Makor’s portion of the NYGF kicks off with Vancouver-based guitar and fiddle duo Jesse Zubot and Steve Dawson (pictured) playing a style they call “Strang”—a layered, postmodern version of roots music drawn from a variety of influences. Next on tap is Bryce Dessner, who leads a new experimental guitar quartet in world premieres by Steven Mackey, Paul Lansky, Scott Johnson, Van Stiefel, Rami Vamos, and himself. New York’s own Jesse Harris is a regular songwriter and guitarist for jazz vocalist Norah Jones, and here he leads his own group The Ferdinandos, which features a number of downtown regulars, including Kenny Wollesen on drums, Jesse Murphy on bass and Tony Scherr on guitar. Wrapping up the Makor programs is Oren Bloedow, who’s better known as the inventive axe behind New York cult bands Elysian Fields and the Lounge Lizards. He’s also a heartfelt songwriter with a gift for intelligent, thought-provoking lyrics.

About the Artists

Zubot and Dawson are an exciting and original new instrumental group that have taken the acoustic music scene by storm. While Steve Dawson and Jesse Zubot tip their hats to the roots that influenced them, the final result is a truly fresh and unique sound.
Their debut release "Strang":, earned high critical praise for both production and performance. It was nominated for a Juno as well as a West Coast Music Award in 1999. Their new album, "Tractor Parts", finds the group playing with a more adventurous sound. It has earned stellar reviews from the Canadian and international press and Zubot and Dawson have become a popular festival and concert draw. They perform as a quartet in concert: Steve Dawson on slide guitar, Weissenborn Hawaiian guitar, Dobro, and acoustic guitar. Jesse Zubot on fiddle and mandolin. Marlow Holder on bass guitar. Elliot Polsky on percussion. More about Zubot and Dawson

Bryce Dessner

Jesse Harris is a singer/songwriter from New York City. Formerly he co-led the group Once Blue as guitarist & principal songwriter, releasing one album on EMI Records. He now leads The Ferdinandos, which features some of downtown New York's best musicians: Kenny Wollesen on drums, Jesse Murphy on bass and Tony Scherr on guitar. Among them they work with Bill Frisell, Tom Waits, John Scofield, The Lounge Lizards, Sex Mob and many others. Their self-titled debut was produced and recorded by ex-Rollins Band drummer, Sim Cain. Their latest cd, "Crooked Lines", was recorded by Tony Scherr at his apartment in Brooklyn. It features 17 new songs. Many of Jesse's songs have been recorded by other artists such as Norah Jones (Blue Note) and Rebecca Martin. Jesse Harris and the Ferdinandos perform regularly in New York City at The Living Room, Tonic, Fez and The Knitting Factory. More about Jesse Harris

Oren Bloedow first gained renown in the New York downtown music scene as the bassist for John Lurie's Lounge Lizards and as a member of Samm Bennett's Chunk. A highly musical, understated bass player, Bloedow was an essential member of the early-90s Lounge Lizards, which had evolved from a post-punk non-jazz prank into a cohesive band carefully chosen by Lurie as an outlet for his rich musical vision. Along with his work as an instrumentalist, as best displayed on the Lounge Lizards Live in Berlin Volumes 1 and 2, Bloedow also revealed his penchant for songwriting on his quirky eponymous solo debut in 1993. Here, Bloedow showcased his distinct bass playing, sincere vocals and oddball lyrics with a full band of downtown musicians including guitarist Danny Blume and guest pianist/organist John Medeski. More rooted in the straight pop tradition was Bleed Your Cedar, the full length debut from Bloedow's band Elysian Fields with co-leader/singer Jennifer Charles. Released in 1996, Bloedow played guitar on and co-produced the album with keyboardist Ed Pastorini. A frequent live performer in New York, Bloedow has played guitar in the studio and on stage for artists including Dog's Eye View, Brenda Kahn and Chocolate Genius. In 1998 Bloedow released his second solo album, The Luckiest Boy in the World, on which the popular organ trio Medeski, Martin and Wood served as his backing band. Mar Enfortuna followed three years later.