One of Brooklyn's finest drummers brought his jazz quartet to Barbès on January 6. Lucky for us, we had just finished installing our remote recording station at the Park Slope venue that day. Stream the show here.

Before You Press Play

Hometown: New York City

The Facts: The Ben Perowsky Quartet consists of Chris Speed on tenor sax and clarinet, Ted Reichman on accordion, Trevor Dunn on bass and the man himself on the kit. Perowsky’s relationship with Speed goes way back, with each of them performing on the other’s trio album back in 1999-2000. And while this session is straight-up jazz, Perowsky isn’t limited when it comes to genres. He’s played with John Cale, Joseph Arthur and banged some drums on Hercules and Love Affair’s epic “Blind.”

The Sound: Speed’s gift for melody and Perowsky’s rock background (look at the setlist) make for an immediate, fun experience that covers a variety of tempos and textures. You don’t hear instruments like Reichman’s accordion and Speed’s clarinet in a jazz setting every day.

Latest Release: 2009’s Esopus Opus on Speed’s Skirl Records.

He Said, She Said: “The playing is sharp, the rapport effortless, and the original tunes, variously busy or bleary, are worth hearing for the commitment they inspire.” – Nate Chinen, New York Times

“Musically diverse, the band straddles various ethnic fusion and creative improvising elements, attaining a unique sound that does not dismiss tuneful and accessible areas.” – Michael G. Nastos, AllMusic.com

Setlist:

1. “Keylime”
2. “Nem Um Talvez” (Hermeto Pascoal)
3. “Within You Without You” (George Harrison)
4. “Perolas” (Jacob do Bandolim)
5. “Murnau's Dream”
6. “Present Distance”
7. “Blues for the Decade” (featuring Andrew D'Angelo on alto sax)
8. “Esopus Opus” (featuring Andrew D'Angelo on alto sax)