Contrafactus Spike Wilner Trio

• 1At First Blush07:43
• 2Contrafactus05:12
• 3Kinetic Neurosis03:26
• 4Ants Go Marching06:37
• 5Poor Butterfly05:57
• 6Cognitive Dissonance03:03
• 7Koan06:08
• 8If You Are But A Dream04:27
• 9Mind Games03:01
• 10Lullaby of the Leaves07:16
• 11Happy Ending03:11
• Total Runtime56:01

Info for Contrafactus

This album was recorded in one afternoon and everything was a single take. We were ready! It seems that we’ve been rehearsing for this record for the last thirty years. Be ready! To be ready is the mark of a true Jazz Musician – ready for anything and to simply not-think, react! If someone hurls a baseball at your head, are you going to sit there and consider your options or are you just going to automatically duck? Well, that baseball being hurled at your head is the kind of jazz I like to play. My teacher, the great Harry Whitaker, was all about not-being- prepared and yet, of course, being ready – like a master! What does this mean? Well, the bandstand and the tunes are sacred stomping grounds - free for the dragons to fly about as they please. If you’re not a dragon, well, then you’re simply being pummeled with baseballs to the head, and it hurts! Dragons live free in the environment, joyful and child-like while the dunderheads get smacked around and don’t even realize it most of the time. So, I’ve been smacked around for years.

This is how I heard it: Ananda was Buddha’s right-hand man for all of Buddha’s life. Ananda also had an enormous capacity for memory and memorized every word that Buddha spoke throughout his life. He literally memorized Buddha’s entire life’s teachings! But when Buddha had to pick a successor, he gathered all his minions about him and sat silently. All the disciples sat silently with Buddha, waiting for him to speak. Instead of speaking, Buddha pulled a flower from his pocket and held it aloft. All the disciples reacted with confusion save for Kashyapa. Kashyapa, instead, smiled joyfully as if he was in on the joke. Buddha said, “I make Kashyapa my successor”. Even though Ananda had all the knowledge, he really didn’t know shit and then had to serve as Kashyapa’s right-hand man throughout Kashyapa’s life. Finally, one day, Kashyapa said to Ananda – “Ananda, take down the flag from the pole”. In a monastery this could signify the end of the day. But in this case, it had a deeper implication for Ananda, who finally, after a lifetime of hard confusion, was liberated in his viewpoint. Ananda then became the third successor from Buddha. The hare and turtle – doesn’t matter how long it takes, some move quick, some slow.

As an artist now, I just want to strip away all expectations of myself, any idea of “style”, any idea of “tradition”, I just want to take down the damn flag from the flagpole and play some music! I think, finally, that I’m getting closer to that ideal. I am grateful to have wonderful and sympathetic musicians in this trio whom I’ve played with for 25 years together. We play so often that it all runs together. One afternoon into one evening and on and on. Thank you, Paul and Anthony, my brothers. Also, thank you to Cory Weeds for believing in me as a musician as well as being a good friend to many and a true supporter of this art. Enjoy! (Spike Wilner)

Spike Wilner, piano
Paul Gill, double bass
Anthony Pinciotti, drums

Michael "Spike" Wilner
was born and raised in New York City where he was inspired to play ragtime piano at a young age after seeing a docudrama on the life of Scott Joplin. This led to a life-long passion for piano playing, ragtime and jazz music. Wilner made his performance debut at the age of 14 by playing Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" at the St. Louis Ragtime Festival. Wilner continued his music studies through high-school and participated in its award winning jazz band.

Wilner was a member of the legendary first class of the New School For Social Research's Jazz and Contemporary Music Program, led by the late Arnie Lawrence. In this original class, Wilner met and befriended many of today's prominent members of the current music scene, including Brad Mehldau, Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, Jesse Davis, Chris Potter, Jorge Rossi, Sam Yahel, Joe Strasser, Roy Hargrove, John Popper (of Blues Traveler), Eric Schenkman (of Spin Doctors), David Grausman and others.

In his career, Wilner has led many bands in New York City at many famous jazz clubs, and has toured with The Artie Shaw Big Band, The Glen Miller Orchestra and Maynard Furguson.

Wilner has several recordings as a leader, including Portraits (2000), A Blues of Many Colors (2002), Three To Go (2008, Posi-Tone), Live At Smalls (2011), La Tendresse (2012, Posi-Tone). Wilner's latest release, titled Koan (2016, Posi-Tone), is a trio record with Tyler Mitchell on bass and Anthony Pinciotti on drums. This is Wilner’s working band that plays internationally.

In 2006, Wilner published a folio of transcriptions of the work of an idol of his, Willie "The Lion" Smith, entitled The Lion Of The Piano. In 2007, Wilner completed his Masters Degree in Piano Performance at the State University of New York in Purchase, New York.

One of Wilner’s current endeavors started in 1994, when he began working a regular gig at Smalls Jazz Club in Greenwich Village. This became his permanent musical home and eventually led to his current position as owner and manager of the club, where he can also be found playing regularly. In 2015, Wilner opened a second club, Mezzrow, down the street from Smalls.

This album contains no booklet.