About the concert

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Autumn 2014. David Bowie walks into the famous 55 Bar in New York. A composer friend has recommended he check out Donny McCaslin’s jazz quartet, which is just starting its set in this friendly dive. Bowie is beginning work on a new album, wants to shake the world once more, and is looking for the right sound.

They only meet officially a few months later. Bowie comes to the studio, takes Donny aside, pulls out a black notebook and asks him to write down his phone number.

It sounds like a fever dream, but that’s how McCaslin’s band began working on Blackstar – Bowie’s final album. McCaslin later recalled: “David told us to just have fun.” He did, however, forbid the jazzmen from listening to his old records, playing them Kendrick Lamar, Boards of Canada and Death Grips instead.

Blackstar was released on 8 January 2016, and two days later Bowie joined Major Tom in his free drift. It was McCaslin who accepted 5 Grammy Awards on the legend’s behalf. Working with Bowie proved a turning point in his career, and from then on Donny experimented more and more, revealing to listeners the many bridges between jazz and rock.

Ten years have passed since then, and Donny McCaslin and his ensemble have recorded five more albums. The band’s latest work, “Lullaby for the Lost”, continues the rock trend in their jazz output, referring directly to Neil Young and his famous album Le Noise, while also embracing the influence of bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Rage Against The Machine.

“It’s an inner light that can transform pain into beauty,” explains McCaslin, who on 26 April brings his new record to Scena MONK for his first-ever concert here.

Write that date down in your black notebooks.

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Additional information

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We don’t take table reservations and seating is limited, so we recommend arriving early to get a seat.

19:00 – doors open

20:00 – concert

Powered by Singleton. The event is supported by Singleton, renowned for its exceptional single malt whiskies, prized for their smoothness and depth of flavour.

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