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Eric Plaks

Eric Plaks - pianist - has lived his entire adult life in Harlem, where he has split his time between teaching music in the New York City public school system and his own performing and recording projects. Eric can be heard live regularly throughout the NYC area, including in his monthly engagement at The Shrine in Harlem, where he directs one of the city's top innovative large ensembles, the 14-member Shrine Big Band. Eric's discography to date includes two discs on Cadence/CIMP, Live at Bronx Community College (2013, recorded in 2009), and The Eric Plaks Five (2015, recorded in 2008). He has also self-produced four albums: The Witch Man (2003), Rooftop Reveries (2004), Eric Plaks with Strings (2007), and The Shrine Big Band - Swamp Music (2012). Eric's entire discography is available at www.klompfoot.com.


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5
Album Review

Playfield: Magic Heart

Read "Magic Heart" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


Daniel Carter, who--if not the epitome of free consciousness then is very well within the immediate vicinity of striking range--gives props to electric Miles Davis and The Beatles' psychedelica with mischief and madness on the hell bent and heaven sent Magic Heart. Their second entrance into the Carter's life long discography, Playfield is a true Carter collective: intuitively passing the torch from vocalist Luisa Muhr, to Ayumi Ishito, tenor sax and electronics, pianist Eric Plaks, guitarists/electronics Aron Namenwirth ...

3
Album Review

Daniel Carter: Open Question, Vol. 2

Read "Open Question, Vol. 2" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


If the title warning Open Question, Vol. 2 fails to alert one to what one was about to get into while listening to the unhinged, yet oddly disciplined and methodic rhubarb created off-the-cuff by radical downtown saxophone legend Daniel Carter, equally rebellious tenor Ayumi Ishito, pianist Eric Plaks}, bassist {{m: Zach Swanson and drummer Jon Panikkar, well, maybe gullibility is, without doubt, a human trait. Or perhaps it is just our renowned, innate inquisitiveness and speculation that makes things like ...

7
Album Review

Playfield: Stepping Out

Read "Stepping Out" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


577 Records founder, chief architect, free blowing, free willed, harmonic rebel and reed master Daniel Carter has never shied away from the unknown metropolis. From the silent instant which captures the imagination and sends it sleighing its own peaks and valleys, Carter, and whoever chooses to accept his challenge to participate, let the moment move them and the music into new spaces. Playfield, as this particular congregate of players from downtown NY is dubbed, brings it all to ...

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Primary Instrument

Piano

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

I teach high school music full time in the NYC school system. I'm booked, sorry!

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Open Question, Vol. 2

Self Produced
2024

buy

Magic Heart

577 Records
2024

buy

Stepping Out

577 Records
2022

buy

The Eric Plaks Five

Cadence Jazz Records
2015

buy

The Eric Plaks...

CIMP Records
2014

buy

The Shrine Big Band -...

Ducaine Records
2013

buy

Videos

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