EVENTS Thursday August 21st, 5.30-8pm KAMIKAZE GROUND CREW @ MOMA Museum of Modern Art 11 W.53rd St (between 5th & 6th Aves) www.moma.org Part of MOMA's Thursday Night Music Series, al fresco in the Sculpture Garden. There's currently a Dali exhibition at the museum, which seems highly appropriate. Thursday May 22nd, 8pm (one set only) MR. WAU WA Songs of Bertolt Brecht Barbes 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) Park Slope, Brooklyn 718.965.9177 www.barbesbrooklyn.com ...Again, this could be the one and only sighting this year of THIS estimable bunch... Times like these need songs like these. Inspired by a photo of Brecht from the ‘20s, performing with some clowns including the famed Karl Valentin and his partner Liesl Karlstadt: Brecht is standing in a cart playing the flageolette, behind a roll-down cartoon drawing of a strong-man being run over by a car full of revellers, with the inscription “Mr. Wau Wa”. The band is dedicated to performing the songs of Bertolt Brecht as set by his collaborators Kurt Weill, Hanns Eisler, and Paul Dessau, as well as some original settings. Gina Leishman, vox, accordion, pump organ; Rinde Eckert, vox, accordion, pump organ; Doug Wieselman, clarinet, sax, guitar; Marcus Rojas, tuba Sunday April 13th, 9pm Kamikaze Ground Crew Barbes 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) Park Slope, Brooklyn 718.965.9177 www.barbesbrooklyn.com This could be the one and only 2008 NY sighting of this estimable bunch of musicians, so catch us while you can - it's always a treat. GL, alto & bari sax, bass cl., accordion, vox; Doug Wieselman, Bb & bass cl., tenor & bari sax, guitar; Peter Apfelbaum, tenor sax; Steven Bernstein, trumpet & slide trumpet; Art Baron, trombone; Marcus Rojas, tuba; Kenny Wollesen, drums Feb. 21-23, 25, 28,29, March 1st 21 Positions A Cartographic Dream of the Middle East by Abdelfattah Abusrour, Lisa Schlesinger and Naomi Wallace Fordham University @ Lincoln Center 60th & Columbus, Manhattan A workshop (student production) of a really interesting new piece,with a point of view not heard too often here, directed by Lisa Peterson, and including a whole bunch of songs from me. Check it out, and check out checkpoint303.free.fr Thursday January 17th, 2008, 8pm Singing in the New Year Barbes 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) Park Slope, Brooklyn 718.965.9177 www.barbesbrooklyn.com GL vox, baritone ukulele, accordion, piano Charlie Burnham violin Matt Muniseri guitar Marika Hughes cello A variation on the In My Skin quartet, with cello instead of bass. I plan to revisit some of the pieces I did at the Stone in the fall with Charlie and Marika, along with singing and playing songs old and new. A gentle way to slide back into new york life after three weeks across the pond. Deccember 13-15, 19-22 UNCIVIL WARS: Collaborating with Brecht & Eisler A Pick-Up Performance Co.(S) Production of Brecht & Eisler's The Roundheads & The Pointheads edited directed and choreographed by David Gordon The Kitchen 512 West 19th Street New York NY 10011 212.255.5793 www.thekitchen.org from the pressblurb: "David Gordon’s Uncivil Wars is a new dance-theater work considering the complex divisions along racial, religious, linguistic, and geographical lines engendered by war. Developed from material borrowed from Bertolt Brecht’s treatises on playwriting and from his play The Roundheads and The Pointheads, as translated by Michael Feingold, as well as from Hanns Eisler’s thoughts on composing for the theater, the work also explores ideas about inspiration, collaboration and the implications of readdressing historical works in the changed context of our present moment. The show features eight performers (including Estelle Parsons, John Kelly and Valda Setterfield) playing multiple roles, as well as lighting by Jennifer Tipton and music direction by Gina Leishman." Wednesday October 31st Dark Dining to Raise the Dead CAMAJE Bistro 85 MacDougal St. (Bleecker and Houston), NYC 212-673-8184 [reservations required] www.darkdiningprojects.com A different way to spend Halloween - a blind-fold gourmet meal with performances including the glass tiers. Sunday October 28th, 10 pm Gina Leishman @ The Stone The Stone corner of Avenue C and 2nd Street, Manhattan www.thestonenyc.com/ with Charlie Burnham, violin, and Marika Hughes, cello. A venue dedicated to the experimental and avant-garde, with a good piano. Marcus Rojas, tuba maestro, plays at 8. Tuesday September 25th, 10pm Weimar NY Spiegeltent behind the Fulton Fish Market Pier 17 South Street Seaport http://www.weimarnewyork.com www.ticketcentral.com An encore preformance from the wild and wooly world of Earl Dax, after the three sold-out summer shows. I'll be singing. Tuesday September 4th, 7-9pm In My Skin Quartet Barbes 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) Park Slope, Brooklyn 718.965.9177 www.barbesbrooklyn.com GL vox, baritone ukulele, piano Charlie Burnham violin Matt Muniseri guitar Greg Cohen bass Sliding back into town, a reunion of my favourite quartet. I'll sing songs from the latest CD, In My Skin, as well as others old and new. Tuesday August 28th, 10pm Weimar New York Speigeltent Fulton Fish Market Pier 17, South Street Seaport, Manhattan http://www.weimarnewyork.com www.ticketcentral.com What better to do in the dog days of August in New York than come downtown and hang out in the Spiegeltent. Weimar New York is a louche cabaret revue dreamed up by Earl Dax, and the the venue itself is worth the price of admission (if I only knew what that was...) I'll be singing. Other performers include Justin Bond, Nellie McKay, Taylor Mac, Sanda Weigel and Penny Arcade ************************************** Friday, May 18, 9pm New York Hieroglyphics Bowery Poetry Club 308 Bowery (between Houston & Bleecker) 212.614.0505 www.bowerypoetry.com I'm thrilled to be playing with these guys, a Special Edition of the NY Hieroglyphics as they continue to celebrate their 30th anniversary. Peter Apfelbaum (tenor sax/piano/percussion) Peck Allmond (trumpet/reeds) Art Baron (trombone/flutes) Yosvany Terry (alto & tenor sax) Tony Jones (tenor sax) Gina Leishman (baritone sax/accordion) Charlie Burnham (violin) David Phelps (guitar) Viva De Concini (guitar/percussion) Marcus Rojas (tuba) Justin Brown (drums) Daniel Moreno (percussion) Tuesday May 15th, 7pm IN MY SKIN CD release @ Barbes 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) Park Slope, Brooklyn 718.965.9177 www.barbesbrooklyn.com GL vox, baritone ukulele, piano Charlie Burnham violin Matt Muniseri guitar Greg Cohen bass a rare convening of the original "string quartet", to celebrate the release of vol 2 of the Leishman Songbook - hopefully hot off the press. Come get your signed copies before they hit the stores. Sunday May 13th, 8pm KAMIKAZE GROUND CREW CD release @ The Cutting Room 19 West 24th Street (b'twn Broadway & 6th Ave) (212) 691-1900 www.thecuttingroomnyc.com Celebrating the upcomng release of their new double-CD, ""Postcards from the Highwire". GL, alto & bari sax, piano, accordion, vox; Doug Wieselman, clarinets, saxes, guitar; Peter Apfelbaum, tenor sax; Steven Bernstein, trumpet & slide trumpet; Art Baron, trombone; Marcus Rojas, tuba; Kenny Wollesen, drums Monday April 30th, 8pm Euripides' ORESTES a staged reading Kaufmann Concert Hall @ 92nd St. Y Lexington Avenue @ 92nd St. www.92y.org I will be playing glass and percussion for this staged reading of Anne Carson's new translation of the Euripedes classic. Directed by David Esbjornson. Friday April 20th Benefit concert Tribal Soundz 340 East 6th St., NYC www.tribalsoundz.com Another benefit for the beleaguered downtown musical community - there does seem to be a cultural crisis afoot here. I will play a solo set 10-11pm, other great music before and after. Saturday April 14th, 11 a.m. til closing TONIC 107 Norfolk St. LES www.takeittothebridge.com R.I.P. Tonic, clubhouse of choice, which closes its doors April 13th, drowned by the wave of condo culture that has overtaken the Lower East Side. There will be an open house concert from 11a.m. til whenever we are thrown out, as a call to action... Thursday April 12th, 8 pm The Leishman Songbook @ Barbes 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) Park Slope, Brooklyn 718.965.9177 www.barbesbrooklyn.com In case you missed the march gig, more of the same - I love this trio! with GL on vox, baritone uke and piano, Matt Munisteri guitar and Todd Sickafoose bass. I may throw in some Shakespeare & Brecht for good measure... Thursday March 22nd, 8pm In my skin Songs vol. 2 @ Barbes 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) Park Slope, Brooklyn 718.965.9177 www.barbesbrooklyn.com a gentle return to the art of song with a baritone uke. with GL on vox and bari uke, the amazing Matt Munisteri on guitar, and the welcome return of Todd Sickafoose on bass Sunday Nov. 19th, 8.30 pm Beth Custer Ensemble New York Zebulon 258 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn 718.218.6934 www.zebuloncafeconcert.com see Nov. 16th Thursday Nov. 16th, 8pm Beth Custer Ensemble New York The Stone Avenue C/2nd Street NYC www.thestonenyc.com Beth Custer (voice, clarinets, piano) Gina Leishman (piano, backup vocals) Adam levy (guitar) Ben Rubin (bass) Rudy Royston (drums) Thursday Nov. 2nd, 8pm KAMIKAZE GROUND CREW @ Earshot Jazz Festival Nectar Lounge 412 N 36th Street, Seattle (Fremont) Seattle WA 206-632-2020 www.earshotjazz.org www.nectarlounge.com mini Kamikaze tour, in honour of twenty years of play and to premiere Gina's commission from Chamber Music America/New Works Wedn. Nov 1st, 8pm KAMIKAZE GROUND CREW @ SF Jazz Festival Great American Music Hall 859 O'Farrell Street, San Francisco CA (415) 885-0750 www.musichallsf.com/ Kamikaze returns to the Bay Area for the first time since 1993... Sunday Oct. 29th, 7pm Kamikaze Ground Crew Tonic 107 Norfolk St www.tonicnyc.com Back in the saddle, and gearing up for our micro-tour of the west coast. Come be the first to hear the new piece, and welcome back some old ones. Sept. 8-Oct.22 Mother Courage by Bertolt Brecht Berkeley Repertory Theater 888.4BRTtix www.berkeleyrep.org Another chance to see and hear this amazing play, if you missed it in La Jolla, for which I wrote a new score in the spring... David Hare's translation is wicked, and it's a great company. Music's pretty good too... tuba, accordion, piano, the usual... mid-August to mid-September As You Like It Cal Shakes, Berkeley CA www.calshakes.org I'll be in residence for a month, making a score for As You Like It and putting it on the company - one more Shakespeare classic, one more collaboration with Jon Moscone, lots of music,this time with a heavy balkan tinge, outdoors - as I like it... Monday Aug. 28th 7-9pm Songs for a Summer Night Caffe Trieste 2500 San Pablo Ave (at Dwight Way) (510) 548-5198 I'm going to be in Berkeley from mid August to mid-September, working on As You Like It at CalShakes and Mother Courage at Berkeley Rep. Just in case I thought I might get bored, I booked a gig for one of my rare nights off - it's really an excuse to just sing a few songs and hopefully see a few friends - I'll be dipping into the Leishman, Shakespeare and Brecht Songbooks, as well as a few jazz classics, and will be joined by Will Bernard on guitar, Djordje Stiepovic on bass and other special guests. And it's free! May/June Mother Courage by Bertolt Brecht La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla CA www.lajollaplayhouse.com I will be in residence for 6 weeks, writing a new score for this classic anti-war play, and putting it on the company. Lisa Peterson is directing, with whom I've collaborated on numerous projects. (The production will run in La Jolla , and transfer up to Berkeley Rep in September) Tuesday May 9th, 9.30 pm Mr. Wau-Wa plays the songs of Bertolt Brecht Joe's Pub 425 Lafayette St. at Astor Place, NYC 212.254.1263 www.joespub.com One last hurrah before I head out of town for many months, so come down and say goodbye. This is also a fitting kick-off to a summer of Brecht... times like these need songs like these... Mr. Wau-Wa is: Gina Leishman & Rinde Eckert, vocals, accordion, pump organ; Doug Wieselman, reeds & guitars; Marcus Rojas, tuba; Kenny Wollesen, drums (reservations recommended) April 16 -24 Jambalaya Chautauqua Bay St.Louis, New Orleans a week's tour of 50 vaudevillians to help with the post-Katrina clean-up and free performances for the communities most affected Saturday March 4th, 8 pm Kurt Weill Birthday Tribute presented by Makor/92nd St. Y at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center 199 Chambers Street 212.220.1460 www.makor.org tribecapac.org Curated by Anthony Coleman, this should be quite the variety of takes on the great songster, with a fabulous house band including Anthony Coleman, Doug Wieselman, Art Baron, Ted Reichman, Oren Bloedow, Roberto Rodriguez and more... Singers include Jennifer Charles, Mark Anthony Thompson, Sanda, Shelley Hirsch, yours truly and more... Wednesday February 15th In my skin a triple bill w/ Clare Muldaur and One Ring Zero Mo' Pitkins 34 Avenue A (between 2nd and 3rd) 212.777.5660 www.mopitkins.com a new club in the East Village, nice room. another chance to hear the string quartet songs, in case you couldn't make it out to Brooklyn (see Jan.29th), or just want to hear more of the amazing princes of the strings... planning to record soon... Sunday January 29th 2006, 7 pm In my skin pt III a little more string heaven Barbes 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) Park Slope, Brooklyn 718.965.9177 www.barbesbrooklyn.com GL, vox & baritone ukulele, Matt Munisteri, guitar, Charlie Burnham, violin, Greg Cohen bass further explorations of new songs for this delectable string quartet. Tuesday Dec. 6th 2005, 10 p.m. Mr Wau Wa Bowery Poetry Club 308 Bowery, New York, NY 10012 212.614.0505 www.bowerypoetry.com The songs of poor BB, where the 1930s meet the present: Gina Leishman, vox, accordion, pump organ; Rinde Eckert, vox, accordion, pump organ; Doug Wieselman, reeds & guitars; Marcus Rojas, tuba; Kenny Wollesen, drums Wednesday November 30th, 8 pm Glass Summit Miguel Frasconi & Gina Leishman ISSUE Project Room 400 Carroll Street (between Bond & Nevins) on the Gowanus Canal www.issueprojectroom.org This should be quite an evening: a first meeting of two glass players - glass in many shapes and sizes, plus the odd toy piano and other unexpected sonorities - playing both written and improvised music involving rubbing, striking, and breaking all forms of glass objects. November/December, mid-month Mondays guest vocalist with Millenial Territory Orchestra Tonic 107 Norfolk St www.tonicnyc.com Singing the occasional tune of my own devising (and arranging) with one of my current favourite groups of musicians, Steven Bernstein's MTO - "The singular Bernstein leads his troops into the future while dragging the past kicking and swinging behind. " Saturday Oct. 29th, 8.30 p.m. Gina Leishman sings the songs of Bertolt Brecht w/ Doug Wieselman, guitar & clarinet, and Marcus Rojas, tuba Neues Kabarett, Brecht Forum 451 West Street (between Bandk & Bethune Streets) www.brechforum.org In celebration of the Brecht Forum's 30th anniversary, (and Neues Kabarett's 8th) and the opening of their new home at Westbeth, an evening of the songs of BB, in a Wau-Wa trio. Monday October 24th, 9.30 p.m. In my skin, part II a little more string heaven Barbes 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) Park Slope, Brooklyn 718.965.9177 www.barbesbrooklyn.com GL, vox & baritone ukulele, Matt Munisteri, guitar, Charlie Burnham, violin, Todd Sickafoose bass Monday, October 3rd, 8.30 pm Gina Leishman, solo Mo Pitkins (upstairs) 34 Avenue A (between 2nd and 3rd) 212.777.5660 www.mopitkins.com a new club in the East Village, which I have decided to do solo, something I haven't done in a while... It'll be a mix of many things, old and new: they have a good piano, I'll bring the bari uke, the accordion, the voice, should be fun. They also have good food. Thursday Sept.1st, 8pm In my skin Barbes 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) Park Slope, Brooklyn 718.965.9177 www.barbesbrooklyn.com A late summer laid-back re-entry into the city: GL, vox & baritone uke, Charlie Burnham, violin, Doug Wieselman, guitar & clarinets, Greg Cohen, bass A little bit of string heaven... Thursday August 11th, 8 pm Edward Hopper House Nyack guest vocalist with the Millenial Territory Orchestra July 2 - August 7 Dell'Arte Blue Lake CA workshopping a new piece with Joan Schirle and Skip Mercier. stay tuned. mid-May til late June in Europe Tuesday May 10th Mr. Wau-Wa plays the songs of Bertolt Brecht Bowery Poetry Club Sorry to say this has been cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control. Look for the return of Mr. Wau-Wa in the fall. May 5th, 8 to 9.30 pm Gina in San Francisco The Argus Lounge Mission at Valencia, Bernal Heights Gina Leishman, vocals, baritone uke, accordion; Will Bernard, guitar; Devin Hoff, bass. A trio with two of the Bay Area's finest musicians, I'll be singing from the Leishman Songbook, plus a few old and new classics from here and there... Probably my only gig in the Bay Area this year... Wednesday April 20th, 9.30 p.m. Glass Dreams Issue Project Room 619 East 6th Street, NYC 10009 (between Ave. B & C) www.issueprojectroom.org A rare sighting of my 3-tiered spinning glass armonica in a great location for it. I will explore the outer reaches of sonic beauty in duets and trios with some maestros of the deep end: Kenny Wollesen, percussion; Marcus Rojas, tuba; Molly Barker, visual artist and slide projection. April 4th, 9 pm Kamikaze Ground Crew Joe's Pub 425 Lafayette St. at Astor Place, NYC 212.254.1263 www.joespub.com A rare gig re-uniting this "supergroup of downtown luminaries", prior to going into the recording studio... We finally found a date we can all make, hopefully... w/ Gina Leishman, co-leader, alto and baritone sax, bass clarinet, accordion, piano, vocals ; Doug Wieselman, co-leader, Eb, Bb & bass clarinets, tenor & baritone sax, guitar; Peter Apfelbaum, tenor sax; Steven Bernstein, trumpet & slide trumpet; Art Baron, trombone; Marcus Rojas, tuba; Kenny Wollesen, drums & percussion. (see Projects page for more details) March 28th, 9.30pm Mr. Wau-Wa plays the songs of Bertolt Brecht Barbes 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) Park Slope, Brooklyn 718.965.9177 www.barbesbrooklyn.com Times like these need songs like these, and there's no-one better to play them (see Projects page for more details). A rare re-union, so catch it while you can. Gina Leishman, vocals, accordion, pump organ; Rinde Eckert, vocals, accordion, pump organ; Doug Wieselman, reeds & guitars; Marcus Rojas, tuba; Kenny Wollesen, drums. (Pabst's classic film of Threepenny Opera, with Lotte Lenya, will be screened at 7pm) March 9th, 8.30pm The Poetics of No Piano duo with Greg Cohen, bass Roulette @ Location One 26 Greene St. (between Canal & Grand) reservations/tkts: 212.219.8242 www.roulette.org An evening of duos, both composed and improvised, inspired by some of my favourite poets & writers - Brecht, Shakespeare, Edith Sitwell and others - on anything but a piano, and with master bassist Greg Cohen. Feb. 24th, 10 pm Gina Leishman Songbook vol. 2 w/ Tim Luntzel, bass, Doug Wieselman, clarinet, and special guest Jim Campilongo, guitar Barbes 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.) Park Slope, 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave), Park Slope, Brooklyn 718.965.9177 www.barbesbrooklyn.com opens January 21st, 2005 OEDIPUS Guthrie Theater Minneapolis A new score for a new adaptation of the Sophocles by Ellen McLaughlin Contact Gina for booking information. contents © 2007 Gina Leishman