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FREESTYLE JAZZ AT THE CBGB LOUNGE

(PERSONAL NOTE: although I'm just a "fan" watching these shows in the sanctity of my bedroom via the miracle of internet, even jaded "I" must say that I am really sorry to see this adventurous showcase of avant garde jazz at the famed Lounge come to an end. Maybe if somehow CBGB owner Hilly Kristal overcomes the long battle being staged against the monstrous rent hike that's in store the series will be resurrected [?], but for now, let's have curator and Bush Tetra Dee Pop step up to the podium...)

Dear friends and fans of jazz, improvised music and every other sub genre of music that i have tried to present for the last 4 years,
With great sadness i must announce that the Freestyle Jazz series that i have curated on Sunday nights at CBGB's will come to an end on July 31.

Why?

First off and most importantly CBGB's is in great danger of shutting down entirely, come September. Most of you have heard this news. It is sad but true. It is by no means definite but the looming rent hike to $40 thousand dollars a month is an almost impossible hurdle. CBGB's has asked me to stop my regular program so that in August they may devote all stages to fund raising benefits. I pray this might work and i hope you can support the cause in any way possible. The second and quite less reason is that i am just flat out fatigued and more than a little broken hearted over the dwindling turnouts and severe lack of major publication press. (NY Timeout being an exception). It has been a constant struggle to present these shows each week. I have tried my hardest to put on the best shows possible with No outside funding. I have always wanted the music to carry itself. I have tried every imaginable format. I have spent alot of personal money. I have done everything in my power to keep this running and relevant. Ending it will be a very sad moment for me.

There is so much i want say here so please excuse me if it rambles at points.

I want to thank CBGB's for taking me in, after my tenure booking the old Internet Cafe on 3rd street ended.
They have been so supportive. I cannot stress how great they have been and how much they have tried to help me make this successful. Most people to do not realize what a struggle it is to run a venue like CBGB'S. What owner Hilly Krystal has achieved in the last 30 years is amazing. It has taken a lot of gots and stamina. I respect him more than probably anyone else in the music business.

I want to thank the musicians that have played the series. So many great musicians have graced the tiny stage in the basement. I have heard some awsome music there which will live with me forever. I have never been able to offer them anything other than a place to perform their craft. It was so gratifying on the nights when i could actually hand these musicians some sort of real monetary renumeration (read: $) Likewise it broke my heart to see such amazing talent sometimes perform for little or no money. When that happened, I always felt like i didn't do my job well. I would also like to apologize to the musicians that i couldn't get in as regularly as they would have liked (or sometimes at all). It was never personal. The hardest aspect of booking this series was having to tell musicians i didn't have a place for them. But again i tried to do the right thing wherever i could.

I want to thank Haley, the bartender for working just about all my shows. Lets face it, this auduence is a not a huge drinking crowd and she made little money from it. Most of the rest of the staff couldn't even stand the music. And yet she was very loyal and understanding. I love her for this. And by the way there are still 11 more shows - so please tip her well.
I want to thank All the sound man that worked my shows. I want to thank all the soundman that worked upstairs in the Gallery and had to put up with my tirades because it was too loud upstairs and the bleed to downstairs was intolerable. I want to thank Micheline for believing in me when i would tell her i thought i might pull in a big crowd.

I want to thank Richard & Roberta Bergman for being there just about every Sunday for 4 years! Their constant support was probably the most integral to keeping my hopes alive. I have found two very great friends in them. I owe them more than just a dinner.
You too, Peter Cox.

I want to thank my wife Liz and my son Charlie who let me spend so much time away from them to do this. I love them so much.

OK then. 11 more shows.
PLEASE COME OUT. THESE WILL BE SOME GREAT NIGHTS!
I hope you won't miss all my emails that much. LOL.
Yours truly. Dee Pop

I am no longer accepting any more requests for gigs. (William Hooker & Chris Kelsey please contact me and i will fit you in somehow)

THE FINAL 11 SHOWS:

SUNDAY JUNE 5
7pm: Joe Giardullo, Albey Balgochian, Rich Rosenthal & Dee Pop
8pm - Trevor Watts & Jamie Harris Duo
9pm: Steve Lehman, Tyshawn Sorey, Matt Brewer, Chris Dingham, Jonathan Finlayson

WEDNESDAY JUNE 8
7pm - Eyal Maoz String Band w/Dana Leong, Shanir Blumenkranz, Alan Grubner, Mathias, Kunzil
8pm - Ayelet Rose Group
9pm - Richard Huntley, Cameron Brown & Emil Hess
10pm - Ben Gerstein Collective: Ben Gerstein, Jacob Sacks, Jacob Garchik, David Binney, Eivind Opsvik, Thomas Morgan, Dan Weiss

SUNDAY JUNE 12
7pm - Henry Warner Trio
8pm - Briggan Krauss Group
9pm - Dennis Gonzalez + Ze Eduardo Unit (Ze Eduardo - bass / Jesus Santandreu - tenor / Sonia “Little B” Cabrita - drums / Dennis Gonzalez - trumpet, Elsa Roch - oboe)

WEDNESDAY JUNE 15
8pm - Industrial Jazz Group (L.A.)
9pm - Solar
10pm - Ronnie Burrage Trio feat: Salim Washington, Ed Schuller, Rob Shepps
11pm - Gold Sparkle Trio

SUNDAY JUNE 19
7:00pm Mary Halvorson, Jessica Pavone, Brian Chase, Matt Welch, Jason Cady, Matt Bauder, Brett Deschenes
8pm: Noisetet: Donny Silverman, David Phelps, Shawn McGloine, Yael Acher, Dee Pop & the Sculpturemotion Project
9pm - Billy Bang, Todd Nicholson Shoji Hano
10pm - Becky Schmoyer Group

SUNDAY JUNE 26
7pm - David Aaron’s Short Memory
8pm - Andrew Lamb,Tom Abbs, Warren Smith
9pm - Eddie Gale Trio w/Ken Filiano & Dee Pop
10pm - Mike Baggetta & Kris Tiner

WEDNESDAY JULY 6
8pm - Mostly Others Do the Killing
9pm - Freedomland: Daniel Carter, Dave Sewelson, David Hofstra, William Parker & Dee Pop
(with special guests)

SUNDAY JULY 10
7pm - Roy Campbell, Steve Swell, Sabir Mateen, Klaus Kugel, Hill Greene
8pm - Tyshawn Sorey New Quartet: Liberty Ellman, Jacam Manricks, Carlo DeRosa
9pm - Tyshawn Sorey's Obliquity: Russ Lossing, Loren Stillman, Carlo DeRosa

SUNDAY JULY 17
7pm - Hanuman Sextet: Andy Haas, Don Fiorino, Mia Theodoratus, Matt Heyner, David Gould, Dee Pop
8pm - Other Dimensions in Music: Roy Campbell, Daniel Carter, William Parker, Rashid Bakr (2 sets)

SUNDAY JULY 24
7pm - Dan DeChellis, Reuban Radding, Dee Pop
8pm - Amanda Monaco Quartet
9pm - Daniel Carter, Francos Grillot, Matt Lavelle, Federico Ughi
10pm - Ehran Elisha Trio

SUNDAY JULY 31
The Freestyle Jazz Finale All Stars featuring: Susan Alcorn, Tatsuya Nakatani, Joe Giardullo, Audrey Chen, Daniel Carter, Dom Minasi, Roy Campbell, Hayes Greenfield, Daniel Levin, Ursel Schlict, Matana Roberts, Reuben Radding, Louie Belogenis, Kevin Norton, Joe Morris, Andy Haas & Sabir Mateen.
(performing short sets in various combinations through out the evening)