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Music in Black & White Vol.1 for sale!
Posted on Feb 12th, 2012
I am proud to put together the first five songs of a series called Music in Black and White into a first volume of recordings. To date you could only hear them on youtube and now you can get them on your ipod! You can listen to them and buy them on the Music & Store page.
Also Down Home has completed a recording session up in Woodstock, NY for the first full record that is being worked on as we speak, to be released later this year.
See you all soon!
Petr
Exciting times!
Posted on Oct 6th, 2011
There are some very exciting events coming up which I thought I'd tell you all about.
First I have a string of exciting gigs including some Ghost Train Orchestra shows in Boston and Philadelphia.
My Music in Black and White project is going strong... a performance of a lot of the songs by my group Big Sky is coming up.
The next day I will be playing at Smalls Jazz Club with the Richie Barshay Group, and finally in November I am excited to be travelling to Portugal with Joe Morris's Wildlife.
And as you may know I am also the Programming Manager of the Ottawa International Jazz festival and we are kicking off a pretty slammin' woniter series this month with Gerry Granelli and the San Francisco Jazz Collective.
See you all soon!
Petr
Nation Beat Growing Stone released on Barbes Records
Posted on Sept 20th, 2011
New CD is here from Nation Beat. The Brazilian/Country outfit has added some horns to the great band including myself and Brian Drye on trombone. The CD comes out on Barbes Records, one of my favorite clubs in Brooklyn by the way, and is smoking!
Another great band has come out of this great scene called the Forro Brass Band... keep your eyes open for our gigs all over the city and a record that will be on the way.
LONESOME QUARTET lays it down at Cornelia Street Cafe
Posted on July 11th, 2011
Hi everyone,
It's been an incredible festival in Ottawa - one for the books... and the first one I was a part of programming!
Now onto the next one - I am ecited more than ever!
We had a premiere of a great Quartet Called Petr Cancura's Lonesome Quartet featuring PC, Garth Stevenson, Kirk Knuffke and Tyshawn Sorey. We played at Cornelia Street and my good friend and brilliant videographer Mimi Tompkins was there to capture it. I am going to post a s many of these videos as possible over the next week or so. Here is the first one:
See you soon, Petr...
NEW BABY and OTTAWA JAZZ FESTIVAL STARTING TOMORROW
Posted on June 22nd, 2011
Hi everyone,
Well the most incredible news I have to announce is the fact that our first daughter Anabelle Hanson Cancura was born May 31st. She is beautiful and Liz is doing great! Here is a picture (I'll limit it to just one fore now).
Some of you may know that on top of my music journey, I have taken on the adventure of programming a jazz festival... the Ottawa Internatinal Jazz Festival to be specific.
The whole event runs from June 23rd till July 3rd and if anyone is in the vacinity, look me up, send me an email, give me a call.
I will be sending a newsletter but let me just say there is some great news: New record came out with Joe Morris, I have been working on the horns of a new Kathleen Edwards record, and I have some very cool gigs coming up includding a Cornelia Street date!
See you all soon,
Petr
Cluck Old Hen - Tonight at Sycamore's
Posted on May 23rd, 2011
Appalachia is the home to a lot of our deep traditions... many crafts, stories and music. Old time fiddle tunes became a way of life for generations since the 19th century. From murder ballads to dance instrumentals the music… sometimes it’ll make you cry, sometimes it’ll make you dance, and sometimes it’s just a good old toe-tapper.
Years later a bunch of jazz musicians in an Appalachian branch of Brooklyn, located in a neighborhood of Ditmas Park, started playing these great old songs on the most unlikely instruments: saxophones and drums… go figure!
Cluck Old Hen:
Petr Cancura – saxophone
Jeremy Udden – saxophone
Richie Barshay – drums
New Live Video
Posted on May 12th, 2011
Hi everyone,
We have a new video from a live show at Barbes a few weeks back. It was a group called Big Sky, with a great seven-piece band including:
PC - banjo
Brian Drye: trombone
Jeremy Udden - alto sax
Kirk Knuffke - trumpet
Garth Stevenson - bass
Robert Dipietro - drums
Jesse Lewis - guitar
Great shows next week
Posted on March 28th, 2011
Hi everyone,
I am very excited for two shows next week:
FORRO BRASS BAND at New School, April 6th
Anat Cohen: clarinet
Brian Drye: trombone
Rodrigo Ursaia: flute
Petr Cancura: tenor sax
Ben Holmes: trumpet
Jordan Henry: tuba
Scott Kettner: drum set
Michaela Anne CD Release Party at Banjo Jim's, April 7th.
Awesome singer-songwriter with a killn' band!
See you son
Petr
MUSIC IN BLACK & WHITE series
Song 3 - Those Were The Times
Posted on March 4th, 2011
Hi everyone,
Here is the next installment in a series of songs and videos called Music in Black and White. Ranging in style, each song is its own story - paired with a video of black and white photographs.
This third song is called Those Were The Times. It is inspired by a trip I took with some friends to the Otha Turner Family Goat Roast - an incredible grass roots gathering of musicians and fine people just south of Memphis. The music and culture we encountered was incredibly deep and I have been working on a lot of music inspired by this trip. The story is told by an unknown banjo player from the Appalachian Mountains. The song also features an ingenious kit invented by Scott Kettner which includes a hundred year old marching drum and a berimbau among other things.
The song is accompanied by photos mostly from this road trip.
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Hope you enjoy!
Petr
Upcoming shows
Posted on Feb 22nd, 2011
Some really great shows are coming up in a couple of weeks.
A double bill at Ditmas Acoustic in Brooklyn is coming up on March 6th with my quartet featuring selections from Aaron Copland's Billy The Kid Suite and Matt Darriau's Paradox trio featuring Brad Shepik and Seido Salifoski
March 11th I'll be leading a large ensemble at Barbes called Big Sky with Jeremy Udden, Kirk Knufke, Brian Drye, Garth Stevenson, Jesse Lewis and Robert Dipietro - YEEHAAA!!!
OTTAWA CITIZEN ARTICLE
Posted on Jan 20th, 2011
Peter Hum wrote a great article about my new post as Programmin Manager for the Ottawa International Jazz Festival, check ou the ARTICLE
And if you haven't seen them yet, I have the second video out in my series and you can see it HERE
NEW OTTAWA JAZZFEST POST & GREAT GIG TONIGHT
Posted on Jan 14th, 2011
I am very excited at getting the opportunity to work with the Ottawa International Jazz Festival as the new Programming Manager! This is one of our great festivals, and I am thrilled to be a part of it: a driven, great team of people to work with, and a strong, inspiring community to collaborate with. Thinking about the music I love in a place I feel very close to is a dream for me. I am excited at the possibilities of how we can grow as a festival and as a community in Ottawa.
And secondly, I am thrilled for tonight's double bill which has gotten a "critic's pick" at Time Out New York:
Jazz Goes Folk: Petr Cancura's Down Home + Jeremy Udden's Plainville
Saxist Jeremy Uddens's Plainville is an appealingly dreamy roots-jazz combo, driven by Pete Rende's pump organ. Here the band shares an exceedingly well-matched bill with saxist Petr Cancura's stirring, blues- and folk-infused Down Home project.
Read more on TIME OUT NY
MUSIC IN BLACK & WHITE series
Song 2 - SOMEONE ABOVE
Posted on Jan 11th, 2011
Hi everyone, Happy New Year! I am excited to share with you the next entry in a series of songs and videos called Music in Black and White. Ranging in style, each song is its own story - paired with a video of black and white photographs.
This second song is called Someone Above. The lyrics were written by Annie Lynch and the music by myself. The photographs are mostly of places featuring the countryside of VIrginia, Manitoba and Algonquin Park. I hope you enjoy.
Happy New Year
Posted on Jan 6th, 2011
We just mixed a great record with Joe Morris. A quartet record with Jim Hobbs on alto and Luther Gray on drums. I am really excited to let you all hear it, as I am very proud of it - what a great group of musicians to be playing with!!!
Look out for it!
I am also very excited for continuing my Down Home project which is coming to the Tea Lounge this soon. A new Trio project as well as a bluegrass project has been in the works.
So all in all, stay tuned... it's going to be an exciting year. See you soon.
Petr
MUSIC IN BLACK & WHITE series
Song 1 - THE LAST WALTZ
Posted on Nov 18th, 2010
Hi everyone, I am excited to share with you the first entry of a series of songs and videos called Music in Black and White. Ranging in style, each song is its own story - paired with a video of black and white photographs.
The first song was written a few years back, when we had a great trio with Megan Jerome and Mike Essoudry. Years later, with a few edits, a whole lot of great musicians, a glockenspiel, and the wonderful voice of Annie Lynch here it is:
DOWN HOME at Barbes
Posted on Oct 28th, 2010
The Down Home project is playing Tuesday Nov 2nd at Barbes at 7pm. I am very excited - this is music set to Black and White Photographs. The music has a lot of influences with an Americana feel and is part of a new series I am starting called Music in Black & White.
Skye Steele - violin
Petr Cancura - sax, clarinet, mandolin
Scott Kettner - drums, percussion
Garth Stevenson - bass
Jesse Lewis - guitar
There might also be some special guests!!!
Barbes is at 9th street and 6th ave in Brooklyn
RB3 at Smalls
Posted on Oct 12th, 2010
The Richie Barshay Trio + Friends will be appearing at Smalls this thursday night Oct 14th at 9:30pm. If you can't be there for the show, Smalls Jazz Club broadcasts the evening concerts live. The band is:
Richie Barshay - drums
Petr Cancura - sax, clarinet, mandolin
Todd Neufeld - guitar
Monika Heideman - voice
Jorge Roeder - bass
Joe Morris tour this weekend
Posted on July 22nd, 2010
Joe Morris acclaimed Wildlife Trio with Petr Cancura and Luther Grey playing Baltimore and Washington DC this weekend as part of the New Atlantis Festival
Saturday July 23rd at The Fridge (DC)
Sunday July 24th at Wind Up Space (Baltimore)
Trio at Spike Hill Sunday Night
Posted on June 12th, 2010
Hi everyone. I am very excited to play tomorrow night. I have rediscovered a lot of music and you'll get to hear it tomorrow night at Spike Hill... Including the new "Mulberry Jam".
Joining me in stage are two incrdeible musicians Garth Stevenson and Richie Barshay
We start at 8pm, the food and drinks are amazing and it's free!
See you soon, Petr
TONIGHT at TEA LOUNGE
Posted on April 22nd, 2010
Hi everyone. I invite you to come spend an evening with us at the Tea Lounge in Brooklyn tomorrow night.
We will playing such hits as "Boppin' At The Hop" and "Chuggin'" by Lee Allen, Hard Times by Ray Charles and other such hits. The band will have some great special guests throughout the evening and will guarantee to make your thursday night a toe-tapping one.
I will be joined by Brian Drye, Rob Jost and Vinnie Sperrazza as well as some very special guests.
We start at 9pm at the Tea Lounge
See you soon, Petr
Josh Deutch @ The Stone
Posted on April 20th, 2010
This tuesday I was lucky to be included in a musical venture directed by the talented Josh Deutch. Josh wrote a twelve-part piece of music based losely on the music of Ligeti. Thanks Josh!
Getting Married
Posted on March 21st, 2010
The time has come for an extraordinary event. Friends this saturday I am getting married to an incredible woman Liz Hanson
Following our wedding we will be venturing out to the Grand Canyon for a week... a dream come true. Next time I see you I will be full of new stories and adventures.
See you soon, Petr
DOWN HOME & STYRITIME This Friday!!!!
Posted on March 8th, 2010
Well friends, I am back from Afghanistan full of adventures and stories. I couldn't be happier to get back and play with Down Home this friday. As a new CD is in the works the music is getting stronger and stronger. This friday we will be sharing the stage with an incredibly talented composer Rob Mosher and his band Storytime.
We will be at South Oxford Space performing at a benefit for Rational Animal. This will be an amazing show... Don't miss this one! Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. You can buy tickets HERE
See you soon, Petr
Off to Afghanistan
Posted on February 21st, 2010
I have been in Trenton for the last four days rehearsing for a show tour to entertain the troops over in Afghanistan. A stellar cast and band have been put together for this and we will be travelling to europe, Afghanistan and other parts in the Middle-East to give somthing back. I will post pictures and blogs when I get a chance so stay tuned.
See you soon, Petr
New Website!
Posted on February 12th, 2010
So excited for my new website!!! Hope you find everything you need here. I'll let you know how things are going along. See you soon.
Petr