“At a time when performers in virtually every genre are trying to stretch their stylistic boundaries, Fishman refuses to acknowledge that boundaries exist.” — Don Heckman, The Los Angeles Times
NEW YORK – the versatile and ever evolving singer, songwriter, and bandleader Howard Fishman, will be appearing at venues all around New York during the first half of December in performances celebrating the 10th anniversary of his original Howard Fishman Quartet performances at The Algonquin’s Oak Room.
Since appearing at the legendary Oak Room, Fishman has appeared in jazz clubs, cabaret rooms, and theaters across the United States and as far as Paris to unanimous press acclaim.
“Rather than studiously copying the sounds of the past, the group recombines familiar ingredients to create its own brand of classicism,” wrote Stephen Holden in The New York Times. The All-Music Guide has called Fishman: “An important force in creative music.”
Among Fishman’s stops in December with be Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola in the Time Warner Building, the Galapagos Art Space in Dumbo, Barbes in Park Slope, Pete’s Candy Store in Williamsburg, and, of course, The Algonquin. (A complete list of dates and venues accompanies this release.)
Since Fishman burst onto the musical scene with his jazz quartet, he has evolved from performing primarily early jazz and blues music to performing his own original material, mixing in his early influences with a wide range of more contemporary styles, including indie rock, New Orleans brass band music, country and gospel . In 2006 his eclectic projects expanded even further to include a three-night evening at Joe’s Pub paying tribute to Bob Dylan and The Band’s “Basement Tapes,” a project he has taken uptown for his debut with the Lincoln Center American Songbook Series and around the United States. He has also written a music theater oratorio titled “we are destroyed,” a meditation on the Donner Party tragedy. Sections of “we are destroyed” have been given performances at Joe’s Pub, the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, and the Lincoln Center Director’s Lab West at the Pasadena Playhouse in Los Angeles. “we are destroyed” will be presented in its entirety as part of Fishman’s December performances at the Galapagos Arts Space. Fishman’s Biting Fish Brass Band, another recent project inspired by Fishman's years as a street musician in New Orleans, will be performing at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Appearing with Fishman in this series of performances will be members of his original Howard Fishman Quartet, and musicians who he has collaborated with over the past decade on all his various musical projects, including: Russell Farhang, Jonathan Flaugher, Mazz Swift, Roland Barber, Mark McLean, Ian Riggs, Victor Lin, Michael Daves, Skye Steele, and Jordan Pearlson.
To date Howard Fishman has released six CD recordings: Two of the Howard Fishman Quartet (Volumes I and II), three CDs of Fishman’s original music, I Like You A Lot, Do What I Want, and Look At All This!, and, his latest, Howard Fishman Performs Bob Dylan and The Band’s “Basement Tapes” recorded live at Joe’s Pub.