The Fay Victor Ensemble

Fay Victor – voice, compositions
Anders Nilsson – guitar
Ken Filiano – bass
Michael ‘TA’ Thompson – drums

Started in 2005, The Fay Victor Ensemble is a voice-guitar-bass-drum unit that performs original material written for the group by Fay Victor and Jochem van Dijk. The music is a sly combination of jazz, rock, free improvisation and modern classical music.The Ensemble’s first recording entitled Cartwheels through the Cosmos was released in January 2007. It was an ambitious and adventurous project that overstepped and redefined the boundaries of what a jazz-singer is. It combined the thoughtfulness of observant lyric-writing, the excitement of improvising, and the structure of solid composing, captivating the listener with cinematic, story-driven pieces. Starting out with the song as the focal point for improvisational excursions , moving now toward suite-like shapes where blurred lines distinguish song forms, free improvisation and musical genres – where melodies pop up and go away again, maybe to return. Maybe not. So 2009 saw the release of The FreeSong Suite, the sophomore release of the FVE incorporating these elements and longer forms. The album went on to receive incredible critical acclaim including Best-of-Year Kudos from The Jazz Session, All About Jazz-NY and a 4th place slot in the prestigious Village Voice Jazz Critic’s Poll for Best Jazz Vocal Record of 2009, the only all original vocal project to do so. You can read reviews here on the DISCOGRAPHY page.

Hear what we do here.

The Jazz Vault Project

Fay Victor-voice
Michael Attias-alto & baritone sax
Anders Nilsson-guitar
Jose Davila-tuba

The Jazz Vault Group is a chamber/Dixieland combo with guitar, reeds, tuba and voice for the instrumentation.  The mostly jazz repertory material is focused on  modern jazz masters such as Jackie McLean, Eric Dolphy, Herbie Nichols, Charles Mingus and Thelonious Monk and of course, Duke Ellington. This group fuses fun, swing and absurdity into the musical mix and you’ve never heard jazz sound like this! The Jazz Vault is includes Michael Attias (reeds), Anders Nilsson(guitar) and Jose Davila (tuba). The Jazz Vault Project has performed at venues such as the Downtown Music Gallery, Enzo’s Jazz, the 55 Bar, the Stone and Cornelia Street Cafe in New York City.

Recently, the Jazz Vault project has been focused on the works of Herbie Nichols, performing somewhat regularly at the 55BAR in New York City and digging into the genius of Herbie Nichols infectious melodies and harmonies coupled with the lyrics Fay Victor has set to them.

Falling under the rubric of the Jazz Vault in terms of repertoire is the Dutch quartet she leads with Misha Mengelberg (piano), Wolter Wierbos (trombone) and Ernst Glerum (bass).  This group has performed at the Bimhuis in the Netherlands to resounding success, exploring free passages between pieces of Ellington, Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk and choice originals.

Hear what we do here.

The ExPosed Blues Duo

Fay Victor-voice
Anders Nilsson-guitar
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Tomas Ulrich-cello (sometimes when we meet)

The Exposed Blues Duo is collaboration between guitarist Anders Nilsson and Fay Victor that has become an improvising blues duo using true blues, blues based material and all the wails and flails they can muster. With pieces ranging from the Rev. Gary Davis, Leroy Carr, Elmer Snowden, Herbie Nichols and Memphis Slim alongside free improvisation and original tunes. In December 2007 the duo was invited to perform at the Winter Nights festival in Marseille, France run by an improvising collective based there. THE BLUES was the theme that year and this was where the ExPosed Blues Duo was born. The electrifying set the duo performed was thrilling – the packed house wouldn’t go home after four encores! Since then the duo has been performing around New York at venues such as the 55 Bar, The Cake Shop, the Brecht Forum, The Stone, The Local 269 and Barbes.  The duo just returned from a 2-night stand in Chicago at the Elastic and the Velvet Lounge. The Exposed Blues Duo’s long awaited debut recording  will be released on August 17, 2010 entitled BARE.

Hear what we do here.

Check out the NEWS Page for all the upcoming hits and performances with these groups and more.  We’re buzzing around town.  Stop by and stay informed.