Kenny Wollesen

American drummer, percussionist and vibraphonist Kenny Wollesen grew up in Capitola, California before establishing himself on the New York scene. His trajectory spans avant‑garde jazz, klezmer, rock, improvised music and more written repertoire, characterized by a supple, highly mobile approach attentive to texture as much as to rhythmic drive. Wollesen is a founding member of the New Klezmer Trio and also performs with Sex Mob, The Dreamers and the Gnostic Trio, moving comfortably between the worlds of John Zorn and Steven Bernstein. Over the years he has recorded and toured with Tom Waits, Bill Frisell, Sean Lennon, Norah Jones, John Lurie and Myra Melford in contexts ranging from songwriting to contemporary improvisation. Under his own name or as co‑leader his discography includes Pitch, Rhythm and Consciousness (2011), The Gnostic Preludes: Music of Splendor (2012), John Zorn: The Mysteries (2013) and Rasa Rasa (2014). On drums as well as vibraphone, Wollesen develops an open-minded approach in which percussive detail, pulse and tonal color occupy a central place.