Music: Experimental sounds with Nick Di Maria: Zero Dollar Solo, The Forest Room on Wed., Mar. 23

Trumpeter Nick Di Maria (Nick Di Maria: Zero Dollar Solo) and The Forest Room (guitarist Matt Streit) play Best Video Performance Space Wednesday, Mar. 23. The show starts at 8 PM and there is a $5 cover.

Nick Di Maria

Nick Di Maria

A graduate of Western Connecticut State University, Nick Di Maria holds a Bachelor’s in Jazz Performance studying under Eddie Henderson, Dave Scott, Jeremy Pelt, Taylor Ho Bynum and Rich Clymer. Nick began playing music at age 10 and over the years has played in multiple genres from jazz to reggae to classical to punk. In 2006 upon graduating from college, Nick assembled his first working quartet. From the beginning the band began working the CT jazz scene playing all over the state, including a residency in Newtown in the summer of 2006.

For this show, Di Maria is planning on playing solo trumpet under the name Zero Dollar: Solo. In an email, Di Maria wrote, “Its pretty avant garde a la Nate Wooley/Taylor Ho Bynum.”

The Forest Room

The Forest Room

The Forest Room is the acoustic solo project by Matt Streit which began in 2004 as a casual musical outlet outside of his main band. An active musician from Milford, CT for many years, mainly as a bass player in heavy metal and rock bands, Matt takes a completely different approach with the Forest Room by writing most of the music on acoustic guitar, utilizing multiple layers of guitar parts with live record looping, and occasionally incorporating produced beats. Matt uses several guitar effects pedals, some of which he built himself. The Forest Room combines influences and elements of instrumental, folk, ambient, hiphop, and triphop music.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Wednesday, Mar. 16. ACOUSTIC GUITAR: ROBERT MESSORE

• Friday, Oct. 18. ALT-COUNTRY: NO LINE NORTH, THE VONZELLS

• Wednesday, Mar. 23. EXPERIMENTAL: THE FOREST ROOM, NICK Di MARIA: ZERO DOLLAR SOLO

• Thursday, Mar. 24. ROCK: PARKER’S TANGENT

• Friday, Mar. 25. SINGER-SONGWRITER: DICK NEAL

• Monday, Mar. 28. FOLK: TREVOR HEALY/JASON LABBE DUO, CHUCK JOHNSON

• Wednesday, Mar. 30. INDIE ROCK/SINGER-SONGWRITER: WESTERN ESTATES, ZACH ANDERSEN

• Thursday, Mar. 31. SINGER-SONGWRITER: FRANK CRITELLI, JOE FLOOD

• Friday, Apr. 1. BLUES ROCK: JUST US featuring NOAH KESSELMAN

• Sunday, Apr. 3. FREE 2 PM AFTERNOON BLUEGRASS JAM

• Monday, Apr. 4. FILM SCREENING: “THE BEST MAN”

• Wednesday, Apr. 6. INDIE ROCK presented by Redscroll Records: HEX INVERTER, DIRT DEVIL, NOTHING ISRAEL

• Thursday, Apr. 7. BLUES: THE MOODY’S BLUES

• Friday. Apr. 8. FOLK: HUGH BIRDSALL & DANA TAKAKI

• Monday, Apr. 11. FILM SCREENING: “THE CONTENDER”

• Thursday, Apr. 14. INDIE ROCK: SPIT-TAKE, BOX FAN

• Tues., Apr. 19. FILM SCREENING: “BULWORTH”

• Wednesday, Apr. 20. JAZZ: BADSLAX

• Thursday, Apr. 21. INDIE FOLK: THE MID SEASON

• Friday, Apr. 22. JAZZ: REBECCA ABBOTT, GARY GRIPPO & FRIENDS

• Monday, Apr. 25. FILM SCREENING: “A FACE IN THE CROWD”

• Thursday, Apr. 28. SEPHARDIC MUSIC: THE HERETICS OF CORDOBA

• Monday, May 2. FILM SCREENING: “THE CANDIDATE”

• Friday, May 6. BRAZILIAN MUSIC: SAMBELEZA

• Saturday, May 7. SOFT ACOUSTIC/ROCK: THE HERNANDEZ BROTHERS

• Monday, May 9. FILM SCREENING: “FRUITVALE STATION”

• Friday, May 13. THREE SONGWRITERS IN THE ROUND: ANNE MARIE MENTA, DICK NEAL, GLEN ROETHEL

• Friday, May 20. JAZZ VOCALS & GUITAR: LINDA SATIN & JOE CARTER

• Tuesday, Aug. 30. BLUEGRASS: STACY PHILLIPS & HIS BLUEGRASS CHARACTERS

• Saturday, Oct. 8. THE NEW ENGLAND UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL

 

March 16, 2016 by Leave a Comment
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Music: Avant-garde sounds on Thurs., June 4, with The Zero Dollar Trio, Parlay Droner

The avant-garde improvisational musical acts The Zero Dollar Trio and Parlay Droner play Best Video Performance Space on Thursday, June 4. The music starts at 8 PM and the cover is $5.

The Zero Dollar Trio

The Zero Dollar Trio

The Zero Dollar Trio performances are expressions of free improvisation. No two performances are ever the same. From jazz to post-punk to electronic to beyond. The Zero Dollar Trio features Nick Di Maria on trumpet, melodica and electronics; Jeff Cedrone on guitar, synth and electronics; and Mike Rasimas on drums and percussion.

Parlay Droner is a local modern renaissance man of the avant-garde: illustrator/improv noisemaker/poet/painter/soundbreaker; member of AMOD Records, Filthybroke Recordings, SPLNSHNTS, the rifles repeating, Light Upon Blight. He offers up a constellation of beats/tape loops/noise/live improv/ink&paint/unprose&nonpoem.

Parlay Droner

Parlay Droner

The blog CT Indie wrote about his release “Mother Brother Live Sessions”:

Sonic wizard Parlay Droner is neck deep in projects and releases right now, and the fruits of these labors are sure to break your ears hearts as well as your ears drums! Big ups to Quantum Wampum for putting this little gem out… …Parlay is the man to watch, as his catalog grows his grasp on his sound strengthens and becomes more realized.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Wednesday, May 27. BLUEGRASS: THE FIDDLEHEADS

• Thursday, May 28. SINGER-SONGWRITER; ACOUSTIC GUITARIST: SETH ADAM; GLENN ROTH

• Friday, May 29. SINGER-SONGWRITER: SABRINA TRUEHEART

• Wednesday, June 3. ALT-COUNTRY: LINES WEST; SINGER-SONGWRITER: KYLE DUKE

• Thursday, June 4. AVANT-GARDE: ZERO DOLLAR, PARLAY DRONER

• Friday, June 5. STRING QUARTET ROCK: THE TET OFFENSIVE

• Monday, June 8. FILM SCREENING: “FINDING TATANKA”

• Wednesday, June 10. SINGER-SONGWRITER: KATH BLOOM, DAN GREENE

• Thursday, June 11. ECLECTIC ACOUSTIC: DR. CATERWAUL’S CADRE OF CLAIRVOYANT CLAPTRAPS & THE CYGNET SISTERS

• Friday, June 12. BLUEGRASS: THE WOOL HATS STRING BAND

• Monday, June 15. SINGER-SONGWRITER: DANIELLE ATE THE SANDWICH, GLUMPUPPET

• Thursday, June 18: SILENT FILM with MUSIC: LIGHT UPON BLIGHT scores “THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI”

• Friday, June 19. BLUEGRASS: RAGWEED

• Wednesday, June 24. BRAZILIAN MUSIC: SAMBELEZA (CD RELEASE SHOW!)

• Friday, June 26. INDIE FOLK: OLIVE TIGER

• Wednesday, July 1. ART SONG: TWINS OF EL DORADO; JAZZ: WORK AND WHY WE DO IT

• Friday, July 17. PIANO POP/PAINTING: POCKET VINYL

• Friday, July 24. SINGER-SONGWRITERS: ANNE MARIE MENTA, SHELLYE VALAUSKAS

• Friday, July 31. SINGER-SONGWRITER: SAMUEL BASS

• Wednesday, Aug. 26. BLUEGRASS: STACY PHILLIPS & HIS BLUEGRASS CHARACTERS

• Wednesday, Sept. 30. SINGER-SONGWRITER: ANGELA EASTERLING

 

May 27, 2015 by Leave a Comment
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Music: Electric jazz with Nick Di Maria and WiRED on Fri., Mar. 6, at 8 PM

Nick_Di_Maria_WiRED_WebNick Di Maria and WiRED play the Best Video Performance Space on Friday, Mar. 6. The music starts at 8 PM and the cover is $5.

WiRED is the result when jazz musicians embrace their rock roots. By combining the music of modern and classic jazz with the sounds of Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd and Radiohead, a complete and new sound emerges that grooves, rocks, and swings all at once. Nick Di Maria and WiRED recently recorded “Time Circuit,” an 8 track album of original music that will be presented at Best Video.

WiRED will feature Nick Di Maria on trumpet, Andrew Zwart on electric bass,  Eric Hallenbeck on drums, and a keyboard player to be announced.

Nick Di Maria is a New Haven, CT based trumpeter, composer and educator.

A graduate of Western Connecticut State University, Nick holds a Bachelor’s in Jazz Performance studying under Eddie Henderson, Dave Scott, Jeremy Pelt, Taylor Ho Bynum and Rich Clymer.

Nick began playing music at age 10 and over the years has played in multiple genres from jazz to reggae to classical to punk. In 2001 Nick joined the CT Ska/Punk scene playing with the infamous band, The Flaming Tsunamis. For 5 years Nick was an integral member of the 6 piece band, touring with and  co-writing some of the band’s most famous tunes. Nick appears on 2 of the band’s albums, Focus the Fury and Zombies vs. Robots!

In 2006 upon graduating from college, Nick assembled his first working quartet. From the beginning the band began working the CT jazz scene playing all over the state, including a residency in Newtown in the summer of 2006.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Thursday, Feb. 26. BLUEGRASS: CHURCH SECTS

• Friday, Feb. 27. FUNK/ROCK: HOLIDAY PING

• Monday, Mar. 2. FILM SCREENING: “THE SWIMMER”

• Wednesday, Mar. 4. THEATRICAL READING: “COZY BEACH” by STEVE BELLWOOD

• Thursday, Mar. 5. SINGER-SONGWRITER: THE ANNE MARIE MENTA BAND

• Friday, Mar. 6. JAZZ: NICK DiMARIA WiRED

• Monday, Mar. 9. FILM SCREENING: “GRAN TORINO”

• Wednesday, Mar. 11. ROCK: ROPE, BOP TWEEDIE

• Friday, Mar. 13. BLUEGRASS: THE WOOL HATS STRING BAND

• Monday, Mar. 16. FILM SCREENING: “NOW, VOYAGER”

• Wednesday, Mar. 18. MODERN ROCK SPOKEN WORD SONGSTRESS/INDIE FOLK ROCK: SHADOW & COMPANY

• Thursday, Mar. 19. RAGTIME/BLUES: THE RED HOTS

• Friday, Mar. 20. ALT-COUNTRY: MERCY MEADOWS

• Monday, Mar. 23. FILM SCREENING: “UP IN THE AIR”

• Monday. Mar. 30. FILM SCREENING: “A LATE QUARTET”

• Thursday, April 2. ROCK/POP: THE SHELLYE VALAUSKAS EXPERIENCE

• Friday, April 3. AVANT-GARDE: ZERO DOLLAR

• Thursday, Apr. 9. 150th ANNIVERSARY OF APPOMATTOX/FOLK MUSIC: SHELDON CAMPBELL

• Friday, Apr. 10. ROCK: PARKER’S TANGENT

• Friday, April 17. WPKN BENEFIT

• Thursday, Apr. 23. ECLECTIC ACOUSTIC MUSIC: PRESTER JOHN featuring SHAWN PERSINGER & DAVID MILLER

• Friday, May 1. FILM FEST: “A DARK ROOM”

• Wednesday, Aug. 26. BLUEGRASS: STACY PHILLIPS & HIS BLUEGRASS CHARACTERS

 

February 24, 2015 by Leave a Comment
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Mark Your Calendar: Best Video fundraiser on Sun., June 29, from 3—6 PM (UPDATED 6/27—Silent Art Auction, Performers, Premiums for Larger Donations)

Fundraiser_color_alt version_rev_062714_WebUPDATED 6/27: Silent art auction! Details below.

UPDATED 6/26: Premiums for different donation levels posted!

UPDATE 6/23: Performers names and times posted below!

Best Video is holding a fundraiser on Sunday afternoon, June 29, from 3—6 PM to help defray the costs of our renovations. Donation levels for attending are Friend ($25 and up), Patron ($50 and up), Movie Star ($100 and up), Oscar Winner ($500 and up) and Mogul ($1,000 and up)There will be special premiums for Patron, Movie Star, Oscar Winner and Mogul donors.

Patron donors ($50) will receive one monthly free rental for a year as well as a Best Video coffee mug. For the Movie Stars among you ($100 donation), expect the monthly free rental, the coffee mug and a Best Video t-shirt. Oscar Winners get the mug and t-shirt as well as two free movies per week for a year. If you’re a Mogul, you’re entitled to the mug, the t-shirt and four free movies per week for a year.

The event will feature music, delicious snacks (from baker Carol Merriman, renowned New Haven restaurant Caseus and others). The store may be closed during the event, which will be a fun time where members and supporters of the store can relax, chat, network and enjoy the music. Let’s all celebrate the continued vitality of our contribution to the local cultural community. And learn more about our plans for expanded programming in our beautiful new Performance Space.

Cellist Ravenna Michalsen will perform works from the English/Scottis/Irish cello canon from 3:05—3:30 PM with accompaniment by cellist Lynne Bonnett. Brazilian music with jazz inflections will be offered from 3:50—4:15 by bassist Jeff Fuller and guitarist Joe Carter. Local singer-songwriter and proponent of Local Bands on WPLR-FM James Velvet takes a turn from 4:35—5 PM, joined by his guitar-playing compatriot Johnny Memphis. And from 5:20—5:45 PM, trumpeter Nick Di Maria will offer up some swinging modern jazz sounds with his quintet.

There will also be a silent art auction as part of this event. Among the respected local artists and photographers who have donated or will be donating works are Gerald Saladyga, Marjorie Wolfe, Keith Johnson, Christopher Mir, Steven DiGiovanni, William McCarthy, Nancy Eisenfeld, Tony Juliano, Graham Honaker and Best Video owner Hank Paper.

Make your reservation in advance at the store or by phone (203-287-9286) or contribute at the door on June 29.

If you want to contribute but can’t make it on Sunday, you can still support us! You can drop by the store and contribute, or call and use a card (203-287-9286) or send a check to Best Video, Attention: Best Video Fundraiser, 1842 Whitney Ave., Hamden, CT 06517.

Enlist your neighbors and encourage your friends to sign up for our email list at our BestVideo.com Web site or at the front counter in the store.

Stay tuned for more details!

June 26, 2014 by Leave a Comment
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Music: Nick Di Maria, Kitchen Sink to play “electric era” Miles Davis jazz Wed., Dec. 18, at 8 PM

Nick_Di_Maria_BV_081413_WebThe Kitchen Sink, led by trumpeter Nick Di Maria, play the Best Video Performance Space on Wed., Dec. 18. The music starts at 8 PM and the cover is $5.

Nick Di Maria has been performing his original music for the last 6 years all over the northeast. His music can be described as electro-acoustic, combining acoustic swing with modern back beats and moods. After the release of his 3rd album, Di Maria wanted to create a side project that played the music of jazz’s subculture. The result was adding an extra keyboardist and reed player to his normal quartet, “everything but the kitchen sink.”

The Kitchen Sink is comprised of some of the hardest working jazz musicians in Connecticut. Under the direction of Trumpeter Nick Di Maria, The Kitchen Sink plays the music of electric era jazz such as Miles Davis’s “Bitches Brew” and Herbie Hancock’s “Mwandishi” and “Head Hunters” albums. The band creates sublime grooves and improvisations over a full stereo effect with the use of two keyboardists, joined by the unusual frontline of bass clarinet and trumpet.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Wednesday, Dec. 11. WORLD MUSIC/FOLK: DR. CATERWAUL’S CADRE OF CLAIRVOYANT CLAPTRAPS

• Thursday, Dec. 12. JAZZ: DAVID CHEVAN

• Wednesday, Dec. 18. JAZZ: THE KITCHEN SINK with NICK Di MARIA

• Thursday, Dec. 19. PUNK ROCK: STARK RAVING LULU

• Thursday, Jan. 9. SINGER-SONGWRITER: SOLIN

• Thursday, Jan. 23. SINGER-SONGWRITER: ILANA ZSIGMOND

• Thursday, Feb. 20. BLUEGRASS: 5 IN THE CHAMBER

December 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
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Music: Jazz by Nick Di Maria Thurs., Aug. 15, at 8 PM

Nick_Di_Maria_BV_WebNick Di Maria brings his jazz group to the Best Video Performance Space for a return engagement on Thursday, Aug. 15. The music starts at 8 PM and the cover is $5.

Nick Di Maria is a New Haven, CT based trumpeter, composer and educator.

A graduate of Western Connecticut State University, Nick holds a Bachelor’s in Jazz Performance studying under Eddie Henderson, Dave Scott, Jeremy Pelt, Taylor Ho Bynum and Rich Clymer.

Nick began playing music at age 10 and over the years has played in multiple genres from jazz to reggae to classical to punk. In 2001 Nick joined the CT Ska/Punk scene playing with the infamous band, The Flaming Tsunamis. For 5 years Nick was an integral member of the 6 piece band, touring with and  co-writing some of the band’s most famous tunes. Nick appears on 2 of the band’s albums, Focus the Fury and Zombies vs. Robots!

In 2006 upon graduating from college, Nick assembled his first working quartet. From the beginning the band began working the CT jazz scene playing all over the state, including a residency in Newtown in the summer of 2006.

In 2008, after some personnel changes, Nick assembled his current line up. A group that has been working not only CT but NYC as well. The music of Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi group was very influential in the creative sound of this current group. Nick began composing in the style of the band, using electronic and avant garde influences in his writing and sound. The band released their first album in May 2011 entitled Between You & Me to positive reviews.

UPCOMING PERFORMANCE SPACE EVENTS:

• Wednesday, Aug. 14. GARAGE ROCK/PUNK: THE ESTROGEN HIGHS

• Thursday, Aug. 15. JAZZ: THE NICK Di MARIA QUARTET

• Monday, Aug. 19. FILM SCREENING: “THE WAR WITHIN”

• Thursday, Aug. 22. MULTI-MEDIA: HAPPENING/NOW

• Monday, Aug. 26. FILM SCREENING: “THE OTHER SON”

• Thursday, Aug. 29. SOLO POP: SOLIN

• Thursday, Sept. 26. WEST INDIAN MUSIC: LUKE RODNEY

August 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment
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