Erik Friedlander reconvenes his groups Sentinel and The Throw to perform new music and tunes from his albums Sentinel and Artemisia.

Sentinel
Erik Friedlander, cello
Ava Mendoza, guitar
Michael Sarin, drums

The Throw
Erik Friedlander, cello
Uri Caine, piano
Mark Helias, bass
Ches Smith, drums

Erik Friedlander’s trio Sentinel is a garage band for 2021. The group’s live feeling and at times raucous new album, Sentinel, mines the stylings of the 1970’s electric guitar virtuosi that provided the soundtrack to Friedlander’s teenage years. Friedlander assembled The Throw, featuring Friedlander on cello, Uri Caine on piano, Mark Helias on bass, and Ches Smith on drums to record 2018’s Artemisia. “I put the band together originally for a gig at The Stone and I was blown away by the chemistry,” Friedlander remarks.

Roulette’s April programming will be presented virtually and available for free on a variety of streaming platforms. Our theater is currently closed for public performances as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the safety measures that Roulette has put in place to keep staff, artists, and the public safe.

A longtime veteran of New York City’s Downtown scene, Erik Friedlander is known for his prolific work as a bandleader, having released 22 records under his own name. He is a sought-after studio musician, performing with artists as diverse as The Mountain Goats, John Zorn, Dave Douglas and Courtney Love. Whether playing solo or with one of his bands, Friedlander pushes the limits of what the cello can do, while maintaining a firm grasp on its traditions.

Ava Mendoza, from California, has toured throughout the U.S. and Europe and recorded/performed with leading musicians such as Nels Cline, Matana Roberts, John Zorn, and Malcolm Mooney. She is the leader of art rock band Unnatural Ways and is well known as a solo performer of her own music and works by contemporary composers.

Over the last twenty-five years, drummer Michael Sarin has been at the center of New York City’s genre-bending jazz and improvisation community. His versatility and musical wit helped forge long associations with forward-looking artists Thomas Chapin, Dave Douglas, Myra Melford, Ben Allison, and David Krakauer.

Pianist Uri Caine is well known for his reworkings of classical compositions, as well as for his work as a bandleader and his playing with musicians such as Dave Douglas, Arto Lindsay, and John Zorn.

Bassist Mark Helias has performed with the original members of Ornette Coleman’s band, along with many musicians associated with the AACM, and has also released six solo albums.

Drummer Ches Smith has worked with a diverse group of artists, such as Fred Frith, The Secret Chiefs and the rock band Xiu Xiu. He also writes for small and large jazz ensembles and has released albums of solo percussion under his own name.

Photos: Peter Peregrine, TC Franco