Michael Leonhart & The Avramina 7 December 9, 2009

Wednesday, December 9th 2009
Michael Leonhart & The Avramina 7
:: Built By MeanRed
At age 17, Michael was honored as the youngest Grammy recipient in history, cited as the most outstanding trumpet player in a U.S. high school. Since then, Michael Leonhart has masterfully created something that sounds like the musical love child of R.D Burman, Fela Kuti, & Beck. A mix of reverb drenched vocals, afro beat horns, and fluttering tablas all work in perfect harmony on The Avramina 7's first single on Truth & Soul.

Michael has performed with Steely Dan since 1996, and has collaborated with a diverse array of artists such as A Tribe Called Quest, Bobby McFerrin, Bonnie Raitt, Brian Eno, Busta Rhymes, Caetano Veloso, D.J. Spooky, David Byrne, James Brown, Lenny Kravitz, Mark Ronson, Michael McDonald, Mos Def, Natalie Merchant, Q-Tip, Raekwon, Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Todd Rundgren, and Wynton Marsalis. Most recently, Michael recorded with Yoko Ono as a featured member of the Plastic Ono Band for her upcoming album, “Between My Head and the Sky”.

He is kicking off a monthly residency at Joe's Pub with his band The Avramina 7. The 16-piece (yep, you read that right) band features members of the Dap-Kings, Phenomenal Handclap Band, Budos Band, Menahan Street Band, El Michaels Affair, and Antibalas, among others. In short, pretty much the go-to set of players in New York today.

It’s no surprise then, that the stuff they’re turning out is tight. Heavy psychedelic funk (or funky pyschedelia) with a wall of voices, four horns, and heavy percussion and fuzz guitars inspired by Leonhart’s own personal fascination with 60s and 70s African and Indian funk, as well as his vast musical cache and years of experience.

www.michaelleonhart.com
www.myspace.com/michaelleonhart
www.truthandsoulrecords.com/just-in-michael-leonhart-the-avramina/
Joe's Pub // 425 Lafayette
Doors 9:30pm