Getting to the point where you can sit on a wire relaxed and chat, sing or dance around needs some serious training. To the casual observer that looks all very obvious and easy. To do it, though, without the help of a balance bar requires a very strong dedication to practice. The same is true in music when improvisers need to be ready to react within split seconds to what the other chooses to play. No amount of memorizing or having a written score in front of you will help in that moment. The music can lead you anywhere and you have to be ready to go with it. Your ears are your only guide and, of course, it is imperative to know your instrument in and out in order to be able to continue the weaving of the tune.
Birds On A Wire?
Bernard and Jeremy create music that catches the imagination, whether it’s traditional standards or original compositions. The small format of the duo allows for intuitive interaction, interpretation and improvisation at every turn of their performance. Whichever the style, their common inspirations span across folk music genres; Indian, Klezmer, Manouche, Musette, Flamenco, Fado, Tango, Forro, to Choro and Blues. Their concerts include their own original compositions and improvisations & distinctive interpretations of tunes by Erik Satie, Edith Piaf, Hermeto Pascoal, Astor Piazzolla, Django Reinhardt and jazz standards. Inspiring musicians are accordionist Vincent Peirani, violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, saxophonist Emile Parisien, guitarists Jim Hall, Paco de Lucia and Julian Lage, pianist Bill Evans, composers Bela Bartok and Hermeto Pascoal and of course many more.
BERNARD KUNZ – Guitar
Born and raised in Switzerland. Studied French & History at Université de Grenoble, France, Université de Genève, Switzerland, and UB Buffalo. Jazz Guitar Studies at Conservatoire Populaire de Genève, Switzerland. Playing experience: Afro-Haitian Jazz Combo, Grenoble, Grenoble International Jazz Festival 1976; Straight Forward Jazz Group, Buffalo: opening act for B.B. King, Grover Washington Jr, Yellow Jackets, Spyro Gyra, CC Wynans, James Carter, Johnny Griffin et al. Currently also with GRÜVOLOGY Jazz Group (3 cds, 2015 Europe tour, voted best WNY jazz group from 2012 to 2018), local jazz trio PAYAZZO and world music quartet Nada Brahma. Educator: French & guitar teacher, advisor to Hutch Tech SIX STRING CIRCUS gypsy jazz group (winner 2010 Music is Art Battle of the Bands). The thrill of playing in a duet setting with Jeremy Spindler is that there are no givens. Everything is new and different at every performance, even if it is a tune that we have played many times before.
JEREMY SPINDLER – Accordion
Jeremy Spindler is a French-American self taught accordionist who grew up in Brazil and now lives in Western New York. Charismatic and playful, his love of Brazilian and French musette music is evident in his melodic style. His improvisational approach reveals his deep love of jazz. Whether in the studio or in performance, his blending of different styles, including Balkan and other traditional musical forms, and willingness to go beyond conventional boundaries strike listeners as instinctive and unique. He has performed with French Manouche guitarist Stephane Wrembel (author of “Bistro Fada” featured in Woody Allen’s 2011 Oscar-winning film “Midnight in Paris”), worked with Grammy Award winning violinist, singer, actor and composer Lisa Gutkin (member of Klezmatics) and Flamenco cross over international singer songwriter Mar Salá. His 2019 French ConéXion album, featuring two of his compositions (Ellis and Jequié), is a tribute to French Musette and Brazilian music from the 1930’s with classics such as Indifférence and Doce de Côco. With its energetic, jazz arrangements, the record sets a modern tone while remaining atypical and playful with pockets of interplay between Bernard Kunz and Marc Cousins. Jeremy is quickly becoming recognized as an upcoming artist, whose disposition to break genre boundaries and whose intuitive approach allows him to bring a multi-faceted, creative brilliance to his performances and recordings.
Electronic Press Kit
Click the images below to download them at full resolution.
Photos by Jesse Colucci.
Music & Videos
Check out some of our live and studio recordings
RAJALANDALUZ With Brian DeJesus, bass, Sportsmen's, Buffalo NY, 8.26.24
La Foule (Angel Cabral)
Beatrice (Buarque/Lobo)
A wonderful composition by Brasilian singer and composer Chico Buarque interpreted live by BIRDS ON A WIRE, Jeremy Spindler, accordion and Bernard Kunz, guitar, January 19, 2023, celebrating Django Reinhardt’s birthday, at the Cave in Buffalo NY.
Check out our newest 3 recordings:
BEATRIZ by Chico Buarque
GAROTO EM CARACAS by Carlinhos Antunes
MADE IN FRANCE by Biréli Lagrène
Recorded in October of 2023 at GCR studios in Buffalo by Frederick Betschen
Ellis (Spindler)
Lamento Sertanejo (Gilberto Gil/Dominguinhos)
Gnossienne 1 (Erik Satie)
Indifference (Murena)
French ConéXion with Stéphane Wrembel
Stéphane Wrembel, one of the great gypsy jazz guitarists and composer of the soundtrack to Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, asked us to play with him at the Cave on October 11, 2022. The group featured Dave Phillips on percussion and Marc Cousins on bass.
Bebe (Hermeto Pascoal)
French ConéXion with Dave Phillips on percussion and Marc Cousins on bass.
You may download our first CD as French ConéXion with Marc Cousins, bass, from Bandcamp or get a physical copy at one of our upcomig concerts.
EVENTS
Thursday, July 18, Café de la Promenade, Bulle, Switzerland, 5 - 7 pm. Visit www.cafedelapromenade.ch
Saturday, July 20, Alterszentrum Lindenhof, Rümlang, Switzerland, 3 pm
Sunday, July 21, Musik Tankstelle Kirche Buchthalen bei Schaffhausen, 5 pm.
PAST EVENT
January 27, 2024, the Cave, Buffalo. Django Reinhardt’s 114th Birthday
January 26, 2024, DNIPRO, Ukrainian Cultural Center, 562 Genesee Street, Buffalo
February 22, Nietzsche’s Buffalo
February 26, 27, 28, 6-9 pm Moules Fest at Coco Bistro, 888 Main st. Buffalo
March 13, 2024: Duende at Silo City, Buffalo
August 22, 2023: Duende at Silo City, Buffalo
May 21, 2023: in the Music Room at Amy’s
Place in Buffalo. Infringement festival.
November 16, 2023: at Webster’s Restaurant and Bistro in North Tonawanda. Celebrating the BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU wine. As French ConéXion with Marc Cousins, bass.
October 22, 2022: as French ConéXion with Marc Cousins, bass and David Phillips, cajon, playing with Stéphane Wrembel, gypsy jazz guitarist and composer of the soundtrack for Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris and others.
May 22 and October 21, 2022: Trumansburg Conservatory for the fine arts, Trumansburg NY.
IMAGE GALLERY
Contact us for booking:
Jeremy Spindler
email: jeremyt.spindler@gmail.com
phone: +1 (716) 553 - 4090
Bernard Kunz
email: masalajazz@hotmail.com
phone: +1 (716) 242 - 9236