Sexmob

Laurie Anderson's bandmates from the "Let X = X" project and leading figures of New York's downtown jazz scene return to Prague!

The Sexmob quartet was founded in 1996 by trumpeter Steven Bernstein and saxophonist Briggan Krauss (John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, Butch Morris, Marc Ribot, Anohni, Medeski, Martin and Wood, U2, ... ), bassist Tony Scherr (John Scofield, Bill Frisell, The Lounge Lizards, Woody Herman, Chris Brown, ...) and drummer Kenny Wollesen (Tom Waits, Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, John Lurie, Myra Melford, Sean Lennon, New Klezmer Trio, ...). The band's sets are usually full of cover versions of well-known pop songs, which receive a humorous and avant-garde treatment from the band. Bernstein points out that this is a return to the basic jazz tradition - the band takes a familiar song, breaks it down and reassembles it. The band's unique interpretive abilities are confirmed by the fact that Sexmob was Laurie Anderson's backing band on a tour from 2023-2024, one stop of which was Prague. Sexmob also play on her latest album, Amelia (2024).

Bernstein grew up in California under the influence of jazzmen like Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, and Roland Kirk. Since 1990, he has played with the Lounge Lizards, regularly performing at the legendary Knitting Factory. A turning point in his career came when he discovered a rare version of the slide trumpet in a Woodstock musical instrument store, which allows for a smooth pitch change similar to a trombone. The unique possibilities of the instrument, along with the original arranger's thinking, are the main reasons why his cover versions sound so surprising.

Few others can take a well-known melody, disassemble it into its first elements and reassemble it into a completely new form. The choice of songs plays an equally important role, Bernstein deliberately avoids overworked evergreens and jazz standards and seeks out previously undiscovered gems from the repertoire of Prince (Darling Nikki), Paul McCartney (Live and Let Die), the Rolling Stones (Ruby Tuesday), or tunes from famous films - including Federico Fellini and James Bond. "Many jazz greats, including Lester Young, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis, became famous this way early in their careers. They played songs that everyone knew, but they reimagined them in their own image."

As an arranger or studio player, he is one of the most sought-after artists, and the list of musicians he has worked with would fill several pages - the most notable being Antony And The Johnsons, Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed, Marianne Faithfull, Bill Frisell, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Laurie Anderson. While previous albums have featured Bernstein primarily as a trumpeter and arranger of covers, the last two albums, Cultural Capital (2017) and The Hard Way (2023), are self-composed.

Steven Bernstein – Slide Trumpet

Briggan Krauss – Saxophones

Tony Scherr – Bass

Kenny Wollesen – Drums, Percussion

Admission: seating CZK 900, standing CZK 500. There is no need to reserve a seat when purchasing a seating ticket. To reserve a specific seat, please write your request in the notes when purchasing your ticket. Fulfillment of your request cannot be guaranteed. No club discounts. Thank you for understanding.

Band website: www.stevenbernstein.net