Talent Overview

About Karla Harby Trio

We specialize in jazz, classical music, world music, ambient/acoustic, instrumental classic rock and popular song. Karla Harby serves as principal flutist and bandleader, and works with wonderful artists who play guitar, violin, harp, mandolin, ukulele, saxophone, Native American flute, 'cello, acoustic piano, kalimba, percussion, Indian tablas, drums and bass. Our minimum ensemble size is a trio. We do not use electronic keyboards.

Our performances are guaranteed to delight you. Except for the modest deposit requested in advance to hold the date, you don't pay us until after we've finished performing, and you pay only if you're satisfied with our music. We're pros and we love what we do!

Biography:

We can guarantee our work because all the musicians are highly skilled and experienced performers. We've played on yacht cruises around Manhattan; outdoors in gazebo gardens; for students at several area universities; for business conventions; in formal recitals; for weddings in historic mansions, castles and elegant New York City hotels, such as the Waldorf-Astoria and The Plaza; in New York City apartments for intimate private parties.

Among our many classical selections, we perform: Vivaldi's Concerto for Lute (Guitar) in D on solo classical guitar; aires by Charles Koechlin and melodies by J.S. Bach on flute alone; Bach's Air on the G String as a flute solo or duo; Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D for flute and violin, or for flute and guitar, or for flute, guitar, and upright bass. Especially famous pieces in our repertoire include: Berceuse Op. 16 by Gabriel Faure; J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 1st Movment (excerpt); Pachelbel's Canon in D; Canarios by Gaspar Sanz; Eine Kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart; Gymnopedies by Erik Satie; Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by Bach; Pavane Op. 50 by Faure; Sleepers Wake by Bach; Sicilienne by Faure; The Swan by Camille Saint-Saens; and La Fille aux Cheveus de Lin by Claude Debussy. Also: The Wedding March from Midsummer Night's Dream by Mendelssohn; the Rondeau by Mouret (also known as the Masterpiece Theatre Theme); Mozart's Wedding March from the Marriage of Figaro; Purcell's Trumpet Voluntary and his Trumpet Tune; Ave Maria (versions by Schubert or by Gounod); Wagner's Bridal Chorus (from Lohengrin, "Here Comes the Bride").

We have amplification equipment or can play acoustically (unplugged) in an intimate setting, if desired. When needed we use the excellent Bose PAS Tower amplification system, which can accommodate up to four instruments in a small amount of space.

We are travelers and will consider performing anywhere in the world. Our usual stomping ground includes New York City (Brooklyn), upstate New York and Long Island, New Jersey (Atlantic City), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), Massachusettes (Boston), Delaware and Connecticut.

We love to play, and would love to perform for you! Thank you for your interest in our music.

Additional information:

Band leader Karla Harby has been performing in the New York area since 2002, and has been honored to work with many of New York City's beautifully talented musical artists.

In addition to playing concert flute, alto flute and Native American flute, Karla Harby sometimes performs on drum kit or congas. She plays studio dates for other musicians' recordings, and has played flute for Latin bands. She occasionally plays flutes and drums for extremely-off-Broadway theatre productions.

Her flute playing is heard in the independent film by director Steve Mallorca, Slow Jam King, which had its debut at the Asian American International Film Festival in New York City in July 2004. The movie was favorably reviewed in The New York Times on June 9, 2006, prior to a week of New York City screenings. The film soundtrack has been praised by the Village Voice, among other publications.

In 2005, Karla Harby and her jazz group received a Residency Grant from Chamber Music America to conduct a series of jazz and blues workshops at the Roosevelt (N.Y.) High School. The band was joined by Judi Silvano, the well-known jazz vocalist and workshop leader.

Currently Karla Harby is recording with Jimi Durso (bass, guitar, mandolin, kalimba), Efrat (violin), Daria Cortese (pedal harp) and Bill Buchen (tablas) in New York for a CD of new age music. The CD, "Waves of Time," features all-original compositions by Jimi Durso and Karla Harby, and has a release date in late 2009. Music from a previous CD, "Last Cigarette," has been licensed for television programs by the Travel Channel and by Getty Images, and tracks have received radio airplay in the United States, Canada and Europe.

We happily accept requests received at least one month in advance of your event.

In addition to classical music, our repertoire includes thousands of jazz, pop and rock songs. Among them:
Blame It On My Youth (ballad) - Levant/Heyman
I'm Looking Through You (rock) - The Beatles
Wake Me Up When Sept. Ends (soft rock) - Green Day
Watermelon Man (funk) - Herbie Hancock
Besame Mucho (Latin) - Consuelo Valezquez
Dream a Little Dream of Me (swing) - Rec. by Mammas & Pappas/Billie Holiday
People Are Strange (swing) - The Doors, Arr. Katja Endemann
Little Sunflower (samba or bossa) - Freddie Hubbard
Insensatez/How Insensitive (bossa nova) - Antonio Carlos Jobim
Here, There and Everywhere (soft rock) - The Beatles
I Will (soft rock) - The Beatles
Cry Me a River - A. Hamilton
Optometry (jazz swing) - Jimi Durso
Sonnymoon for Two (blues) - Sonny Rollins
Memphis Underground (rock-funk) - Herbie Mann
Rain Dance (jazz waltz) - Karla Harby
In My Life (soft rock) - Lennon/McCartney
Money Can't Buy Me Love (rock) - The Beatles
Caravan (Latin-swing) - Duke Ellington
All My Lovin' (rock) - The Beatles
Cissy Strut (funk) - The Meters
Mizmor L'Dovid (Hovu L'Hashem) - Traditional
Black Orpheus (Latin) - Louis Bonfi
Chocolate Martini (swing) - Karla Harby
The Days of Wine & Roses (swing) - Henry Mancini
Erev Shel Shoshanim (traditional) - Yosef Hadar/Moshe Dor
Elbereth (ECM jazz) - Jimi Durso
Invitation (Latin-fusion) - Caper/Washington
Georgia on My Mind (ballad) - Willie Nelson
Voices From the Past (ambient) - Gary Peacock
I Can See Clearly Now (reggae) - Jimmy Cliff
Last Cigarette (reggae/rock steady) - Jimi Durso
Le Gente Camina (Latin) - Luis Alfredo Diaz
Tia Juana (bluegrass) - Traditional
Afro Blue (Latin) - Mongo Santamaria
Big Sciota (bluegrass) - Traditional
Intermission (Latin) - Jimi Durso
Black Magic Woman (salsa) - Peter Green (Arr. Jimi Durso)
I Wish You Love (ballad) - Perf. by Diana Krall, Chet Baker, et al.
Processional (ballad) - Dave Holland
Reflections (ballad) - Thelonious Monk
Arise, Shine (ambient) - Jimi Durso (Arr. Karla Harby)
Song for My Father (Latin-bossa) - Horace Silver
Night and Day (swing) - Recorded by Frank Sinatra
Blue Cee (swing) - Charles Mingus
What a Wonderful World (ballad) - Louis Armstrong
Wave (bossa nova) - Antonio Carlos Jobim
Iko Iko (Afro-Cuban) - The Dixie Chicks
Impressions (swing) - John Coltrane
Conference of the Birds (modern jazz) - Dave Holland
D'yer Mak'er (reggae) - Led Zeppelin (Arr. Jimi Durso)
Baby Please Don't Go (blues) - Muddy Waters
Blue Bossa (bossa) - Kenny Dorham
One Note Samba (samba) - Jobim
St. Thomas (Calypso) - Sonny Rollins
Summer Samba (samba) - Marcos and Paulo Valle
Corcovado (bossa nova) - Antonio Carlos Jobim
Cantaloupe Island (funk) - Herbie Hancock
Recorda_Me (Latin) - Joe Henderson
The Blue Room - Rodgers/Hart
I Loves You Porgy (ballad) - Gershwin

Act Members:

Andrew Weintraub — Drums, percussion

Bill Buchen — Tablas

Daria Cortese — Harpist

Karla Harby — Flute, Native American Flute, Band Leader

Katja Endemann — Saxophone player

Jimi Durso — Guitarist, Bassist, Mandolin Player

Jimi Durso — Composer, Arranger

Katie Weissman — Cellist

Adam Neal — Pianist, Composer

Josh Henderson — Violinist

More Information:

Gig Salad Address: GigSalad.com/Karlaharby

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Karla Harby Trio is listed in the following categories:

Flute Player/Flutist in New York City

Ambient Music Group in New York City

Bossa Nova Band in New York City

Cellist in New York City

Celtic Music in New York City

Classical Duo in New York City

Classical Ensemble in New York City

Classical Guitarist in New York City

Flute Player/Flutist in New York City

Harpist in New York City

Jazz Band in New York City

Jazz Guitarist in New York City

Mandolin Player in New York City

Pianist in New York City

Violinist in New York City