Downtown Music Gallery – Bed Time (2004)

Featuring Gina on vocals, piano, ukelele & songs, Steve Bernstein & Peck Allmond on trumpets, Marc Ribot & Doug Weiselman on guitars, Rob Burger on accordion, Anthony Coleman on piano, Jenny Scheinman on violin, Greg Cohen & Trevor Dunn on bass and Roberto Rodriguez & Kenny Wollesen on drums & percussion. Gina Leishman has co-led east cost/west coast downtown all-star instrumental ensemble Kamikaze Ground Crew (KGC) with Doug Weiselman for a decade or so now. ‘Bed Time’ is her first solo effort as a singer, with 5 songs using the words of William Shakespeare. Much different from the quirky classical/jazz/world music influences of KGC, ‘Bed Time’ is more a reflective excursion into melancholy jazzy/bluesy ballads and other endearing songs. Often stripped down and spacious, these songs hover like ghosts and drift in eerie, suspended shadows. Both Greg Cohen’s or Trevor Dunn’s basses hum at the center of many of these tunes, while Ribot’s guitar, Rob’s accordion, Anthony’s piano and Doug’s clarinet, carefully add their minimal spice in just the right places. Perfect late night listening, melancholy, moody, elegant and rather enchanting, as well