Please join me and my fellow musicians for some swinging standards and smoky blues at Elm City Market's jazz brunch featuring: Danielle Valentin vocals Jocelyn Pleasant drums Mike Carabello keyboards
Friends,
I have sad news. My friend Stacy Phillips, a man who was many, many things, including a Grammy award winner, a Bluegrass legend and a founding member of the Afro-Semitic Experience, died on Tuesday, June 5 around 9:30 p.m. He was 74 years old. He experienced a massive heart attack on Sunday and from then on it was just a matter of time. He was surrounded by his family, his sister and his niece and nephew. Stacy was his own person and that was reflected in the life he led as a musician. If this news seems like a surprise or a blow, I agree. I have spent the past two days in a state of disbelief as the life of someone who was a colleague, a mentor, a friend, and a genuine world class grump slipped away. I would say more about Stacy, but others have already said it better. There is a great obituary about Stacy in the New Haven Independent.
On Sunday, June 10, we participated in a musical memorial for Stacy at Café 9 in New Haven. We were joined by so many other musicians, bands, students, and fans who all paid tribute to him. There’s a great article about that event in the New Haven Independent.
Zichronoh l’vrachah May his memory be a blessing
Welcome
Here's a link to my Facebook page
Visit my ruminations and rambles page to find out what I am thinking about musically and see a few photos of recent and past gigs. Check out the gig page to see where I am playing and with whom. Don't forget to sign up for my e-mail list. And click on the bookings page to find out how to book me and one of my projects.
DAVID CHEVAN: the face of the bass
Colin McEnroe Show podcast
This past August Warren Byrd, my long-time music partner and Afro-Semitic Experience co-founder and I participated in the recording of a special live Colin McEnroe show about musicians making spirituality into art. That two-hour event was pared down to a little less than an hour and aired on Colin’s WNPR show.
The show was taped at the Copper Beech Institute Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center. Warren and I were joined by three other Connecticut musicians whose art is informed by their spiritual lives, Tina Colon, Arunan Arulampalam, and Noah Baerman.
Interested? The show is now a podcast that you can listen to. Here’s the link:
Previous events
Nu Haven Kapelye Hanukkah Extravaganza at the Rough Draft
My annual Hanukkah extravaganza with the Nu Haven Kapelye. Come spin the dreidel. Latkes. Hanukkah songs and Yiddish melodies. What could be better?
Bassology makes its debut at MICKEY'S Restaurant in Hamden, Connecticut. Great food and atmosphere. We provide the sounds of blues and swing. Our last set will be an open jam. Fellow musicians are welcome to sit in and jam.
Bassology returns to Solun Tapas for an evening of swinging jazz standards and smoky blues. Featuring Jocelyn Pleasant on drums Danielle Valentin on vocals
On Sunday, October 21, a swinging configuration of Bassology will be playing for the jazz brunch at the Elm City Market, 777 Chapel Street at the corner of State Street. Music begins at 10:30 am and runs till 1:30 pm. Joining in the conflagration that is this configuration will be Jocelyn Pleasant on drums Danielle Valentin on vocals and a mysterious fourthe person to be named soon!! Tune back for the answer to this question! As always, I invite local musicians and singers to come by and sit in with us for a tune or two. I find it’s a great way to say hello.
Afro-Semitic Experience Unity in the Community Concert
It’s been a while since the Afro-Semitic Experience has been anywhere on the East Coast, but that is about to change on Sunday October 14. We’ve been asked to give a Unity in the Community Concert and it seem like now is a very good time for a unity concert. We are inviting people of all backgrounds and communities to come together for music, dance and all that happens when we share our cultures and find our commonalities. The event is going to be at Shelter Rock Jewish Center, 272 Shelter Rock Road, Roslyn, NY, Time? It’s a 4:30 concert. The congregation has very high hopes for this event. If you are looking for more information please visit their website.
This Friday, October 5, I will be playing a swinging aggregation of Bassology at Smokin’ with Chris, 59 West Center Street in Southington, and the hottest BBQ shack in CT. I’ll be accompanying and be accompanied by Chris Casey on the piano, Jocelyn Pleasant on the drums, and Danielle Valentin on the vocals. Music begins at 8:00, please make your reservations and join us on Friday. Last set will be open for friends to come by and sit in. You never know who will show up and join us!!
The Art of Trio
Garner Recital Hall; Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven
An ongoing chamber jazz series at Southern Connecticut State University. Pianist Rex Cadwallader, bassist David Chevan, and drummer Anthony DeQuattro play a relaxing and musically exciting set of chamber jazz.
Bassology swings into the Elm City Market for a little brunch. We'll be serving up some musical entrees to accompany your meals and food shopping. Hope you can join us.
Swing away the last few days of summer with Bassology. Swinging standards and smoky blues. Come enjoy our music along with a pint of one of the great brews of Connecticut. Featuring Danielle Valentin on vocals, George Lesiw on guitar, and Michael Scott on drums
a work in progress performance followed by a talk back conversation with the composer
“Letters from the Affair” is an epistolary song cycle based upon a series of letters from the late 19th century written by the Impressionist painters Camille Pissarro and Edgar Degas.
I’ve framed these letters to tell a little-known story from the end of the 19th century about the relationship between two founding members of the French Impressionist Art movement, Camille Pissarro and Edgar Degas. The letters and the story centers on their friendship as artists and how it deteriorated and then completely ended as a result of the news and political fallout of the Dreyfus affair. This work presents an impression of the intimate personal ramifications of a national political event and is an illustration of how racism and anti-Semitism can destroy a friendship.
A free summer concert with the Afro-Semitic Experience in the city of Thomaston, CT. Come and join the experience.
The Afro-Semitic Experience at The Mount
The Mount--the Edith Wharton Estate, 2 Plunkett Street , Lenox
The Afro-Semitic Experience comes to the Mount, Edith Wharton's estate for a special concert. Come join the experience for a night of Unity in the Community in the Berkshires!
On Tuesday, August 7, I will be hosting the return of Klezmer to Hamden as the Nu Haven Kapelye plays at the all new Rough Draft. The Rough Draft is a new restaurant and bar that is keeping alive the community music spirit that was at the core of the Space complex established by Steve Rodgers. It’s in the building that housed the Space and it’s run by local school teachers and most of the staff worked with Steve in the Outer Space and the Space. The address for the Rough Draft is 295 Treadwell Street. Music begins at 7:30 pm and goes until the dancing ends!! And there’s room in Rough Draft for Klezmer dancing!!!
The Afro-Semitic Experience at Beecher Park
Beecher Park by Mitchell Branch Library, 37 Harrison Street, New Haven
Come join us for a free outdoor evening concert in New Haven.
Nu Haven Kapelye Klezmer jam sessions at the JCC
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Enjoy an evening of great food and great jazz. I'll be bringing in a configuration of Bassology to play some of my favorite jazz songs and more.
On Friday, June 29 I will be leading the Nu Haven Kapelye in a special Klezmer service at Mishkan Israel in Hamden. This is no ordinary service. It’s a special service for me, my family, many of my friends and for many of us in the greater New Haven Jewish community. Rabbi Herbert Brockman is retiring from Mishkan Israel and that evening Rabbi Brockman will be leading his final service. For me this service is at best bitter sweet. Publicly and privately Rabbi Brockman is an extraordinary person with a profound commitment to social justice. For me and for my family he has been a friend, a leader, a mentor and someone I have had the honor to accompany musically on the pulpit many, many times. I’ve already been planning the music for the evening and I have got a few surprises lined up. I hope you can join us for this very special musical farewell to Rabbi Brockman. Services begin at 6:00 p.m. Congregation Mishkan Israel is located at 785 Ridge Road in Hamden, Connecticut.
Nu Haven Kapelye Klezmer jam sessions at the JCC
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Come learn and jam on classic Klezmer from Eastern Europe. All ages and all abilities.