Join us on Saturday February 24th at 7pm for an evening of live music with Erik Friedlander’s THE THROW

The Throw

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

While writing the tracks that would come to make up A Queens' Firefly, Friedlander was struck by a Virginia Woolf quote from To The Lighthouse:

“What is the meaning of life? That was all - a simple question... The great revelation perhaps never did come. Instead, there were little daily miracles, illuminations, matches struck unexpectedly in the dark.” 

Woolf’s quotation can apply to music as well – music is given meaning by musicians arranging and performing it. But outside the frame of any particular piece is the magic of the chemistry between musicians, which percolates and creates those ‘daily miracles.’ Friedlander composed a collection of songs that gives the musicians a structure for improvisation and sets the stage for fireworks. The band plays with a loose fearlessness that encourages spontaneous eccentricities and moments of synchronicity that were unforeseen, even by its players.

"…a musical journey that unfolds with fascination…”

The album opener “A Queens Firefly” is inspired by a memory of Friedlander visiting his wife before they were married, who at the time lived in Queens.  Friedlander recalls that, “we would see fireflies in her neighborhood on 35th Street in Astoria while walking in the early evening. We would pause to watch them. Comforting and magical, but unaware of our attention, their lights would blink on and off in the darkness like Woolf’s match strikes.” In ”A Queens' Firefly, the members of The Throw interpret eight tracks that show off Friedlander’s melodic song writing, as well as his use of sneaky forms and odd meter changes. This is an album by a band of veteran musicians that take these eight pieces and make them shine.