• The Brooklyn-based "gifted alto saxophonist and composer with the gorgeous tone" (JAZZTIMES) has found a voice within a variety of projects, including the Grammy nominated Either/Orchestra, throughout his critically-acclaimed albums for Sunnyside Records (NYC) and Fresh Sound New Talent (Barcelona), and on over 20 recordings as a sideman. His PLAINVILLE project "openly embraces the rock, folk, and country sounds he heard in his youth" (DOWNBEAT, 4 stars), recently producing "one of the year’s most slyly inviting jazz albums” (NY TIMES). Udden has performed with Bob Brookmeyer, Steve Lacy, Gunther Schuller, Matt Wilson, Andrew D'Angelo's DNA Band, and "Ethio-Jazz" legend Mulatu Astatke, among many others, in Europe, China, Africa, and around the US.

  • LATEST NEWS…

cd release party! february 7th @ cornelia st. cafe, w. brandon seabrook (banjo), jeremy stratton (bass), kenny wollesen (drums)

I am happy to announce the release of my fourth album as a leader, Folk Art.  The record primarily features the above quartet augmented by two solo guitar pieces (played by Will Graefe and Nathan Blehar) and two pieces by my regular group, Plainville.
You can read an early review of the record here, or purchase it at itunes.
Reservations are recommended, and can be made at (212)989-9319.  Info at corneliastreetcafe.com.

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french-American jazz exchange!

Hi Folks,

I am thrilled and honored to officially announce that I am one of the recipients of the 2012-2013 French-American Jazz Exchange.  FAJE is dedicated to furthering the creative and professional development of jazz artists from France and the United States through the interchange of artistic practice and exposure to new constituencies.  FAJE is made possible through the generous support of Cultural Services of the French EmbassyDoris Duke Charitable Foundation, Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs de Musique (SACEM), Florence Gould Foundation and InstitutFrançais.
I am thrilled to be collaborating with Parisian bassist/composer Nicolas Moreaux, on a composition and recording project in Paris, with an exiting pedagogical element as well.

More info to come about related gigs, clinics, and recordings!

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Paris/Boston/Maine and Tendinitis

Busy summer so far.  Wonderful gigs were had and a new project formed in Paris with the great bassist and composer, Nico Moreaux.  I will return to Paris in March to continue the project, which will include RJ Miller, my old friend Robert Stillman on saxophone (now living in England), and my new friend – the amazing Pierre Perchaud on guitar.  Think Jimmy Giuffre meets Yann Tiersann – we’re all writing new material already!

I flew directly from Paris to Boston, where I drove straight to the Maine Jazz Camp to immediately give auditions, eat dinner, rehearse, and give the first of five faculty concerts (all on 4 hours sleep on the Arlanda Airport floor).  For a week I was lucky enough to share the stage nightly with Frank Carlberg (piano), Pete McCann (guitar), Pascal Niggenkemper (bass), Mike Sarin (drums), and Christine Correa (voice).  As is the tradition at MJC, a different faculty member leads the band through their music each night.  It was great to hear some of my Plainville and Folk Art music played by this crew of such high-caliber musicians.

From Maine I spent a few days in Boston with my folks, during which time I heard a couple of live shows featuring two of my most influential saxophone teachers – George Garzone with the Fringe, and Allan Chase with Joe Morris, Luther Gray, and Steve Lantner.  Both shows were amazing and they made me feel grounded.  It’s comforting to know that improvised music is alive and well in Boston.

From there it was back to Brooklyn for two weeks of composing, practicing, and some rehearsals.  Unfortunately the wind was taken out of my sails by a bout of tendinitis.  I’ve been dealing with this off and on for 15 years now – no joke.  I am determined to take care of it once and for all, so I have enrolled in Alexander Technique lessons, and maintained a pretty strict regimen of Qi Gong, Yoga, and running.  If anyone has any advice, please let me know.

Took a week off and now I’m slowly getting back into playing.  Writing for a Plainville gig in September and a duo with Mike Baggetta in October.  New record coming out soon on Fresh Sound, and gigs coming up with John Mcneil, Ben Monder, and others.

More on that later….

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Plainville music in Paris

Returning to Paris to play two nights of Plainville music with my good friend, the great bassist Nico Moreaux.

July 6th L’ Improviste.

July 7th at Le Baiser Salé.

Come out if you are in town!

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plainville @ 92y tribeca – saturday march 24th

We’re very excited to playing 92Y Tribeca next Saturday.  Hope to see you there.  Here’s the deets:

9pm Bobby Avey Quartet.

10pm Noah Garabedian’s Big Butter & Egg Man

11pm Plainville

“Plainville” continues to support their Sunnyside release If The Past Seems So Bright, rated one of the “Best CD’s of 2011″ by DOWNBEAT magazine, and considered “one of the year’s most slyly inviting jazz albums.” (Nate Chinen, NEW YORK TIMES).

The group will feature Udden on saxophone and EWI triggered Prophet synth, Pete Rende (piano/pump organ), Ryan Scott (guitar/voice), RJ Miller (drums), and guests Mike Baggetta (banjo/guitar) and Garth Stevenson (bass).

Doors at 8, show starts at 9pm.

Tickets $10 advanced/$12 at the door.

200 Hudson St. (below Canal) NYC

http://www.92y.org/Tribeca/Music/Music-Programs

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