Frank London

by Joslyn LayneTrumpeter (and sometimes keyboardist) Frank London has been recording jazz and modern Jewish music since the mid-80s. He has performed with a wide variety of musicians including John Zorn, Mel Torme, LaMonte Young, Gal Costa, LL Cool J, David Byrne, They Might Be Giants and Palestinian violinist Simon Shaheen. As composer and arranger, London has created works for films including Jonathan Bermans The Shvitz (a recording of the music was released by Knitting Factory) and Bruno de Almeidas The Debt, 1993 Cannes Film Festival prizewinner. In theater, London served as music director for Robert Wilsons The Knee Plays, cowrote Chelm, CA with Flying Karamozov Brother Paul Magid, even composed the score for a marionette production of The Golem! London has been a member of Les Miserables Brass Band and the Klezmatics, and leads his own group Hasidic New Wave, in addition to his other collaborations, including his work with vocalist Lorin Sklamberg. In 2000 he collaborated with a number of great New York musicians, including Anthony Coleman, Gina Leishman and Myra Melford to release Invocations for Tzadiks Radical Jewish Culture series.