Live at LunÀtico

...melodic arrangements, spontaneous interaction, and vibrant individual performances. Booming bass lines, crisp drumming, and guitar harmonies are in abundance and every tune has elements of swing and discovery.
All About Jazz

With New York bassist Arthur Kell's latest release, his creative pursuits come full circle. Through the bar and music venue that he co-founded, LunÀtico has helped nurture the vibrant music scene in modern-day Brooklyn, which now in turn, has helped nurture his latest musical explorations. Long before his ubiquitous presence on LunÀtico's bandstand, many of Kell's earliest gigs were in the same Bed-Stuy neighborhood. This homecoming of sorts inspired the forming of this two-guitar quartet - featuring Brad Shepik & Nate Radley, along with the quickly ascending drummer, Allan Mednard - and affected the widely eclectic range of the music through the Afro-Brazilian-Arabic influences that can be found in LunÀtico's curated projects.

"...vibrant, challenging music from a band so tight within its group dynamic and so confident in its individualistic chops that every movement is a lively step forward."
Jazz Improv Magazine

Production Info:

Produced by Arthur Kell
Recorded Live by Rob Badenoch
at Bar LunÀtico, Brooklyn, NY, February 15-16, 2022
Mixed & Edited by Rob Badenoch, South Orange, NJ
Mastered by Nate Wood
at Kerseboom Mastering, Ridgewood, NY
Cover photo by Kyra Kverno
Photo retouching by Katya Scarpulla
Interior photos by Luke Marantz (from video stills)
Cover design & layout by John Bishop

Reviews of Live at LunÀtico

Contemporary Fusion Reviews (Dick Metcalf)
Exciting eclectic jazz Arthur Kell Speculation Quartet – LIVE AT LUNÀTICO: Bassist Kell's upcoming release (17 November, 2023) is certainly among the best of the exciting eclectic jazz albums we've had the pleasure to review (yet) in 2023… first, here's a short clip of the group performing together… In addition to Arthur's brilliant bass ...

Jazz Weekly (George W Harris)
Bassist Arthur Kell puts together a two-guitar front line of Nate Radley and Brad Shepik along with drummer Allan Mednard for a pair of gigs recorded at Bar LunAtico in Brooklyn in 2022. The set is bookended with contemplative rubato of "Speculation" and closing with a more dramatic version. In between, the strings bop with delight around Kell's bo ...

Archyde (Paris) (Editor)
The project merges the different activities of Arthur Kell who played extensively at Bar LunÀtico in Brooklyn as a sideman for artists such as Kenny Wollesen, Roy Nathanson, Paul Bollenback, Matt Darriau and Avram Fefer. This generation contributed greatly to the flourishing and maintenance of a vibrant music scene in today's Brooklyn. Likewise, t ...

DownBeat (Brian Morton)
4-STARS Arthur Kell seems to have played with everyone without (yet) making a wider splash. He's probably too generous an artist for stardom, and in this terrific group, he leaves much of the spotlight to the two guitarists and drummer. But when you listen to the nicely dotted 0rhythm of "The Djado," or the resonant intro and sustained lead line t ...

Jazz’N’More (Switzerland) (Michael van Gee)
5/5 - "UNMISTAKABLY GREAT" The bassist Arthur Kell is one of the excellent bassists, composers and bandleaders of the New York jazz scene, who has played with almost everyone of rank and name over the last 20 years, including such prominent musicians as Thomas Chapin, Bobby Previte, Marc Ribot, Billy Bang, Bruce Barth and Matt Wilson. His debut alb ...

KIOS (Omaha) (Chris Cooke)
A compelling, vibrant recording by bassist Arthur Kell and his Speculation Quartet, "Live at LunÀtico", is well worth your attention. Arthur Kell (bassist, composer) is one of the most original voices on today's New York City jazz scene. Based in Brooklyn, New York. He has played with a stellar cross-section of the most influential jazz musicia ...