CBE is proud to host our world-class Jazz Quintet at select Kabbalat Shabbat and High Holy Day services. Our respective quintet musicians have distinguished themselves playing alongside some of the world’s finest musicians and have received among the most prestigious accolades in the music world. Together, their music enhances the spirit and vitality of our communal prayer.
In 2023–2024, the Jazz Quintet will be performing at 9 Kabbalat Shabbat services. All Kabbalat Shabbat services meet on Fridays at 6:30 PM in the CBE Chapel:
Sam Bardfeld is a violinist, composer and arranger. He is a member of The Jazz Passengers and a frequent collaborator of Bruce Springsteen’s — a veteran of three recordings and two tours. He has worked with a long list of jazz, pop, folk and experimental acts including Elvis Costello, John Zorn, Calexico, Anthony Braxton, Debbie Harry, Steven Bernstein, John Cale, Kris Davis, The String Trio of NY, The Red Clay Ramblers, Nancy Sinatra, Willie Colon, Johnny Pacheco, and The Soldier String Quartet, among others.
Percussion
Paul Francis
Grammy Award-winning drummer and educator Paul Francis has extensive experience working with some of the world’s greatest musicians. He is featured on the Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett album and subsequent PBS special Cheek to Cheek, and toured extensively with the duo to support that recording. Paul has also recorded and/or performed with Stevie Wonder, Jose Feliciano, Jon Faddis, David Hazeltine, Jim Belushi, Molly Ringwald, Megan Hilty, The Rockettes, Ralph Lalama, Brian Newman, Rich Little, The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, and The Albany Symphony Orchestra, and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra conducted by Buddy Morrow. Paul has also appeared on shows for HBO, ABC, NBC, Netflix, and MTV, and is on the soundtrack for the movie Friends with Kids, as well as A Star is Born, featuring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Paul endorses Yamaha drums, Sabian cymbals, Remo drumheads, and Vic Firth drumsticks.
As an educator, Paul has taught all ages and playing levels. He has taught master classes at SUNY Purchase, University of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University, and Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, as well as continuing to teach at his own private studio. He has also been published in Modern Drummer and Drumhead magazines.
Paul holds a Bachelor of Music from The Ohio State University and a Master of Music from SUNY Purchase. He has studied with musicians such as John Riley, Kenny Washington, Jim Chapin, Jim Rupp, Joe Ong, and Chad Rager.
Guitar
Sean Moran
Sean Moran is a guitarist and composer based in Brooklyn, NY. He has performed at New York venues such as Lincoln Center, Celebrate Brooklyn, The Stone, BAM, Roulette, and Symphony Space as well as playing in Japan, Europe, and throughout the U.S. His music has been featured on WNYC’s “Soundcheck” and “Spinning on Air,” as well as at Merkin Concert Hall. He plays regularly with the chamber quartet “The Four Bags,” the avante metal trio “Bassoon,” leads his own group “Small Elephant,” and performs with many other NYC based groups.
Hailed as “A forward thinking guitarist”(Chinen) by The NY Times, Sean has also performed and/or recorded in many groups featuring a wide variety of artists including Jackie Cain, Briggan Krauss, Teo Macero, Ron Mclure, Stew, Daniel Carter, George Schuller, Federico Ughi, Earl Mcintyre, Michael J Schumacher, and Pamelia Kurstin, among many others. Sean has been a longtime faculty member of the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, where he teaches composition, theory, counterpoint, and jazz studies.
Clarinet
Michael Winograd
Michael Winograd has recorded and performed with SoCalled, Budowitz, Frank London, and the Klezmer Conservatory Band. He has led workshops and performed near and far, with highlighted performances in Reunion Island, the Dawson City Music Festival (Yukon), the Winnepeg and Calgary Folk Festivals, Klezmore Festival (Vienna), and Carnegie Hall in New York City. He has taught Klezmer music at the Paris Klezmer week, KlezKanada, and Living Traditions KlezKamp. In his spare time he produces records, composes music, and plays synthesizer in the Brooklyn based metal band Yiddish Princess.
Bass
Aidan O’Donnell
Aidan O’Donnell hails from Glasgow, Scotland. He completed a BA in jazz performance at Birmingham Conservatoire, where he won the prize for Most Promising Performer and was made an Honorary Fellow. Thereafter he moved to London, where he quickly became one of the most in-demand bassists on the scene. In 2008, with the aid of a grant from the Scottish Arts Council, he relocated to New York. Since then he has established himself as a much sought-after bassist, working with such notable musicians as Steve Kuhn, Ben Monder, David Berkman, Darol Anger, Maeve Gilchrist, and many more. In addition to this he took his MA in jazz performance at City College, where he studied with John Patitucci.
