www.thepaislies.com

<body leftmargin="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" topmargin="0"> THE PAISLIES SAMIR ZARIF - soprano and tenor saxophone JESSE LEWIS - guitar ELIOT CARDINAUX- nord electro 2 and organ MIRO SPRAGUE - piano PERRY WORTMAN - bass PAUL WILTGEN - drums THE PAISLIES is a group (usually a sextet) of young innovative writers and improvisers in New York City. THE PAISLIES play their own music, mostly instrumental, but also songs that include lyrics and vocals. The unusual combination of two keyboard instruments (piano and nord electro 2) together with electric and acoustic guitars gives the band its very special, warm and interesting sound. THE PAISLIES have played concerts in New York City and have also toured in Europe during the summer of 2005, where they played in Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands. In August 2005, the band recorded its first instrumental album at Acoustic Recording in Brooklyn, New York, which will be released fall 2006. <b>PAUL WILTGEN</b> was born in Luxembourg and started playing cello at the age of 6 and classical percussion at the age of 8 at the Conservatoire d'Esch/Alzette, where he also studied music theory, classical harmony and chamber music. By the age of 14, he began focusing more on playing drums, which got him in touch with Jazz. He played percussion in the Conservatoire's Brass Band as well as drums in the school's Jazz Orchestra under the leader Ernie Hammes. He participated in several jazz workshops in Germany, England, France, and the United States. In 2001, Paul was accepted into the studio of acclaimed jazz drummer John Riley at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. He received his bachelor's degree in May 2004 and his Master's degree in May 2006. In March 2005, Paul started studying Indian Music (Tabla) with Pandit Samir Chatterjee. In November 2002, Paul won 2nd Prize in an international PAS competition for drumset in Paris. Paul performed with Pierre-Alain Goualch, Jean-Luc Mioti, Daniel Yvinec (F), Sal LaRocca, Erwin Vann (B), Frank Spaniol (Ger), Claudio Fasoli (I), Ernie Hammes, David Laborier (Lux), Franz von Chossy (NL), Pete Robbins, Donny McCaslin, Ambrose Akinmusire, Walter Smith III, Massimo Biolcati, Patrick Cornelius (USA). <b>SAMIR W. ZARIF</b> - tenor and soprano saxophonist from Houston, Texas started his professional career in New Orleans, Louisiana. During his residence in New Orleans, Samir Zarif quickly became a prominent member of the New Orleans jazz scene performing with several world-reknowned musicians as well as those up-and-coming. Among many groups in New Orleans, Zarif was a member of New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, the Jason Marsalis Quintet, and played frequently with other artists like Nicholas Payton, Ellis Marsalis and Terrance Blanchard. Samir Zarif is also known for his many recordings such as Jill Scott's "Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2" and "Strange Fruit" a recording he did with the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. Now in New York City, Zarif is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music has performed with the Lars Dietrich Quintet and the Phil Yoon Trio/Quartet. <b>JESSE LEWIS</b>, guitarist, a native of Boston, began playing the cello at the age of 5. While in high school he became interested in jazz and began studying the guitar. His love of jazz music brought him to New Orleans where he attended Loyola University and the University of New Orleans. It was there that Lewis began his career as a professional musician. In 2001 he released his first album "Jesse Lewis Union" to critical acclaim on Lakefront Digital Records. In 2002 he moved to New York City where he completed his studies in Jazz Guitar at the Manhattan School of Music. He has performed all over the world and has shared the stage with jazz greats such as Nicholas Payton, Ellis Marsalis, Chris Potter, Jason Marsalis, Kenny Wollenson, Johnny Vidacovich, Joel Frahm, Donny McCastlin, Matt Wilson, Dave Binney, Mark Turner, and Stanton Moore. Lewis is active as a performer, teacher, clinician and recording artist in New York City. <b>ELIOT CARDINAUX</b> was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1984. He studied classical piano from 1992-96, but never took too deep an interest in it. In 2000, he began playing jazz and progressed much more quickly than he ever had playing classical. In the fall of 2003, he began attending the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. He remains there today, practicing, composing and playing with various groups around the city, including David Binney's Balance and Pete Robbins' Centric <b>MIRO SPRAGUE</b> is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He was honored in the 2002, 2003, and 2004 Downbeat magazine's national student music awards with prizes for composition and performance. In 2003 his trio received Downbeat's 'Best Jazz Group' award. Miro has also won awards at many jazz festivals, including the Berklee Jazz Festival, where his trio was awarded a first prize, and Miro received an Outstanding Musician Award two years in a row. Miro has performed in a variety of venues throughout New England including the Iron Horse, The Vermont Jazz Center, Club Helsinki and many others. He has also performed at the prestigious International Association of Jazz Educators conference in New York City, and is in demand as an accompanist for jazz singers, accompanying Kim Nazarian of the New York Voices and Eveline Harris formerly of Sweet Honey in the Rock. Miro has two recordings, 'Trio Mission', and 'Midnight'. Miro is also featured on several other albums as a sideman (Philip Dizack, Fresh Sounds). Miro is currently playing with singer Sonya Kitchell, touring the United States, Europe and Japan, including appearances on US national television. Miro received a full scholarship to Manhattan School of Music in 2003, where he is currently studying jazz piano with renowned pianist and educator, Garry Dial. <b>W. PERRY WORTMAN</b> was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and began playing double bass at the age of 13. Throughout middle and high school, Perry received numerous awards for excellence in both jazz and classical music. While residing in the Oklahoma City area, Perry had the opportunity to play with many of the great musicians who passed through the region including Jon Faddis, Wynton Marsalis, Byron Stripling, Dave Pietro, Randy Johnston, Mark Elf, and Anne Hampton Calloway. Perry has worked on a regular basis with New York guitarist Freddie Bryant in his group Kaleidescope. After receiving encouragement from Freddie, Perry made the decision to move to New York in 2002. He is currently attending Manhattan School of Music's Jazz Program, and is studying under the tutelage of world-renowned bassist and composer Jay Anderson. Monday, October 16, 2006 Rockwood Music Hall (NYC) 11pm, no cover <a href="http://www.rockwoodmusichall.com" target="_blank"><font color="#CC66FF"><u>www.rockwoodmusichall.com</u></font></a> Wednesday, November 8, 2006 The Bowery Poetry Club (NYC) 10pm, $6 <a href="http://www.bowerypoetry.com" target="_blank"><font color="#CC66FF"><u>www.bowerypoetry.com</u></font></a> Sunday, November 19, 2006 Manhattan School of Music (NYC) (Greenfield Hall) Concert for Darfur 4pm, free <a href="http://www.msmnyc.edu" target="_blank"><font color="#CC66FF"><u>www.msmnyc.edu</u></font></a> Wednesday, December 20, 2006 Rockwood Music Hall (NYC) 11pm, no cover <a href="http://www.rockwoodmusichall.com" target="_blank"><font color="#CC66FF"><u>www.rockwoodmusichall.com</u></font></a> Wednesday, May 16, 2007 L'Inoui (Luxembourg, Europe) 8pm, 20 Euros Cover <a href="http://www.inoui.lu" target="_blank"><font color="#CC66FF"><u>www.inoui.lu</u></font></a> Thursday, May 17, 2007 L'Inoui (Luxembourg, Europe) <a href="http://www.inoui.lu" target="_blank"><font color="#CC66FF"><u>www.inoui.lu</u></font></a> Friday, May 18, 2007 L'Inoui (Luxembourg, Europe) <a href="http://www.inoui.lu" target="_blank"><font color="#CC66FF"><u>www.inoui.lu</u></font></a> <a href="http://www.mirosprague.com" target="_blank"><font color="#CC66FF"><u>www.mirosprague.com</u></font></a> <a href="http://www.myspace.com/paulwiltgen" target="_blank"><font color="#CC66FF"><u>www.myspace.com/paulwiltgen</u></font></a> <a href="http://www.myspace.com/eliotcardinaux" target="_blank"><font color="#CC66FF"><u>www.myspace.com/eliotcardinaux</u></font></a> <a href="http://www.myspace.com/samirzarif" target="_blank"><font color="#CC66FF"><u>www.myspace.com/samirzarif</u></font></a> <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jesselewismusic" target="_blank"><font color="#CC66FF"><u>www.myspace.com/jesselewismusic</u></font></a> <a href="http://www.aestheticize.com.com" target="_blank"><font color="#CC66FF"><u>www.aestheticize.com</u></font></a> </body>