Previous Gigs

John McNeil's Urban Legend at The Cornelia Street Café
- 2/18/2012

In our society, fads come and go with alarming rapidity.
Today's medallions of veal are tomorrow's Chow Fun, if you know what I mean.

As an individual, all one can hope to do is to row one's boat eastward and pray that 
the fickle winds of fiduciary malfeasance do not bring one's dreams to naught.

To that end, Urban Legend will be performing a clutch of new tunes guaranteed to restore regularity and confidence in the shredded social fabric of our civilization. 

As always, expectations are high.

John McNeil, trumpet
Bill McHenry, tenor saxophone
Steve Cardenas, guitar
Matt Penman, bass
Diego Voglino, drums

The Cornelia Street Café
29 Cornelia Street, NYC (212) 989-9319
http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com/performances.asp

sets at 9:00 & 10:30 PM
$15 cover/$10 minimum

the john mcneil quartet at the cornelia street café
the cornelia street café - 11/25/2011

the gravy maps an archipelago
on white linen

familiar voices
cheer the creaking scaffold
of prosthetic limbs

who will carve she asks
i look away
and smile behind my rubber mask

who will carve she asks
and all are silent
thinking of the giant musk ox
with sage stuffing

and one voice answers
i i will carve
and now we dance to bartok
and stravinsky

the john mcneil quartet featuring ethan iverson on friday and saturday november 25th and 26th at the cornelia street café 2 sets starting at 9:00

 

an alternative to feeling blank alienated and undefined this holiday season

 

john mcneil -- trumpet
ethan iverson -- piano
jorge roeder -- bass
adam nussbaum -- drums

http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com/performances.asp 

Wednesday Jam Sessions with John McNeil and Mike Fahie
The Tea Lounge - 9/21/2011

Wednesday Night Jam Sessions at the Tea Lounge

Every Wednesday from now through eternity John McNeil will be appearing with trombonist Mike Fahie from 9:00 to 12:30 at:

The Tea Lounge
837 Union St.
Park Slope , Brooklyn
(718) 789-2762 

John McNeil Quartet featuring Ethan Iverson
Cornelia Street Cafe - 9/16/2011
On Friday, Sept. 16th,  
the John McNeil Quartet
[featuring Ethan Iverson]
will be performing at the 
Cornelia Street Café 

Those who follow such things will recognize that this particular 
combination of individuals is new.
 
 All four of these artists approach their
ensemble interactions as intensely as their soloing.
All four love to swing, and each is prone to wildly unpredictable flights of creativity.
John and Ethan have always loved to deconstruct and redefine tunes and
Ben Street and Adam Nussbaum enhance every setting with thrilling variety.
Suffice it to say that this will be a memorable and exciting evening. 
(Also, this month marks the 35th anniversary of the first time 
John McNeil and Adam Nussbaum played together.)

John McNeil -- trumpet 
Ethan Iverson -- piano
Ben Street -- bass  
Adam Nussbaum -- drums

Cornelia Street Café 
 29 Cornelia Street, NYC

(212) 989-9319
2 sets starting at 9:00 

Wednesday Jam Sessions with John McNeil and Mike Fahie
The Tea Lounge - 9/14/2011

Wednesday Night Jam Sessions at the Tea Lounge

Every Wednesday from now through eternity John McNeil will be appearing with trombonist Mike Fahie from 9:00 to 12:30 at:

The Tea Lounge
837 Union St.
Park Slope , Brooklyn
(718) 789-2762 

Wednesday Jam Sessions with John McNeil and Mike Fahie
The Tea Lounge - 9/7/2011

Wednesday Night Jam Sessions at the Tea Lounge

Every Wednesday from now through eternity John McNeil will be appearing with trombonist Mike Fahie from 9:00 to 12:30 at:

The Tea Lounge
837 Union St.
Park Slope , Brooklyn
(718) 789-2762 

Wednesday Jam Sessions with John McNeil and Mike Fahie
The Tea Lounge - 8/31/2011

Wednesday Night Jam Sessions at the Tea Lounge

Every Wednesday from now through eternity John McNeil will be appearing with trombonist Mike Fahie from 9:00 to 12:30 at:

The Tea Lounge
837 Union St.
Park Slope , Brooklyn
(718) 789-2762 

Wednesday Jam Sessions with John McNeil and Mike Fahie
The Tea Lounge - 8/24/2011

Wednesday Night Jam Sessions at the Tea Lounge

Every Wednesday from now through eternity John McNeil will be appearing with trombonist Mike Fahie from 9:00 to 12:30 at:

The Tea Lounge
837 Union St.
Park Slope , Brooklyn
(718) 789-2762 

Wednesday Jam Sessions with John McNeil and Mike Fahie
The Tea Lounge - 8/17/2011

Wednesday Night Jam Sessions at the Tea Lounge

Every Wednesday from now through eternity John McNeil will be appearing with trombonist Mike Fahie from 9:00 to 12:30 at:

The Tea Lounge
837 Union St.
Park Slope , Brooklyn
(718) 789-2762 

Tuesday Jazz - The Fifth Estate
The Fifth Estate - 8/16/2011

The band is:

John McNeil -- trumpet
Kenny Pexton -- ten. sax
Jorge Roeder -- bass
Diego Voglino -- drums

It's actually Diego's gig, but I'm going to act like it's mine. You know, upstaging the other players when I'm not playing by walking back and forth on stage and nodding approval of their efforts, or saying things like "Take your time now!" while others are soloing, or growling "All ri-i-ight!" during a quiet moment of a bass solo.

Start time is 10:00 -- we play the first and last set. 

The Fifth Estate
506 5th ave. (betw. 12th & 13th)
Park Slope, Brooklyn

Wednesday Jam Sessions with John McNeil and Mike Fahie
The Tea Lounge - 8/10/2011

Wednesday Night Jam Sessions at the Tea Lounge

Every Wednesday from now through eternity John McNeil will be appearing with trombonist Mike Fahie from 9:00 to 12:30 at:

The Tea Lounge
837 Union St.
Park Slope , Brooklyn
(718) 789-2762 

Wednesday Jam Sessions with John McNeil and Mike Fahie
The Tea Lounge - 8/3/2011

Wednesday Night Jam Sessions at the Tea Lounge

Every Wednesday from now through eternity John McNeil will be appearing with trombonist Mike Fahie from 9:00 to 12:30 at:

The Tea Lounge
837 Union St.
Park Slope , Brooklyn
(718) 789-2762 

Wednesday Jam Sessions with John McNeil and Mike Fahie
The Tea Lounge - 7/27/2011

Wednesday Night Jam Sessions at the Tea Lounge

Every Wednesday from now through eternity John McNeil will be appearing with trombonist Mike Fahie from 9:00 to 12:30 at:

The Tea Lounge
837 Union St.
Park Slope , Brooklyn
(718) 789-2762 

Wednesday Jam Sessions with John McNeil and Mike Fahie
The Tea Lounge - 7/20/2011

Wednesday Night Jam Sessions at the Tea Lounge

Every Wednesday from now through eternity John McNeil will be appearing with trombonist Mike Fahie from 9:00 to 12:30 at:

The Tea Lounge
837 Union St.
Park Slope , Brooklyn
(718) 789-2762 

Wednesday Jam Sessions with John McNeil and Mike Fahie
The Tea Lounge - 7/13/2011

Wednesday Night Jam Sessions at the Tea Lounge

Every Wednesday from now through eternity John McNeil will be appearing with trombonist Mike Fahie from 9:00 to 12:30 at:

The Tea Lounge
837 Union St.
Park Slope , Brooklyn
(718) 789-2762 

Wednesday Jam Sessions with John McNeil and Mike Fahie
The Tea Lounge - 7/6/2011

Wednesday Night Jam Sessions at the Tea Lounge

Every Wednesday from now through eternity John McNeil will be appearing with trombonist Mike Fahie from 9:00 to 12:30 at:

The Tea Lounge
837 Union St.
Park Slope , Brooklyn
(718) 789-2762 

John McNeil at Cornelia Street Café
Cornelia Street Café - 6/11/2011
On Saturday, June 11th,  
the John McNeil/Bill McHenry Quartet™ 
will be performing at the 
Cornelia Street Café 


Media preoccupation with penis tweets got you down? 
Feeling put upon by the steaming hell of mass transit?
Stroller-wielding parents have you cleaning your hunting rifle? 

If so, the John McNeil/Bill McHenry Quartet™ has the answer, 
my friend: white-hot cool jazz from their first two CDs plus 
a few obscure ditties destined for their next CD. 

Better than sex™ or fist fights or wagering on baseball.

John McNeil -- trumpet 
Bill McHenry -- tenor sax 
Joe Martin -- bass  
Rodney Green -- drums

Cornelia Street Café 
 29 Cornelia Street, NYC

(212) 989-9319
2 sets starting at 9:00 

John McNeil, trumpet;  Bill McHenry, tenor;  Joe Martin, bass;  Rodney Green, drums

John McNeil & Bill McHenry

Nearly a year and a half ago John McNeil and Bill McHenry recorded their 2nd CD for the Sunnnyside label, live, here at Cornelia Street. The club seems to bring out the best efforts of both players, so this gig should be memorable.

Critics have described them thusly: "What makes this group special is the constant interplay between the two horns. McNeil and McHenry are constantly playing off one another -- even when one is taking a solo, the other is either supporting or answering him, the way a pianist would customarily be expected to do"

"McNeil and McHenry hail from different generations but share an attraction to unfettered harmonic terrain. A pianoless quartet, the group's configuration leaves plenty of elbow room, an opportunity that McHenry and McNeil fully exploit by lacing reharmonizations into their improvised lines, or by abandoning harmonic constraints altogether."

Cornelia Street Cafe

John McNeil - Tomi Jazz - Golden Anniversary
TOMI JAZZ - 5/28/2011
On Saturday, May 28th
The John McNeil Quartet
will be performing at
TOMI JAZZ

New tunes, great Japanese food, the chance to celebrate the 74th 
anniversary of the opening of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge -- 
Could you ask for a better evening? I mean, you could ask, 
but you probably wouldn't get anything hipper than this. 


John McNeil -- trumpet 
Kenny Pexton -- tenor
Aryeh Kobrinski -- bass 
Diego Voglino -- drums 

Sets at 8:00 & 9:30 -- $10 cover

TOMI JAZZ
239 East 53rd St., lower level
(betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.)
(646) 497-1254
Late Night Jazz at Tomi
TOMI JAZZ - 4/30/2011
On Saturday, April 30th
The John McNeil Quartet
will be playing the late set at
TOMI JAZZ

This will be a chance to stay up late in the city that never sleeps and pretend that it's the 1980's, when New York was still a three-set town and everyone stayed up late all the time because they were grownups who understood that the wee hours were when the magic happened. They knew that there was more to life than early-to-bed, early-to-rise, getting enough fiber, jogging and always making the prudent choice about EVERYTHING.

Tell yourself, "I don't live in Akron or Mason City for chrissakes! I live in New-effing-York, goddammit, and I'm staying out late on Saturday!" Strike a blow for maturity and personal freedom -- you'll feel better.
 
John McNeil -- trumpet 
Kenny Pexton -- tenor
Aryeh Kobrinski -- bass 
Diego Voglino -- drums 

Sets at 11:00 & 12:30 -- $10 cover

TOMI JAZZ
239 East 53rd St., lower level
(betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.)
(646) 497-1254
Jazz Ass
Puppets Jazz Bar - 4/21/2011
On Thursday, April 21st,
Puppets Jazz Bar 
presents 
The John McNeil Quartet 

Playing their collective ass off.

****************************************************
John McNeil -- trumpet
Kenny Pexton -- tenor & clar.
Jorge Roeder -- bass
Diego Voglino -- drums
Two sets --  9 to 11:30 
$6 music charge

Puppets Jazz Bar 

481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 

April 2 at TOMI JAZZ
TOMI JAZZ - 4/2/2011
On Saturday, April 2nd
The John McNeil Quartet
will be performing at
TOMI JAZZ

Nothing is really happening on April 2nd except this gig.
Carnegie Hall will be empty, Broadway theaters will be shut down, clubs closed, 
all in observance of Charlemagne's birthday. So if you're one of those people 
who could give a rat's ass about Charlemagne, Tomi Jazz is the answer. 
 
However, given the tremendous social pressure to have some sort of remembrance,
any person 6'6" or taller that shows up at Tomi Jazz wearing a suit of armor 
 will probably get five bucks off the cover charge. 
 

John McNeil -- trumpet 
Kenny Pexton -- tenor
Aryeh Kobrinski -- bass 
Diego Voglino -- drums 

Sets at 8:00 & 9:30 -- $10 cover

TOMI JAZZ
239 East 53rd St., lower level
(betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.)
(646) 497-1254
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 2/24/2011
On Thursday, February 24th,
Puppets Jazz Bar 
presents 
The John McNeil Quartet 

Under the old Julian Calendar, February 24th was the day added during leap years. The calendar was still inaccurate, so every few years they would add a 13th month of 27 days (also beginning on Feb. 24th). The resulting year was like, 378 days long or something.

Julius Caesar was evidently so caught up with having July named after him that he just kind of threw the rest of the calendar together. He was like, "Hey -- add a day here and there, maybe a month -- BFD, am I right? I'm Caesar, leave me the fuck alone!"


Anyway, the band is going to commemorate this ancient custom by adding a random measure to some tunes, and then adding an entire tune at the end of each set.


****************************************************
John McNeil -- trumpet
Kenny Pexton -- tenor & clar.
Jorge Roeder -- bass
Diego Voglino -- drums
Two sets --  9 to 11:30 
$6 music charge
Puppets Jazz Bar 

481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 


Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 2/11/2011
On Friday, February 11th,
Puppets Jazz Bar 
presents 
The John McNeil Quartet 
celebrating the release of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way"

We've all been waiting for Lady Gaga's new album, and now you'll have a chance to hear  jazz versions of the new album's title song, as well as such mega-hits as "Alejandro, "Bad Romance" and "Telephone."
This is GlamJazz at its best, and not to be missed. 
And it's LATE -- midnight to 2 a.m. so everyone can be grownups. 

****************************************************
John McNeil -- trumpet
Kenny Pexton -- tenor & clt.
Jorge Roeder -- bass
Diego Voglino -- drums
The Late Show -- Midnight to 2 a.m. 
$6 cover/suggested donation. 

Puppets Jazz Bar 

481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 

Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 1/7/2011
On Friday, January 7th,
at Puppets Jazz Bar 
The John McNeil Quartet 
will play its first gig of 2011.

The band has made a New Year's resolution to play especially well for the remaining 358 days of 2011 and to never again trivialize an otherwise fine solo by quoting some stupid, sophomoric nursery rhyme or lame pop tune. Not that they ever did that, but, you know, this is like extra insurance for the audience. They can relax, knowing that they're not going to be subjected to a cringe-inducing musical wink or elbow to the ribs. 

Also, January 7th is Millard Fillmore's birthday -- his 211th, to be exact.

****************************************************
John McNeil -- trumpet
Kenny Pexton -- tenor & clar.
Shawn Conley -- bass
Diego Voglino -- drums
2 sets from 9 -- 11:30
$6 cover/suggested donation. 
(Beaded goods, scrimshaw or animal pelts accepted) 
Puppets Jazz Bar 

481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 

Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 12/23/2010
On Thursday, December 23rd,
Puppets Jazz Bar 
presents 
The John McNeil Quartet 
playing holiday tunes.

An entirely new concept -- playing jazz versions of, like, Xmas carols or seasonal tunes.Since it's never been done before -- by anyone -- this could be an historic event.  
You can tell your grandchildren, "I was there when they first played 'We Three Kings' as a modal jazz waltz." They probably won't believe it and will just say, "Sure, Grandpa -- that's great," as they reach over and wipe the oatmeal off your chin, but yule know (sorry). 

****************************************************
John McNeil -- trumpet
Mike Fahie -- trombone
Jorge Roeder -- bass
Diego Voglino -- drums
2 sets from 9 -- 11:30
$6 cover/suggested donation. 
(Being attractive and/or wearing a Santa hat is not enough) 
Puppets Jazz Bar 

481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 



 ATE
Dec 9th 9:00 to 11:30 Puppets Jazz Bar Brklyn NY
Dec 9th 9:00 to 11:30 Puppets Jazz Bar Brklyn NY - 12/9/2010
On Thursday, December 9th,
Puppets Jazz Bar 
presents 
The John McNeil Quartet 
featuring Kenny Pexton
December is all about big football games, with teams mounting a last push for the playoffs or fighting for home-field advantage or, you know, just playing hard because they're like, pros or something.

Against this backdrop of gridiron action, it's only fitting that we take time on December 9th to celebrate the birthday of Hall-of-Famer Dick Butkus. Dick Butkus was a ferocious middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears, known for killing and eating opponents whole, often without any condiments.

Anyone showing up with shoulder pads and/or a Bears jersey will be invited to join the band for calisthenics and short passing drills after the first set, and a short scrimmage after set two.

****************************************************
John McNeil -- trumpet
Kenny Pexton -- tenor & clar.
Shawn Conley (the younger one) -- bass
Diego Voglino -- drums
2 sets from 9 -- 11:30
$5 suggested donation. (Being attractive and smiling seductively at the band is not enough --- please don't leave without throwing in some $ -- it's bad karma.) 
Puppets Jazz Bar 

481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 



ATE
Nov 26th & 27th
Nov 26th & 27th - 11/27/2010

 

On Friday and Saturday, Nov. 26th & 27th, 
John McNeil's Urban Legend™ 
will be performing at the 
Cornelia Street Café 

Thanksgiving stirring up old family conflicts?
Eat too much to fit into your Speedo™ ?
Disappointed that a positive holiday mood is at odds with the bitterness and paranoia sweeping the nation?

Take too much Xanax™ to avoid being charged with assault or worse?

What you need is a set or two of jazz therapy to help you detox and restore your sense of optimism. 

Urban Legend™'s team of dedicated jazz practitioners are standing by to help put you back on the path to happiness and well-being.  You're welcome.


Urban Legend™ is: 

John McNeil -- trumpet 
Kenny Pexton -- tenor & clt. 
Steve Cardenas -- guitar & whistling
Ben Allison -- bass & whistling 
Rodney Green -- drums

Cornelia Street Café 
 29 Cornelia Street, NYC
Nov 24th 8:30 to 11:30 Puppets Jazz Bar Brklyn NY
Nov 24th 8:30 to 11:30 Puppets Jazz Bar Brklyn NY - 11/24/2010
Nov 11th 8:30 to 11:30 Puppets Jazz Bar Brklyn NY
Nov 11th 8:30 to 11:30 Puppets Jazz Bar Brklyn NY - 11/11/2010
On Thursday, November 11th,
Puppets Jazz Bar 
presents 
The John McNeil Quartet 
featuring Kenny Pexton
November 11th is commonly celebrated as Armistice Day or Veteran's Day. It's a good idea to remember the people who have fought and died for this country, but there are two things that occurred on Nov. 11th that greatly overshadow  minor happenings such as the end of World War I. 

In case you haven't already guessed, the two events in question are, of course, the birthdays of Calista Flockhart and Leonardo DiCaprio. 

Born exactly 10 years apart, these two American giants have single-handedly transformed modern society into the disease-free, energy-efficient cradle of creativity and innovation envisioned by scholars of the Enlightenment. Through their efforts, the original dreams of the 18th century have been realized, and modern humans are now part of a universal cyber-consciousness through which thoughts can be exchanged instantly and the needs of all can be met by the Central Synthesizing Thingy located at Gibraltar.

****************************************************
John McNeil -- trumpet
Kenny Pexton -- tenor & clar.
Shawn Conley (the younger one) -- bass
Diego Voglino -- drums
2 sets from 9 -- 11:30
$5 suggested donation. (Being attractive and smiling seductively at the band 
is not enough --- please don't leave without throwing in some $ -- it's bad karma.) 
Puppets Jazz Bar 

481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 



 ATE
Nov. 5th Dazzle Jazz Denver, CO, 2 sets starting at 7:00
Nov. 5th Dazzle Jazz Denver, CO, 2 sets starting at 7:00 - 11/5/2010
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 10/28/2010
On Thursday, October 28th,
Puppets Jazz Bar 
presents 
The John McNeil Quartet 
featuring Kenny Pexton
October 28th is Bill Gates' birthday. To pay tribute to this giant of the tech industry,the band will periodically stop playing in the middle of a tune for no apparent reason, and then will have trouble starting the next tune. The audience will also be prevented from going to any other jazz clubs or listening to any other music whatsoever.
****************************************************
John McNeil -- trumpet
Kenny Pexton -- tenor & clar.
Sean Conly (the older one) -- bass
Diego Voglino -- drums
2 sets from 9 -- 11:30
$5 suggested donation. Strongly suggested. Don't make Diego angry.... 
Puppets Jazz Bar 

481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 


Tomi Jazz
Tomi Jazz - 10/16/2010
The John McNeil Quartet
comes to Manhattan's beautiful new jazz club,
TOMI JAZZ
You gotta problem with that? 

For the past two and a half years the John McNeil 4tet has been doing time in Brooklyn. 
It ain't all that bad, you know?
First of all, Brooklyn's got a lot of things Manhattan don't, like the JMQ, for example,
 and Doreen, that dish what works at the Purity Diner. Wowza.

But look, all that aside, we got a big heart, you know? -- 
and it's time we shared our unique freakin' talents with the rest of the city. 
But not those bozos from New Jersey -- Snooki and friends would probably pee themselves 
when they heard that famous Flatbush atonality, you know what I mean?


John McNeil -- trumpet 
Kenny Pexton -- tenor
Shawn Conley -- bass 
Diego Voglino -- drums 

Saturday, October 16
Sets at 9:30 & 10:45 -- $10 cover, no minimum

TOMI JAZZ
239 East 53rd St., lower level
(betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.)
(646) 497-1254
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 10/6/2010
On Wednesday, October 6th,
Puppets Jazz Bar 
presents 
The John McNeil Quartet 
featuring Kenny Pexton
In an effort to widen the presence of jazz chromosomes throughout the American public, John McNeil has graciously consented to share snippets  of his DNA with the first 25 customers. 
****************************************************
John McNeil -- trumpet
Kenny Pexton -- tenor & clar.
Sean Conly (the older one) -- bass
Diego Voglino (the dangerous one) -- drums
2 sets from 8:15 -- 9:45
$5 suggested donation. Strongly suggested. Don't make me come over there.... 
Puppets Jazz Bar 

481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 

****************************************************
==>P.S. If you can't make it Wednesday, this coming Saturday (10/16) the band will be playing at Tomi Jazz on E. 53rd St. in Manhattan, 9:30 to 11:30. Because you are a trusted and devoted member of The John McNeil Church of Intervallic Hegemony, you will receive a separate notice for the Saturday gig.  
 ATE
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 9/29/2010
The John McNeil Quartet is playing at Puppets Jazz Bar tonight (Wed. 9/29). 
Fall by if you're bored with life or your apartment. 

John McNeil -- trumpet 
Kenny Pexton -- tenor & clt. 
Sean Conly -- bass 
Diego Voglino -- drums 

Two sets -- 8:15 & 9:30 - ish. 
Album Release - Cornelia Street Cafe
Album Release - Cornelia Street Cafe - 9/24/2010


This Friday 
 
September 24th at Cornelia Street Café





the JOHN McNEIL-BILL McHENRY Quartet


Celebrates the release of their new Sunnyside recording,

"Chill Morn He Climb Jenny" 


John McNeil - Chill Morn He Climb Jenny


Their first CD, "Rediscovery," remains extremely popular, so the boys decided to create a marketing bonanza by hitting the public right between the eyes with another bang-up recording. The cover of their new CD even has a nude woman, historically a sure guarantee of platinum at the very least. 



John McNeil -- trumpet 
Bill McHenry -- tenor 
Matt Penman -- bass 
Jochen Rueckert -- drums



Sets  at 9:00 & 10:30

The Cornelia Street Café
 29 Cornelia Street, NYC 
212-989-9319 
Call for reservations.

Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 8/25/2010
On Wednesday, August 25th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

August 25th is an auspicious day, especially in the area of philosophy. On this day, the Scottish philosopher David Hume passed away, but since no one actually witnessed his death, there's no proof that it happened. The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche also died on the 25th, just days before having his name officially changed to KAL-EL.

However, the event that most deserves world celebration is -- Wayne Shorter's birthday.
To mark this day, the band will try to refrain from playing clichés and attempt to make their solos get more interesting the longer they last.

Note: this is an early start. The gig goes from 8:15 to 11-ish. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Sean Conly -- Bass
Diego Voglino -- Drums

Music from 8:15 to 11
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Miles' Cafe
Miles' Cafe - 7/7/2010

 

On Wednesday, July 7th

The John McNeil Quartet 

will be appearing at 
Miles' Café 
the new club in midtown. 
As part of the Grand Opening of this beautiful new venue, the band will be playing new music, new solos and new atonal expressive sound gestures. 

The music will be mysterious, enigmatic and flavored with natural hickory smoke. 
John McNeil -- trumpet 
Kenny Pexton -- tenor and clar. 
Dan Loomis -- bass 
Diego Voglino -- drums 
Music from 9 to 11
$10 cover

Miles' Café 
212 E. 52nd Street, 3rd Floor (b/w 2nd & 3rd Avenue) 

www.milescafe.com

Click here for a map and directions.

Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 6/17/2010
On Thursday, June 17th
Puppets Jazz Bar 
(and George Wein)
present
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

Find yourself staying up late?
Maybe you lost your job and can't sleep because you're worried about money and losing your apartment, or maybe your health insurance just denied your claim for life-saving surgery. Maybe you're asking yourself existential questions or contemplating your mortality and saying, "My god, is this all there is?"
Perhaps you avoided staring into the abyss and then found the abyss outside your bedroom window watching you dress.

Sound familiar? 
Listen, my friend, late-night midweek jazz is guaranteed to put things right.
At 12:00 late Thursday night you're not doing anything but sweating into your pillow from night horrors, right? Drag your ass over to Puppets and start living life again. A couple of hot choruses based on a tone row will make you wonder why you were ever worried about that persistent cough.

Cover is 15 bucks.

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Shawn Conley -- Bass
Vinnie Sperrazza -- Drums

Music from  midnight to 2:00 a.m.  

Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Cornelia Street Café
Cornelia Street Café - 6/5/2010
On Saturday, June 5th, the
Cornelia Street Café
presents
The JOHN McNEIL/BILL McHENRY QUARTET 
playing music from their new Sunnyside CD, due out in September.

This Saturday, as the McNeil/McHenry band is playing Cornelia Street, they will be saying goodbye to Poul Weis, the longtime booker of the club and the person most responsible for the consistent music policy there.
Poul is returning to Denmark very soon, perhaps to draw cartoons of you-know-who, perhaps not. Maybe he'll just play his trumpet as the lord Odin intended. At any rate, he will be missed by the musicians. For one thing, he's one of those people that is always calm, no matter what. In fact, John & Bill once set him on fire just to see what would happen. Sure enough, he methodically extinguished himself and called an ambulance... 
some screaming, sure, but not so much as you'd think.
Most of all, though, as a good musician he had empathy for the performers and would consistently make correct musical decisions.

Tough act to follow.
 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Bill McHenry -- Tenor 
Neal Miner -- Bass
Jochen Rueckert -- Drums


2 sets starting at 9:00  
$10 cover
Cornelia Street Café

 29 Cornelia Street, NYC 
212-989-9319 

Connection Works and Brooklyn Jazz Wide Open
Connection Works and Brooklyn Jazz Wide Open - 5/16/2010
Sunday, May 16th, 2010 
Connection Works 
and Brooklyn Jazz Wide Open
present 
the John McNeil/Nicholas Urie Concert Jazz Ensemble
at Clover's Fine Art Gallery and Café in Brooklyn

This is a triple header -- at 2:00 John McNeil will talk about music and just about anything else, and answer questions about quantum mechanics.
[That's not exactly true. He would sound convincing but be completely wrong. People generally just want answers, though, even if they're obviously in error.]

At 3:15, an outstanding group called "Works" with Tony Malaby (tenor saxophone), Michel Gentile (flute), Daniel Kelly (piano) and Rob Garcia (drums) will perform original music and scare everyone.

Then, at 4:30, you can witness the debut of a new 11-piece group which features the music of  

John McNeil, as reimagined by composer/arranger Nicholas Urie.

The personnel is: John Replogle, Dave Smith and John McNeil (trumpet), 
Howard Johnson (tuba), Lolly Bienenfeld (trombone), Kenny Pexton (clarinet), Jeremy Udden (alto), 
Mark Small (tenor), Kenny Berger (bari & bass clarinet), Danny Weller (bass) and Tyson Stubelek (drums).


Adults: $15, (Students: $10) for the whole event. 


 Clover's Fine Art Gallery and Café
338 Atlantic Avenue (b/ Hoyt and Smith st.)
BROOKLYN, NY 11217
718-625-2121
Boerum Hill/Downtown Brooklyn district

Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 4/28/2010

 

On Wednesday, April 28th
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

This week, the filmmaker James Lester is going to film both sets at Puppets. If you've always wanted to be in the movies, now's your chance! This could be a real Hollywood-type story -- "Director discovers new romantic star while filming some degenerate jazzbos..."
Your name in lights, fame, fortune, divorce, scandal, addiction, rehab -- it's all there for you!


Cover's the same -- 6 bucks and a drink gets you a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Jorge Roeder -- Bass
Diego Voglino -- Drums


Sets at 8:30 & 10:00  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 4/21/2010
On Wednesday, April 21st
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

April 21st, 753 B.C. is thought to be the day that Romulus and Remus founded Rome. The actual time was 2:30 in the afternoon, just after a delicious lunch of goat ravioli and espresso made with dirt. Luckily they named the town after Romulus, otherwise we'd be talking about "Reme" or the "Reman empire." To celebrate this important anniversary, two members of the John McNeil Quartet will fight to the death between sets.


Cover's the same -- 6 bucks and a drink.
 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Jorge Roeder -- Bass
Diego Voglino -- Drums

P.S. Next week, April 28th, an anonymous filmmaker will use his considerable skill to film the gig. If you're either good-looking or quirky, show up and he'll put you in some shots.

Sets at 8:30 & 10:00  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 4/14/2010

 

On Wednesday, April 14th

The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET
will be gigging in Indiana.

In their absence
Puppets Jazz Bar
will present

the Diego Voglino Trio  


Diego Voglino on Drums
Brad Shepik on Guitar  
Sean Conly on Bass


Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 4/7/2010

 

On Wednesday, April 7th
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

 Wednesday is Tiki Barber's birthday (and twin brother Ronde's as well). To celebrate, the band is moving to an earlier start time of 8:30 and ending at 11:00. In addition, the audience will be asked to participate in blocking and tackling drills between sets. 
Shoulder pads will be provided, but everyone should bring their own helmet and cleats. No wagering.


Cover's the same -- 6 bucks and a drink. 
 Hit the early set and be home before dark, almost.

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Sean Conly -- Bass
Diego Voglino -- Drums


Sets at 8:30 & 10:00  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 4/6/2010
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET
 will be taking a brief hiatus from their
regular Wednesday gig at Puppets Jazz Bar.
The gig may start up again on March 31st,
but it definitely will be on as of
Wednesday, April 7th. 


The new time will be from 8:30 to 11:15,
with another band at 11:30.
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 3/31/2010
On Wednesday, March 31st
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

This Wednesday, the band is playing the late-night slot one last time. Beginning April 7th the gig will consist of 2 sets, 8:30 & 10,  but for this week only, the sets will be 10:30 & midnight.


Cover's the same -- 6 bucks and a drink.
NO PETS
 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Sean Conly -- Bass
Diego Voglino -- Drums


Sets at 10:30 & Midnight.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Cornelia Street Café
Cornelia Street Café - 3/26/2010
this Friday, March 26

You are invited to join

John McNeil & Bill McHenry    


in a special one-night only appearance featuring 

Billy Hart, drums; 
Ethan Iverson, piano;  
Matt Penman, bass 


The Cornelia Street Café
29 Cornelia Street, NYC  

sets at 9 & 10:30PM 
Call for reservations: (212) 989-9319
________________________________

ALSO catch John and Bill on the Joey Reynolds radio show 
TONIGHT (actually Thursday morning) 1:00 a.m. until 3 with Joe Martin on bass & Jochen Rueckert on drums Tune into WOR radio, 710 on the AM dial or listen on-line    http://www.wor710.com/pages/3600691.php
Puppet's Jazz Bar
Puppet's Jazz Bar - 3/10/2010
On Wednesday, March 10th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

This Wednesday the band continues the new late-night policy: 2 sets, 10:30 & midnight.


This Wednesday is also the 134th anniversary of Alexander Graham Bell's first successful telephone call.  The guy that answered told Bell that they weren't booking for July yet, and he should just send a MySpace link.

Cover -- 6 bucks and a drink.
 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Sean Conly -- Bass
Diego Voglino -- Drums

Sets at 10:30 & Midnight.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 3/3/2010
On Wednesday, March 3rd 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

Beginning this Wednesday, the band is starting a late-night policy. We're moving from 3 sets to 2 and starting later. Set times will be 10:30 and midnight.


We are making this move not because of March Madness, but because our research has indicated that more interesting people stay up late. 

Honest to god, it had gotten so that the early set (9:00) was attended by 1) Amish families who had to get up early to milk some cows or chickens or whatever, or 2) -- even worse -- people who were trying to "live a healthy lifestyle." Jesus roller skating Christ, is there anything more boring than that?*** At least the Amish folks would help you build a barn or something.

***If you are the non-Amish, overweight cigarette smoker who's been attending the early set, we're not referring to you & your big ass. We'd never insult a paisan.

Cover's the same -- 6 bucks and a drink.
 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Diego Voglino -- Drums

Plus Carmen Staaf -- intermission pianist
Sets at 10:30 & Midnight.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz
Puppets Jazz - 2/24/2010

 

On Wednesday, February 24th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

February 24th is Dragobete, the Romanian Valentine's Day. Men, if you forgot flowers February 14th, or if you've screwed up royally since then, this is your chance to put things right. The little woman will appreciate your thoughtfulness and perhaps abandon her plans to pour boiling oil on you while you're sleeping. 

Ladies, you know that men have no desire to receive flowers or designer chocolates with little hearts on them. Men are genetically incapable of appreciating such gifts, and generally smile vacantly when such things are presented to them as a big surprise, say. You can, however, bust a guy for forgetting a holiday -- even one he doesn't know about -- and get some swag out of it. "How could you forget Dragobete, Kevin? I thought you loved me!" 
 
For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the entire night at Puppets, listen to some white-hot, Romanian New York jazz and enjoy a full-out celebration of Dragobete including melting snow for magic potions and stepping over your partner's feet. You can also choff vegetarian food and some good pie. If you must arise early on Thursday, just catch the 9:00 set and be home before the late news. If you're a night person, catch the midnight set. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Diego Voglino -- Drums

Plus Carmen Staaf -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 2/17/2010
On Wednesday, February 17th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

The Catholic Church has a patron saint for just about any endeavor.
This is true: 
On February 17th, 1958, Pope Pius XII declared Saint Clare of Assisi the patron saint of television. Saint Clare died in 1253, well before network TV or cable existed, so the connection seems rather tenuous.  Also, why would television need a patron saint? 


In any case, encouraged by Catholicism's great number of protective entities,the band has solicited the current pope to declare a patron saint for Blues in F.  Among the candidates put forth are Sonny Stitt and JJ Johnson. 
As yet, there has been no response from Rome, but these things take time.


For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the entire night at Puppets, listen to some white-hot, searing New York jazz, debate the relative merits of Saint Sonny vs Saint JJ and munch some vegetarian food. And some good pie.  
If you must arise early on Thursday, just catch the 9:00 set and be home before the late news. If you're a night person, catch the midnight set. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Michael Montgomery -- Bass
Rudy Royston -- Drums

Plus Randy Ingram -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 2/10/2010

 

On Wednesday, February 10th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and the John McNeil Quartet wants to help you get ready for it. They can give you tips on preparing the traditional lung-and kidney rolls with hazelnuts and guava jam, show you how best to line your underwear with tinfoil, and help with all the heart-warming rituals we treasure here in America. You can even bring your partially-woven beekeeper's hats and the band will show you how to include design elements such as figs and house keys and religious pamphlets. When you present flowers to your loved one while wearing your woven hat and doing squat-thrusts, his or her smile will be worth the trouble!

For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the entire night at Puppets, listen to some white-hot, searing New York jazz, start the traditional Valentine spreading of lies and ingest some vegetarian grub. And some good pie. If you must arise early on Thursday, just catch the 9:00 set and be home before the late news. If you're a night person, catch the midnight set. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Michael Montgomery -- Bass
Diego Voglino  -- Drums

Plus Randy Ingram -- intermission pianist, massage therapist & tinfoil expert
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 2/2/2010
On Wednesday, February 3rd 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

Wednesday, February 3rd, is the birthday of Dr. Henry Heimlich, the physician who discovered the Heimlich Maneuver. If not for this man, the walls of American restaurants would be bereft of entertaining, vaguely homoerotic illustrations.
  
To celebrate Dr. Henry's work, one member of the John McNeil Quartet will periodically stop playing creatively and begin spewing clichés and data. Another band member will then wrap his arms around the offending player and drive a fist into his abdomen until he once again starts playing some ideas.

For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the entire night at Puppets, listen to some white-hot, searing New York jazz, reminisce about Mama Cass and all those who have choked to death on food and take small bites as you ingest some vegetarian grub. And some good pie. If you must arise early on Thursday, just catch the 9:00 set and be home before the late news. If you're a night person, catch the midnight set. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Diego Voglino  -- Drums

Plus XXXXXXXXX -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 1/26/2010
On Wednesday, January 27th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

 On Wednesday, January 27th, the John McNeil Quartet will not only engage in explorations of a sonic and rhythmic nature, but will practice the healing arts for the benefit of those fortunate enough to be in attendance. The four esteemed musician/alchemists will bleed vile humours from the audience with a cohort of the finest leeches. In a trice, those whose existence has been befogged by excess bile will now experience a life clear as a forest pond, devoid of negative earth particles and bilious elements.

For 6 half-crowns and the purchase of a bracing quaff you can spend the entire night at Puppets, discuss the merits of public flogging and hearken to the band as they perform improvised New York motets. You may also ingest some vegetarian victuals, including some worthy pie. 
If you must arise early on Thursday, just catch the 9:00 set and be home before the late news. If you're a night person, catch the midnight set. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Rudy Royston  -- Drums

Plus Jamie Reynolds -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 


Puppet's Jazz Bar
Puppet's Jazz Bar - 1/20/2010
On Wednesday, January 20th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

 Wednesday, January 20th, marks the first anniversary of Barack Obama's inauguration. To celebrate, every time a tune is called, the lone conservative band member will insist that the rest of the band debate the tune's merits and vote on whether to play it or not. If the answer is yes, that same member will then threaten to play scales up and down continuously unless the key of the tune is changed to B-flat. With any luck, at least one tune per set will actually get played.

For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the entire night at Puppets, argue about foreign policy and health care, listen to the band play some searing New York jazz and choff some vegetarian food, including some great pie. If you have to get up early, just catch the 9:00 set and be home before the late news. If you're a night person, catch the midnight set. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Diego Voglino  -- Drums

Plus Leonard Thompson -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppet's Jazz Bar
Puppet's Jazz Bar - 1/13/2010
The John McNeil Quartet 
will NOT be playing this Wednesday, Jan. 6th. 
The band is taking a week off. 
On Wed., Jan. 13th the band starts Year # 2 (Woo-woo, woo-woo!) at Puppets Jazz Bar. One of the owners, Marty Fagin, will be celebrating his birthday in an unknown but possibly raucous fashion, so it should be a good beginning to a second twelve months. 
Happy 2010. 
2009 was like a boorish uninvited guest who refuses to leave, eats everything in the refrigerator, chain-smokes smelly cigars, does number two and doesn't flush and then asks for a back rub. 
Good riddance, I say.
Puppet's Jazz Bar
Puppet's Jazz Bar - 1/13/2010

 

On Wednesday, January 13th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

This Wednesday, January 13th, the band starts its second year of regular Wednesdays at Puppets Jazz Bar. Coincidentally, it's also the birthday of two New York institutions: Marty Fagin (one of the owners of Puppets) and The New York Times. It's a very auspicious day all around. 

The fact that Marty's birthday was actually a week ago shouldn't detract from the sheer gravity of this Wednesday, nor should the fact that in 1785 The Times was called the Daily Universal Register. The band has new tunes and everything, so celebrations are in order. The first ten customers receive a new Chevy Volt.

For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the entire night at Puppets, brag about your  new electric car, listen to the band play some searing New York jazz and choff some vegetarian food, including some great pie. If you have to get up early, just catch the 9:00 set and be home before the late news. If you're a night person, catch the midnight set. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Jorge Roeder -- Bass
Diego Voglino  -- Drums

Plus Natalia Zaytseva -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 12/30/2009
On Wednesday, December 30th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
celebrates the present with
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

Face it, the present is the only truly safe place to contemplate. When you look backwards, it's with profound regret and shame, and looking forward fills you with fear and horror, right?

 

New Year's Eve is the worst. It invites us to look positively at the future by offering us a chance to wipe the slate clean and start life afresh. We buy into it, then immediately begin to squander the chance in exactly the same ways we squandered it last year and the year before that and the year before that etc., and end up feeling even worse.

 

Make this year different: let's start the party on the 30th.

 

Don't think about anything you did before or anything you might do in the future. And don't make any goddam resolutions like "no more sugar" or "I'm going to change my sheets every week." If you must make a resolution, let it be "I'm not going to super-glue my forehead to a hyena this year." Then you have a shot, at least.

 

For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the entire night at Puppets, listen to some searing New York jazz, say good riddance to that pile of crap called 2009 and choff some vegetarian food, including some great pie. If you have to get up early, just catch the 9:00 set and be home before the late news. If you're a night person, catch the midnight set.


 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor
Jorge Roeder -- Bass
Diego Voglino  -- Drums

Plus Boston legend & one-time Art Garfunkel look-alike Bert Seager -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 

Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 12/23/2009

 

On Wednesday, December 23rd 
Puppets Jazz Bar
celebrates Festivus with
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Mike Fahie

The band will have a brand-new aluminum Festivus pole and some equally brand-new solos, some of which will use the elusive Higgs Substitution. The band will perform Festivus miracles such as ending together, not losing the form of a tune and trading eight-bar phrases.

For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the entire night at Puppets. Air your grievances, listen to the band play some searing New York jazz  and choff some vegetarian food, including some great pie. If you have to get up early, just catch the 9:00 set and be home before the late news. If you're a night person, catch the midnight set. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Mike Fahie -- Trombone
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Rudy Royston  -- Drums

Plus David Berkman -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 12/16/2009
On Wednesday, December 16th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
celebrates Beethoven's birthday with
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

1770 was one hell of a year. There was the Boston Massacre, which helped start the American Revolution, Captain James Cook found Australia and claimed it for England, Marie Antoinette married Louis and Beethoven was born.

For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the entire night at Puppets, listen to the band play a jazz adaptation of "Eroica" and choff some vegetarian food, including some great pie. If you have to get up early, just catch the 9:00 set and be home before dark, almost. If you're a night person, catch the midnight set. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Rudy Royston  -- Drums

Plus Nataliya Zaytseva -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 12/9/2009
On Wednesday, December 9th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

December 9th is one of those rare days when two equally momentous anniversaries can be celebrated. 

The first, of course, is Dick Butkus' 67th birthday. Those of us who saw him play middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears remember the sheer savagery with which he played and the acumen and instincts he displayed in each and every game.

The second is the 43rd anniversary of Barbados joining the United Nations.There's no record of Dick Butkus ever going to Barbados, but who's to say that he didn't?  In 1966, the year Barbados joined the U.N., he was at the height of his career and could probably go anywhere he wanted in the off-season. 

For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the entire night at Puppets, wear Chicago Bears paraphernalia, talk Barbadian politics and eat vegetarian food, including some great pie. 
If you have to get up early, just catch the 9:00 set and be home before dark, almost. If you're a night person, catch the midnight set. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Diego Voglino  -- Drums

Plus Danny Fox -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 12/2/2009

 


On Wednesday, December 2nd 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

Turkey leftovers
Tryptophan's stuporous spell 
 Live jazz gives you wings


 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Rudy Royston  -- Drums

Plus Dred Scott-- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 11/28/2009

 

Please join the  
John McNeil/ Bill McHenry Quartet 
for a live recording 
on November 27th & 28th 
at The Cornelia Street Café 

This CD will be the sequel to Rediscovery, the boys' first recording together for Sunnyside and loved by all. 

This is your chance to be immortalized by shouting "Woooo" or just screaming something unintelligible. Every live recording needs these sounds, and it is the audience's responsibility to provide them. Also, if you're suffering psychic pain from Thanksgiving family confrontation or feeling bloated from eating to excess, this music is guaranteed to ease your discomfort. 

John McNeil -- Trumpet 
Bill McHenry -- Tenor 
Joe Martin -- Bass 
Jochen Rueckert -- drums

2 sets starting at 9:00, $10 cover. 

The Cornelia Street Café
 29 Cornelia Street, NYC 
212-989-9319 
Call for reservations.
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In addition, John & Bill are playing a pre-Thanksgiving gig on Wednesday, Nov. 25th at Puppets in Brooklyn. For all you agoraphobes out there, you can hear some searing jazz without venturing across the East River, and you can fortify yourself to face the rigors of Thanksgiving. 

The band is the same except for Diego Voglino on drums.
Plus Jamie Reynolds -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 11/18/2009

 

On Wednesday, November 18th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton

November 18th is Gary Sheffield's birthday.  For those who are unfamiliar with baseball, Sheffield is one of those guys who feels insulted if he's only being paid 12 million a year instead of 12.5 mil. Some would say that when he's unhappy, his performance suffers. We understand -- it's hard to concentrate when you're being ground into the dirt with an iron boot and forced to honor a "contract" that you"signed." It's a question of human dignity. 

The musicians of the John McNeil Quartet play their hearts out for as little as 10 million per. There's never any holding out or dogging it on stage. By one a.m. the floor is awash in sweat, blood and valve oil.

For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the entire night at Puppets, root for your favorite player, eat vegetarian food and some great pie. If you have to get up early, just catch the 9:00 set and be home before dark, almost. If you're a night owl, catch the midnight set. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Rudy Royston  -- Drums

Plus Kelly Powers -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 11/11/2009
On Wednesday, November 11th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
observes Armistice Day with
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
Featuring Kenny Pexton
 and 
special guest Ethan Iverson

On November 11, 1918, the world decided that 16,000,000 deaths were enough to satisfy everyone's honor and mercifully halted the killing machine known as World War I. They could have stopped it sooner, of course, but it was thought that the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month was more poetic. Everyone was ordered to keep shooting until all those elevens lined up, and those killed in the interim had the satisfaction of being part of something symmetrical. WWI was to be "the war to end all wars." If only.

That's all sad history, reminding us to enjoy ourselves while we can. 

For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the entire night at Puppets, listen to searing New York jazz, eat vegetarian food and some great pie. If you have to get up early, just catch the 9:00 set and be home before dark, almost. If you're a night owl, catch the midnight set. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor & Clarinet
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Diego Voglino  -- Drums

Plus Ethan Iverson -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 11/4/2009
On Wednesday, November 4th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
celebrates the reunification of
The JOHN McNEIL/BILL McHENRY QUARTET 

Originally formed in 1928, the McNeil/McHenry Quartet celebrates its eighty-first year in the jazz business with a special reunion gig. The boys took a year off to pursue other projects such as malaria research and futzing around with the human genome, but are now ready to resume playing the creative, swinging and vaguely disturbing jazz that made them legendary and feared throughout North America.

For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the entire night at Puppets, listen to forgotten jazz classics made new, eat vegetarian food and some great pie. If you have to get up early, catch the 9:00 set and be home before dark, almost. 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Bill McHenry -- Tenor
David Wong -- Bass
Jochen Rueckert -- Drums

Plus Dred Scott -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 10/28/2009
On Wednesday, October 28th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
featuring
Noah Preminger


Warm up your Trick-or-Treating chops with some hot jazz and correspondingly cold beverages.   

Arrive wearing a mask and we'll dedicate a tune to you.
(That is, if we can even recognize who you are with that stupid mask on.)

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Noah Preminger -- Tenor
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Diego Voglino -- Drums

Plus JP Schlegelmilch -- intermission pianist

Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 10/21/2009
On Wednesday, October 21st
Puppets Jazz Bar
bravely presents 
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
featuring Prix du Monde winner, saxophonist
Kenny Pexton 

This Wednesday there is a confluence of events that presents irrefutable evidence of a cosmic watchmaker, an intelligence behind the curtain of perceived reality. October 21st is the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Guggenheim museum, and -- get this -- Kenny Pexton makes his first appearance as a member of the John McNeil Quartet. It gives one pause to consider such synchronicity. Mr. Pexton has happily relocated to New York and will continue to blaze across the jazz firmament like a civilization-destroying comet.
 

For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the whole evening at Puppets, listen to searing New York jazz, eat vegetarian grub and suck up some great pie.
 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Kenny Pexton -- Tenor Sax & Clarinet
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Rudy Royston -- Drums

Plus Dan Tepfer -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 10/14/2009
On Wednesday, October 14th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
celebrates the Battle of Hastings with 
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
featuring trombonist extraordinaire 
Mike Fahie

On October 14th, 1066, William of Normandy beat the crap out of  
Harold the Saxon near Hastings, England. The next day, Billy the Conqueror decreed that henceforth all swear words and vulgarity were to be expressed in Anglo-Saxon and polite, genteel conversation in Norman French. Or he would cut off your hands and feet. 

For 6 silver pieces and a glass of mead ye can spende the entyre night at Puppets, listen to hogsheads of searing New York jazz, eat of worthy vegetarian victuals and suck ye some great pie.
 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Mike Fahie -- Trombone
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Diego Voglino -- Drums

Plus Carmen Staaf -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 9/30/2009
On Wednesday, September 30th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents 
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
featuring trombonist extraordinaire 
Mike Fahie

Come and observe history in the making!  Never before have four jazz musicians occupied the same stage for three solid sets without uttering the word absquatulate.

For 6 bucks and a drink you can spend the whole night at Puppets, listen to white hot, searing New York jazz and eat mouth-watering vegetarian grub.  And great pie.
 

 John McNeil -- Trumpet  
Mike Fahie -- Trombone
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Diego Voglino -- Drums

Plus Wynton Flanagan -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 9/23/2009
On Wednesday, September 23rd 
Puppets Jazz Bar
celebrates John McNeil's & Chaka Khan's Un-Birthday with
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 

John McNeil's and Chaka Khan's actual birthday is March 23rd, so if you do the math you can see that September 23rd is six months later -- the requirement for un-birthdays.

Chaka Khan recorded a jazz album with Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Chick Corea et al, and so deserves to have her un-birthday celebrated in a true jazz club by true jazz musicians. One of the songs she sang was "Take the 'A' Train," and someone wrote an intervallic arrangement of it. The John McNeil Quartet should play 
said arrangement, but they won't because it's too hard. Maybe by next March.

 For 6 bucks and a drink you can hang the whole night at Puppets, listen to New York jazz and talk to reknowned bassist Victor Bailey about his paintings which hang in the front part of the club. 

You can also have a veggie burger and some real good pie. 
If you have a 9 to 5, hit the 9:00 set and be home early.
 John McNeil -- Trumpet
Noah Preminger -- Tenor 
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Rudy Royston -- Drums

Plus Jamie Reynolds -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 9/16/2009

On Wednesday, September 16th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
presents
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 

Playing a bunch of jazz solos and tunes and rarely getting lost. And hardly ever having to stop and start over.


 For 6 bucks and a belt of the hard stuff you can hang the whole night at Puppetsand listen to the band play white-hot New York jazz. If bassist Victor Bailey drops in, you can talk to him about his paintings hanging in the front part of the club. 

You can also eat yourself some veggie burgers and some real good pie. If you have a 9 to 5, hit the 9:00 set and be home early.
 John McNeil -- Trumpet
Noah Preminger -- Tenor 
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Rudy Royston -- Drums

Plus Carmen Staaf -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM
Puppets Jazz Bar 
481 5th Ave. (at 11th St.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn 
(718) 499-2622 
Puppets Jazz Bar
Puppets Jazz Bar - 9/9/2009
On Wednesday, September 9th 
Puppets Jazz Bar
invites you to join
The JOHN McNEIL QUARTET 
in welcoming back tenor hero Noah Preminger.

Noah has been in Portugal.  He has a great tan. You really need to check it out. He also changed his name to Pablo --- Noah Pablo. Next, he says he might go to France and change his name to De Gaulle. De Gaulle Pablo. It's getting hard to keep track..... 


 For 6 bucks and a glass of Amontillado you can hang the whole night at Puppets, talk to Mr. Pablo about Portugal and listen to the band play white-hot solos. If Victor Bailey drops in, you can talk to him about the paintings he did in the front part of the club. 

You can also eat yourself some veggie burgers and some real good pie. If you have a 9 to 5, hit the 9:00 set and be home early.
 John McNeil -- Trumpet
Noah De Gaulle Pablo (Preminger) -- Tenor 
Mike McGuirk -- Bass
Diego Voglino -- Drums

Plus Dr. Randy Ingram -- intermission pianist
Sets at 9, 10:30 & 12.  
$6 cover, ONE DRINK MINIMUM