A good starting point for thinking about Joel is to consider his time in the apartment of Baroness Nica, taking lessons in a sort of way from Thelonious Monk, as Monk waited out his final years, laying in bed, not venturing out. When  Joel played well enough, or better, the door to the room where Monk laid would open. Other times, it would remain closed, and Joel knew his playing wasn’t interesting the buddha that was Monk.

We’ll be very interested to hear what Joel has to play on August 17th.

The proprietor himself, though, will just have to hear about it from you, and hear it from the recordings. He’ll be in the Bronx feeding Joel’s cats when not in Manhattan soaking up what the musicians there have to say.