Billy Martin: drums and percussion
G. Calvin Weston: drums, percussion, trumpet and vocals
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, recorded live on the 10th anniversary since the release of Percussion Duets.
This 2007 Northeast US fall tour is a continuation of their ongoing creative explorations as composers and performers. This extraordinary improvisational duo will include new music for gongs, mbiras, balaphones, trumpet, voice, bamboo, wood, metal, drums, found and handmade instruments.
Billy Martin is best know for his band Medeski Martin & 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's Prime Time, James Blood Ulmer and James Carter.
..the duo achieve a rare cohesion, fusing jazz, hip-hop, African rhythms and funk into an invigorating and exploratory sound that's both enjoyable and intellectual"--Philadelphia Weekly
Billy Martin / G. Calvin Weston Duo fall 2007 tour dates
December 2 @ Club Helsinki
284 Main St. Great Barrington, MA
8pm / $15 / clubhelsinkiweb.com
December 3 @ Maxwell's
1039 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ
9pm / $10 / maxwellsnj.com
December 4 @ Johnny Brenda's co-headlining with Sex Mob!
1201 Frankford Avenue , Philadelphia, PA
9pm / $15 / Johnnybrendas.com
December 6 @ The Stone Church
5 Granite Street , Newmarket NH
9pm / $15 / thestonechurch.com
December 7 @ YMCA Theater
820 Mass Ave (Central Square ) Cambridge, MA
7pm / $TBA / cambridgeymca.org/theatre
December 8 @ Riverspace
119 Main Street Nyack, NY
8pm / $TBA / Riverspace.org
December 21 @ Issue Project Room
400 Carroll Street Brooklyn, NY
9PM / $TBA / Issueprojectroom.org
For more information contact Allegro Media.