the new
old timers

Petr Cancura, Saxophone, Mandolin
Jeremy Udden, Saxophone, Organ
Aryeh Kobrinsky, Acoustic Bass
Vinnie Sperrazza, Drums

From the streets of Brooklyn comes a group of misfits and improvisers that play fiddle tunes, bluegrass songs and murder ballads, and they dare to do so on saxophones, bass and drums. When Brooklyn’s own The New Old Timers take the stage, the night transforms into a raucous celebration of past and present, as though a wild house party and a vintage jazz club collided in the best way possible. With a lineup of top-notch musicians wielding gritty horns, percussion and strings, the band blends old-time jazz, blues, and folk with a modern twist that’s anything but predictable. The energy is infectious—audience members are moving, swaying and clapping, caught up in the syncopated rhythms and rousing solos that pulse through the room. Jazz meets fiddle and country music: Traditional repertoire includes spirituals Down To The River and Pray and The Water is Wide, as well as fiddle music such as Blackberry Blossom and Cluck Ole Hen

Petr Cancura: Born in Eastern Europe, raised in the wilderness of the Great White North, and immersed in the urban jungle of New York City, Petr Cancura’s music is as diverse as his journey. A saxophonist deeply versed in jazz, Balkan, African, and American folk traditions, Cancura also plays banjo, mandolin, and works with black-and-white photography, blending these influences into a unique roots and improvisational sound with a visual sensibility. He has performed with Grammy-nominated artists like Danilo Perez and Julian Lage, as well as Bob Moses, Joe Morris, Cecil McBee, and the Juno award-winning Mighty Popo, and is currently active with groups like Ghost Train Orchestra, The Richie Barshay RB3, and The Forro Brass Band. His projects Big Sky and Down Home highlight his Americana roots and jazz fusion, and his latest release, Another Way Home, features a jazz approach to songs crafted as if for a singer-songwriter, with Cancura’s saxophone as the voice. Recorded with Kenny Wollesen, Tony Scherr, and Rob Jost, this album is among his finest work. As Programming Director of the Ottawa International Jazz Festival, he curates hundreds of shows annually, and he frequently leads workshops across the US and Canada.

Jeremy Udden: The Brooklyn-based “gifted alto saxophonist and composer with the gorgeous tone” (JAZZTIMES) has found a voice within a variety of projects, including the Grammy nominated Either/Orchestra, throughout his critically-acclaimed albums for Sunnyside Records (NYC) and Fresh Sound New Talent (Barcelona), and on over 20 recordings as a sideman. His PLAINVILLE project “openly embraces the rock, folk, and country sounds he heard in his youth” (DOWNBEAT, 4 stars), recently producing “one of the year’s most slyly inviting jazz albums” (NY TIMES). Udden has performed with Bob Brookmeyer, Steve Lacy, Gunther Schuller, Matt Wilson, Andrew D’Angelo’s DNA Band, and “Ethio-Jazz” legend Mulatu Astatke, among many others, in Europe, China, Africa, and around the US.

Aryeh Kobrinsky: Aryeh Kobrinsky is an accomplished jazz bassist known for his innovative style and versatile musicianship. He’s performed with a variety of ensembles, blending traditional jazz techniques with a modern, improvisational approach. Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, Kobrinsky is based in New York City, where he’s collaborated with a wide array of artists across jazz, classical, and experimental music scenes. His work reflects a deep commitment to both groove and exploration, making him a dynamic presence in the contemporary jazz landscape. Kobrinsky is also noted for contributions to celebrated bands “Brinsk” and “Hush Point” (Sunnyside Records).

Vinnie Sperrazza: Vinnie Sperrazza (percussion) is an active member of the Brooklyn jazz and creative music community. He leads several bands (including Apocryphal, Haunted, and Pilot House Overhead), writes music, and is a featured collaborator in a number of bands (including Landline, Hearing Things, and many others). In 2017, he released two widely-praised albums of his original compositions: Juxtaposition (Posi-Tone Records) and Hide Ye Idols (Loyal Label). In 2018, he toured the United States as a member of the MMDG Music Ensemble and did a brief tour of Spain with PLAY, featuring Jacob Sacks and bassist Masa Kamaguchi. In 2019, Sperrazza will tour extensively with Pepperland and release three collaborative albums with The Choir Invisible (with Charlotte Greve and Chris Tordini), Trio Trio (featuring Dave Scott and Rich Perry), and Caleb Curtis/Noah Garabedian/Vinnie Sperrazza.

RUN TIME: 2 hours