Cosa Nostra Strings - Cosa Nostra Strings (2020)

Comprising a unique instrumentation of cello, viola, violin, trombone, bass, and percussion, the Cosa Nostra Strings are an offshoot of Adam Theis’ omnivorous Jazz Mafia conglomeration, performing an energetic mix of chamber music, funk, and jazz with an attitude rooted in punk rock. Featuring a cadre of superlative musicians including violinist Shaina Evoniuk, violist Keith Lawrence, cellist Lewis Pazner, multi-percussionist Aaron Kierbel, and Theis on bass and trombone, the group has collaborated with Martin Luther, the Roots, Parliament-Funkadelic, and many others. For this Joe Henderson Lab appearance, the band presents their project Blowin’ in the Wind: Music of the 1960s, tracing the diverse range of music of the decade, from the rock of the British Invasion to the Bay Area’s folk movement, Motown, free jazz, contemporary classical music, and global trends from Latin America, Jamaica, and Cuba.