Billy Martin of Medeski Martin and Wood and Amulet Records release 'NASSIRA'

by Grant Calvin Weston  , September 2008

 "Calvin is one of my biggest influences. He has been a huge inspiration to many musicians and a portal into Ornette Coleman's funky harmolodic world. This recording is a culmination of music made on the West Coast and in his Philadelphia hometown. The intense wild alchemy utilizing acoustic and electronic sounds in combination with other Philadelphia musical mavericks makes this a very special (and fun!) trip into the world of Grant Calvin Weston." – Billy Martin (Medeski Martin & Wood)

GRANT CALVIN WESTON

NASSIRA

Featured Artists:

Grant Calvin Weston - Leader; drums; trumpet; bass; keyboards.

Walter Weasel, Dion Pac, Jeff Monjack; guitar

Tom Spiker: bass

Elliote Levin: saxophones, flute

Brian Marsella: keyboards

Grant Calvin Weston has blazed a harmelodic funkadelic trail through modern jazz. This record is a culmination of recordings made on the West Coast and his homerown of Philadelphia. Calvin puts his Midas-touch on electronics and acoustic instruments that blow the socks of any jazz rock poser out there. Listen to the man who funked-up Ornette Coleman in the 1970's.

ABOUT:

Billy Martin and G. Calvin Weston met in 1988 during a rehearsal with John Lurie's legendary "downtown" band the Lounge Lizards (NYC). That day sealed the percussive rhythm section for the Lounge Lizards and the great -but short lived- avant garde trio, The John Lurie National Orchestra. They toured Europe and Japan as well as some historic performances in NYC. They were featured in Blue in the Face, a Paul Auster/Wayne Wang film a continuation of the feature film project Smoke (Mirimax) both films about a cigar shop in Brooklyn.

In 1995 Martin formed his independent label Amulet Records and released Percussion Duets, the highly acclaimed first CD release with Martin and Weston as a duo. Last year they released a second release Live at Houston Hall also on Amulet and were recorded live on the 10th anniversary since the release of Percussion Duets.

Billy Martin is best know for his band Medeski Martin and Wood, and performing/recording with John Zorn, John Scofield, Cibo Mato, Iggy Pop, Cyro Baptista and Chuck Mangione.

Grant Calvin Weston has played with many including: Ornette Coleman, James Blood Ulmer, John Lurie's Lounge Lizards, Marc Ribot, John Zorn, Derek Bailey and James Carter.

QUOTES:

"Weston lays down a ferocious groove with ecstatic shouts … tugging rhythmic displacements that tease like thunder and lightning throughout." - All About Jazz

".. loud-as-fuck-yet-still-jazzy percussionist G. Calvin Weston adds a splash of stardom to the stew of his consistently solid work." – Philadelphia Weekly

For publicity information contact Diane Podolak, Publicist