Back to All Events

Peter Apfelbaum and Josh Jones

Piedmont Piano Company is pleased to present

Peter Apfelbaum and Josh Jones

Peter & Josh by Sibila Savage.jpg

Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist / composer Peter Apfelbaum, known as leader of the New York Hieroglyphics and SPARKLER and for his work with Don Cherry, Omar Sosa, Dafnis Prieto, Bill Laswell and others, appears in duet with longtime colleague drummer / percussionist Josh Jones. Apfelbaum's polyrhythmic approach to the piano - rooted in West African music, Gospel music and Jazz - is highlighted in combination with Jones's mastery of Afro-Cuban rhythms.


$20 General Admission


Born in Berkeley, multi-instrumentalist/composer Peter Apfelbaum has been an influential figure in jazz for over two decades. He is known as leader of the Hieroglyphics Ensemble which he formed in 1977 with fellow Berkeley High School classmates. The band, which began to receive international praise in the 1980's for its polyrhythmic mix of elements of world music with the aesthetic of the jazz avant-garde, established Apfelbaum as a composer and helped launch the careers of Joshua Redman, Benny Green, Craig Handy and Steven Bernstein. In the early 1990's the Hieroglyphics recorded two albums for the Antilles label including the Grammy-nominated Signs Of Life. Apfelbaum also served as musical director of legendary trumpeter Don Cherry's Multikulti group from 1989-94. In 1998 Apfelbaum moved to Brooklyn where he formed the New York Hieroglyphics. Combining other New York transplants from the original, Bay Area-based group with more recent collaborators from the city's "downtown" scene, the group released It Is Written (ACT) in 2005. Apfelbaum's music has been performed by, among others, Kamikaze Ground Crew, Harry Belafonte, the Kronos Quartet, and the Trey Anastasio Band. In 2013 he formed SPARKLER, a vocal and electronica-driven sextet which released its debut EP, I Colored It In For You, on MOD Technologies in 2016. His first solo piano album, Song Of The Tree Of Destiny, is due out on the Loove label in the Spring of 2019. peterapfelbaum.net

Drummer and percussionist Josh Jones is recognized internationally from his touring internationally with such jazz greats as Don Cherry, Steve Coleman, Omar Sosa, and Peter Apfelbaum. He currently tours with Jacqui Naylor. Jones's recent recording projects include the soundtrack to the movie La Mission, as well as albums with Larry Coryell, Phil Ranelin, and Jacqui Naylor. Other notable recordings include Yosvany Terry and Columna B, Peter Apfelbaum, Steven Bernstein, Chico Freeman, Arthur Blythe, Tupac Shakur, Goapele, Zion-I, Taj Mahal, Bob Weir, and AfroCuba de Matanzas. Jones continues to perform with his various ensembles at clubs and festivals in the Bay Area and remains an influence on and supporter of jazz in the community. joshjonesdrums.com

Earlier Event: January 4
Redhot & Blue
Later Event: January 19
trioKAIT