunday Art Hang series, growing a space for creatives to practice being present through Creativity.
JP Schlegelmilch, Jonathan Goldberger, Jim Black
One of Rolling Stone's "20 Best Jazz Albums of 2018", JP Schlegelmilch (organ/keyboards), Jonathan Goldberger (guitar) and Jim Black (drums) present a 21st-century take on the organ trio in their debut album coming out on Skirl Records in September 2018.
“Visitors” charts a course between blurry shoegaze textures, frenetic avant-garde jazz, and drone-heavy psychedelic rock.
Cold Sugar
Cold Sugar makes their return to Umbra! They’re a New York City band featuring guitarist, singer songwriter Guy Fiumarelli, and drummer and engineer Brian Duke. The duo will be playing a set of music together, and then inviting an extensive list of artists and musicians to join them onstage.
D. Treut
D. Treut's music is defined by unconventionality – he has explored the jazz improvisational, rock, and pop realms with equal vigor, extracting from each to create something original and undefinable. D. Treut, known for his experimental / jazz stylings, isn't pulling out all the stops here; only the relevant ones.
The Waldo Experiment
The Waldo Experiment straddles the boundary between swinging jazz and contemporary, groove-oriented bangers. Drawing inspiration from artists like GoGo Penguin and Portico Quartet, they're crafting a sound that's intricate and technical without sacrificing their sense of fun. Catch them live and experience their distinctive sound!
Yuwy, Noomoon
Yuika Abe (known professionally as Yuwy) is an acclaimed Japanese-American songwriter, singer, producer and keyboardist based in NY. Abe has carefully cultivated her sound and style over the last ten years, performing at venues across the globe and working with some of the top professionals in the industry as her mentors and collaborators.
Her music plays with a blend of many genres such as pop, jazz, funk, experimental electronics and indie, drawing influences from artists ranging from Fiona Apple to James Blake.
Noomoon, also known as Neoma Sanchez, is a Venezuelan American singer, songwriter, and horror actress. Drawing inspiration from artists like Gillian Welch, Adrienne Lenker, and Bess Atwell, her music blends Appalachian folk and dream pop. Her debut EP, The Nereids, came out at the end of November, and has gained traction on various curatorial and algorithmic playlists. Her recent film, Livescreamers, just debuted on Amazon Prime.
MK Groove Orchestra
It is said that our adult lives are shaped by the decisions of a teenager - if that is the case, then 20 years later Michael Kammers' teenage psychedelic explorations digging into classic vinyl from the broad tree of American music via the Afro-Carribean diaspora while earnestly practicing his craft and dosing himself with utterly responsible amounts of lysergic acid diethylamide have borne great fruit in Brooklyn's one and only Space Funk Big Band (tm) the MK Groove Orchestra. It may not actually be Duke Ellington's lush horns playing interpretations of deep cut Hendrix tunes with the propulsive backing of James Brown's Rhythm section fronted by a Soul G*ddess with the pipes of a Valkyrie - but every year it gets closer. Join them on the journey January 31st at Umbra in Brooklyn.
Sumaton
Sumaton is making their return to Umbra! Sumaton is an improvised jazz fusion, drum & bass, electronic trio featuring Justin Salisbury, Ian Barnett, and Tony Solis.
Amick Ambach Experiment
The Amick Ambach Experiment is the duo project of Felix Ambach and Noah Amick. Usually playing drums and bass together in other people’s projects, they use this duo as a chance to play improvised electronic music. Their sets are high energy and fully improvised, exploring sound design and groove.
It’s jam night, so bring your instrument and hop onstage!
Michael Rocketship, Alejandro, Katy Pinke
Michael Rocketship (née Coleman) brings a varied and colorful musical life to his songs. From playing marathon cocktail piano gigs to screeching noise shows in dirty basements, he's heard a few things. His songs are often a series of vignettes strung together, wry observations on daily life tinged with sadness at the knowledge that it's all passing us by so quickly. The band varies from solo synthesizer to 10 piece chamber ensemble. For this special night at Umbra, he'll be joined by vocalist Katie Jacobson, bassist Kurt Kotheimer and drummer Hamir Atwal.
Alejandro is an indie rock project featuring members of Personal Space (“the kind of breezy indie rock that fans of Real Estate will probably wanna check out” – BrooklynVegan) and led by NYC musician Alex Silva. Alejandro blends jazz and emo influences and writes funny and heartfelt songs about being away from home. Their second EP is out this spring on Good Eye Records.
Manhattan-based singer-songwriter, painter, and theater-maker Katy Pinke released her stripped-down debut self-titled album in the spring of 2024, which PopMatters describes as “warm and engaging…somehow dreamlike but rooted in authentic, basic principles of songwriting and performance.” Her sophomore album is due out in February 2025. Pinke has shared the stage with acts like Laura Veirs, Jolie Holland, TV On the Radio’s Kyp Malone, Indigo Sparke, Delicate Steve, Jesse Harris, Trixie Whitley, Diane Cluck and others.
Nathan Farrell
Nathan Farrell is a 25 year old rising star from the New York City metropolitan area.
An eclectic performer, he draws from an array of influences over decades of r&b, jazz, and pop music. He pulls in audiences with his prodigious vocal agility, stellar showmanship, sultry tone, and sharp ear for improvisation, while embodying a commitment to musicianship that is felt across every stage. He has quickly become an artist and musician in high demand for collaborations and performances across New York City and the United States.
Jackie Braje, Chase Elodia, Glass Cloud Ensemble
Jackie Braje is a Brooklyn based poet, a friend of poets, educator, and arts administrator. She serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Poetry Society of New York, a 501(c)-3 non-profit that produces a number of initiatives to make poetry culturally relevant, fun, and inclusive. She also serves as the Managing Director of the New York City Poetry Festival, a free, annual event on Governors Island that attracts upwards of 14,000 poets & poetry lovers each year.
Chase is a composer, drummer, and writer living in Brooklyn. His new album, Have Know Want, was released on May 10, 2024 on Biophilia Records. His heroes include poets June Jordan and Victoria Chang, composers Joni Mitchell and Maurice Ravel, and drummers Billy Hart and Terri Lyne Carrington. In 2022, he released his debut album, Portrait Imperfect, which was named one of the Best New Albums of the Year by Downbeat Magazine.
The Glass Clouds Ensemble is a chamber music collective that performs imaginative concerts of classical & contemporary music on environmental themes. Founded in 2021 by Juilliard graduates Raina Arnett and Lauren Conroy (violinists) and Marisa Karchin (soprano), the ensemble has forged immersive partnerships with a wide community of composers, musicians, and local environmental organizations.
Trio 51
Trio 51 is an instrumental guitar trio consisting of longtime collaborators Ian Michael, Charlie Lincoln, and Willis Edmundson playing what they describe simply as “music we wanted to listen to in bars.” The song list ranges primarily from the 1950s-70s and features an eclectic mix of rock and roll, rhythm and blues, proto-punk, Brill Building pop, and more. Burt Bacharach, Bob Dylan, and JJ Cale cross paths with Television, Can, and Sun Ra. The trio interprets this material in their loose and kinetic style, digging into deep grooves and cracking open the history of modern guitar.
Charlie Lincoln is a bassist living in Brooklyn, NY who has performed with leading improvisors including Tony Malaby, Kris Davis, Dave King, and Terri Lyne Carrington. In addition to jazz, Charlie has also leant his talents to songwriters, rock bands, film scores, comedians, and off-Broadway theatre. Ian Michael is a guitarist/producer who has collaborated and toured nationally with a range of indie rock artists such as Jordana, Brutus VIII, and Toledo among many others. Willis Edmundson is Brooklyn, New York based drummer and has performed across the country with Deerlady, Godwin Louis, Dabin Ryu, Mali Obomsawin, Adam Benjamin, and the Jeb Bush Orchestra.
Carson Young Trio
Carson Young is a Brooklyn-based pianist and educator in the greater NYC area. In addition to his newly released record, "Feeling it Now," he holds a Master's degree from the City College of New York where he studied with Bruce Barth, Ray Gallon, Steve Wilson, and Mike Holober. He also has a Bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee where he studied with former Jazz Messenger Donald Brown. Carson is sure to impress listeners with his unique originals featuring a heavy blues emphasis and bebop presence.
Sunday Art Hang (Open Jam)
On the second Sunday of each month, host Natie brings her Sunday Art Hang to Umbra, a creative collaborative evening where musicians can bring their instruments and jam together through interactive and inspirational art prompts.
Rugburn
Rugburn’s music is a high-energy blend of funk, rock, and jazz, characterized by adventurous improvisations and tight grooves. Beginning in the New Brunswick, NJ basement scene, they have been playing together for the past five years from New York City all the way to New Orleans.
Sivan Arbel
Sivan Arbel is a worldwide performer and an effervescent talent on the international jazz scene. Her original music, arrangements and lyrics open a window into her rich inner world. She playfully layers her artistic expressions with her love for jazz and other diverse musical influences that are grounded in her Israeli roots and global travels.
Maggy & Jean
Jean and Maggy’s music reflects both of their deep connections to the earth, flowers, and sun and moon. Jean brings musical theatre vocals supported by her booming bass lines, while Maggy adds a touch of folk, blending into an indie sound.
Bringing the groove of the electric bass and Melodic heart pull of the violin together, they've beautifully married the two with tight harmonies and thought provoking moods. Come hear Maggy and Jean play their originals and their own take on songs by artists like the Punch Brothers, Lana del Ray, and The Backseat Lovers.
Mungo's List (Jam Night)
Tonight’s open jam will be hosted by Mungo’s List! They’ll kick off the night with 30 minutes of original music and then open the stage for musicians to join. Bring your instrument and jam!
Twin Brother (feat. Shatter Machine)
The brainchild of Brooklyn-based musician John Lisi, Twin Brother is a math rock/jazz unit with some electronic components thrown into the mix. With support from jazz fusion band Shatter Machine.
Cole Stone-Frisina
Cole Stone-Frisina is a genre-bending and virtuosic saxophonist based in Brooklyn, New York. He hails from Atlanta, Georgia.
Baklava Express
Baklava Express is a NYC-based Middle Eastern fusion project. The band performs original music, influenced by the traditions of the Arab world and Turkey, as well as jazz, flamenco, and Eastern European folk music.
NYE Cocktail Party
Put on your most Lynch-ian cocktail attire and come ring in the new year right at Umbra!
Your ticket is an all-in-one price, and includes an open bar all night, h'ors d'oeuvres, and a midnight champagne toast! There will be sultry, sexy music all night, with live jazz from Naama and her band in 2024, and Tocayo keeping the party going with a DJ set in 2025.
If you are a regular used to our beer & wine menu, be assured that we will have a full bar for this special occasion, so try out our signature cocktails for the night.
Blahsum
Blahsum is a psychedelic rap jam band based out of Brooklyn, NY. In the early days it was just frontman Garbo, writing lyrics and cutting together beats in his Chinatown home studio. He began to develop a following from a series of releases called the Moon Tapes — new collections of songs that debuted every full moon. Over the years the live band has taken on a life of its own, stretching the songs further and further out with freewheeling arrangements and a no-two-shows-are-the-same ethos of exploration and improvisation. The group has expanded to include Garbo’s brother Zach M on the drums, Zach Schepis on lead guitar & harmonica, Nate McManus on rhythm guitar & trumpet, Alex Torke on the bass, and Dan Erbland on the saxophone. Blahsum continues to showcase their unique blend of rock, jam, punk, and rap at venues along the east coast.
Telem Uncommon Sounds
Telem Uncommon Sounds artists are pioneering a new wave of fresh sounds in Sierra Leone. With a revolutionary and unconventional style, Telem artists are blending existing genres like Bubu, Gumbe, and Milo jazz with experimental new techniques. Influences include Jazz, Blues, Neo-Soul, Bossa-Nova, Afro-Jazz, and Funk – and the music is blended with odd sounds, frequency manipulations, polyphony, recordings and just about whatever else we can imagine. Unbounded by the rules, Telem artists are a collective of creatives expressing a side of Sierra Leone that the world has not seen before.
Dan Erbland & Cheap Divorce
Dan Erbland is a Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist and composer whose solo work explores improvisation within the context of electronic music. His debut EP "introvert", released December 5th, is a saxophone-driven collage of styles and textures that blurs the lines between jazz, songwriting, and electronic music. This show will be his EP release party.