Club D’elf Takes Manhattan

Do you live in New York? Do you like kickass shows with special guests and great improvisation? And, perhaps most importantly, do you enjoy free shows? If so, listen up, bitches.

Boston-based Club D’elf kicked off its month-long stay in TriBeCa the other night, and the band has announced it will play at least one 90-minute set in the Tap Bar of the Knitting Factory every Wednesday night for the remainder of August.

Club D’elf, a fluid ensemble centered around world-class bassist Mike Rivard, plays improvised instrumentals that blur the boundaries between jazz, electronika and about 42 other musical styles. The kick-off show this week featured special guest keyboardist John Medeski — a personal musical hero of mine — who joined Alain Mallet to make history: This marked the first Club D’elf show ever to feature two keyboard players at the same time.

About 50 people showed up for the free show, a number I’d expect to rise as word of their stellar performance spreads. They even came back to the stage after a brief setbreak, just because they enjoyed playing together. This group puts on quite a show, you don’t want to miss out on the fun. Also, rumor has it my current man-crush Marco Benevento will join Club D’elf on keys next week, but I can’t confirm that at this time.

Either way, if you live anywhere around Manhattan, make it your beeswax to get down to the Knit next Wednesday. And the Wednesday after that. And the Wednesday after that. ‘Til it ends. These are fantastic musicians at the top of their game…Be there.