Andy Milne & Dapp Theory

Dapp  Theory is a quintet that intersects the cross roads between lyrical  jazz piano, funkified polyrhythmic exploration, and spoken word  poeticism. Leader, pianist/composer Andy Milne has been a dynamic voice  on the New York scene, leading diverse projects for more than 20 years.  He formed the band in 1998 as a vehicle to “tell passionate stories,  promote peace and inspire collective responsibility towards uplifting  the human spiritual condition.” Dapp Theory seamlessly navigates the  lines between jazz, heavy metal, hip-hop, Appalachian folk and classical  music. They have built a loyal following, performing concerts, clubs  and festivals throughout North America, Europe, and Argentina, including  appearances at The Montreux Jazz Festival, The Vancouver Jazz Festival  and The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival. With Dapp Theory, Milne combines  the talents of percussive poet John Moon, saxophonist Aaron Kruziki,  bassist Chris Tordini and drummer Kenny Grohowski, helping to re-draw  and extend the boundaries of jazz. Milne’s latest project The  Seasons of Being, a 10-piece ensemble featuring Dapp Theory and five  distinguished guest improvisers, premiered in 2015 at Millersville  University and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Commissioned by Chamber Music  America, the music explores the body, spirit and mind on music,  channeling the diagnostic principles of homeopathic healing to captivate  the emotional characterization of each improvising musician. The  recording of this special project will be released on Sunnyside Records  in 2017. It follows the dynamic 2014 release Forward in all Directions,  produced by multi-Grammy winner Jimmy Haslip. Jazziz Magazine describes  it as “an album that brims with both emphatic and implied elements.  Forward, yes, but never simply forward in a neat, linear fashion.” The  band’s discography also includes the 2008 release, Layers of Chance and  the critically acclaimed 2003 Concord Records release, Y’all Just Don’t  Know, which included an ambitious collaboration with folk-rock icon  Bruce Cockburn. Musician Bios Pianist/keyboardist Andy  Milne recorded and toured throughout the world with Ravi Coltrane, Ralph  Alessi, Carlos Ward and Carla Cook, and has collaborated with a range  of artists including Andrew Cyrille, Sekou Sundiata, Avery Brooks, Bruce  Cockburn, Fred Hersch, Ben Monder, Dianne Reeves, Jen Shyu, Tyshawn  Sorey and Jamie Baum. During the 1990s, Milne was at the center of the  M-BASE Collective as a core member of saxophonist Steve Coleman’s bands,  as well as performing with Cassandra Wilson and Greg Osby. Milne  composed and produced the scores for seven documentary films by  acclaimed director William Shatner and has released nine recordings as a  leader or co-leader. He is the recipient of numerous awards and  commissions, including the prestigious Civitella Fellowship. A fearless  versatile explorer, Milne collaborates with dancers, visual artists,  poets and musicians spanning jazz, classical, pop, folk, and world  music. In addition to his multiple projects, Milne is a sought after  educator, balancing teaching positions at The New School, New York  University, Columbia University and is the Assistant-Director at The  School for Improvisational Music. Milne draws inspiration from politics,  philosophy, homeopathy, comedy, and science fiction, with musical  influences that bridge Thelonious Monk, Art Tatum, Herbie Nichols, Bela  Bartok, Joni Mitchell and Stevie Wonder. Multi-reedman Aaron  Kruziki is an improvising chamber musician, crossing between the musical  worlds of Olivier Messiaen and Ornette Coleman, equal parts written and  improvised. Kruziki switches effortlessly between bass clarinet,  soprano saxophone, clarinet, alto saxophone and duduk. Kruziki has been  based in Astoria, NY since 2009 after receiving a master’s degree from  New England Conservatory. He splits his time working for Steinway  & Sons and leading the experimental electro-acoustic trio  Self-Imposed Exile as well as the Bowie-inspired rock group Education  Reform. Kruziki has toured throughout North Africa with violinist  Armenuhi Kehkeyan, as well as throughout Europe and Brazil. He moves  fluidly between woodwinds, keyboards and vocals, performing in genres  ranging from avante-pop, rock Armenian Folk and jazz. Vocalist/percussive  poet/MC John Moon uses sound and visuals to change the way people  interpret what they hear. Moon comes from the hip-hop tradition of  emceeing, but is equally inspired by Amiri Baraka, Eric Dolphy, Jean  Michel Basquiat, Salvador Dali and Ornette Coleman. He spits rhymes of  collage; half painter, half poet. A graduate of DC’s Duke Ellington High  School for the Arts, Moon has shared his experiments with sound in  performance with the Free Style Union, Amphibians Collective and the  Avant-God Vi_lence. He regards the “current state of despair in the  world” as his ultimate inspiration for creating beauty in the world. Chris  Tordini is an in-demand bassist on New York’s jazz and experimental  music scenes. He has toured and recorded with Dapp Theory for a decade,  and has also played in bands led by renowned artists such as Greg Osby  and Jeremy Pelt. Tordini plays often with drummer Ari Hoenig, Becca  Stevens Band, and in projects led by Tyshawn Sorey and Michael Dessen.  Since graduating from the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music,  Tordini has performed and recorded with prominent bandleaders such as  Steve Lehman, Theo Bleckmann, Billy Hart, Okkyung Lee, Tigran Hamasyan,  Erik Friedlander, Jo-Yu Chen, Mike Pinto, Logan Richardson, Andrew  D'Angelo, Jim Black, Chris Speed, and John Hollenbeck. Drummer  Kenny Grohowski grew up in a musical household and has been performing  professionally since the age of 14. Based in Brooklyn, he was raised in  Miami and studied at the New World School of The Arts before  transitioning to The New School For Jazz & Contemporary Music  where he graduated with a BFA in Jazz Performance. His rich musical  background is demonstrated through his growing list of collaborators,  including John Zorn, Lonnie Plaxico, Rez Abbasi, Imperial Triumphant,  Felix Pastorius, Secret Chiefs 3, John Medeski, Richie Ray &  Bobby Cruz, Jorge Sylvester, and many others, ranging from Metal to  Classical, Jazz to Afro Caribbean, and beyond. He performed during the  2007 Latin Grammy Awards with the award-winning group RBD and currently  tours and records with Shanir Blumenkranz ABRAXAS, featuring the music  of John Zorn Grohowski is currently completing a solo CD, blending  influences ranging from Weather Report, Allan Holdsworth, Meshuggah,  Miles Davis, Gonzalo Rubalcaba NS Brand X.