Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchrstra

SHOWTIMES: 10:00 PM & 11:30 PM

The Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra is a group of jazz artists that have come together to facilitate and explore the bond that exists between musicians from many different countries. The Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra’s latest CD is Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.

Originally known as the “International Core-tet”, the group was made up of trumpeter Bill Warfield and saxophonist Glenn Cashman from the U.S., saxophonist Jens “Chappe” Jensen from Denmark and from the Czech Republic, guitarist Libor Smoldas and keyboardist Jakub Zomer. Bill and Jakub met each other in the summer of 2012, while they were working together in Graz, Austria. An invitation by Jakub led Bill to Prague a few weeks later  where he met Libor Smoldas. The three worked together for a week and found a real  “magic” in the music they played. Between gigs and sets they discussed the idea of  forming a core group to continue the transcendent experience they had that week.

They made plans to travel together, bringing their mutual love of the music to other countries, including musicians from wherever they went to complete the group. Bill and Jens “Chappe” Jensen met when international saxophone icon  Dave Liebman performed a show in Arhus, Denmark, entitled “Le Jazz Hot”, composed, arranged and conducted by Bill. Chappe had arranged Lieb’s appearance. While rehearsing the Kluver’s Jazz Orchestra of which “Chappe” was a member, Bill and he made plans for Bill’s to return following year to compose and conduct a show specifically written for the Danish group. That was the beginning of their collaborations.

With the inclusion of Jens, the group now represented three countries and performed as the Core-tet in the US in the winter of 2015.  Joining them for that tour were three mainstays of the New York Jazz scene: tenor saxophonist Glenn Cashman, bassist Steve Count and percussionist Scott Neumann. This is their first recording on this label. The group will continue touring in Europe in the spring and summer 2015.

The Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra performs compositions born of the genres of funk, contemporary and Latin Jazz while embracing the varied backgrounds and experiences of its members. Audiences are treated to high-powered contemporary music that communicates, transcends and inspires. We are excited to be embarking on this journey and hope that you will join us in the coming year and to many unspecified dates in the future.