Kirk Knuffke

Opener “Safety Shoes” sets the tone with its deceptively simple two-chord riff, which marks the first appearance of Brian Drye. The trombonist was one of the first musicians that Knuffke met after moving to New York City in 2005 and has remained one of his closest collaborators ever since. They’ve performed dozens of duo concerts and worked together in each other’s bands as well as bands led by Andrew D’Angelo, Andy Biskin, and others. “And people say we look like brothers,” Knuffke adds.

“Safety Shoes” is one of three pieces inspired by Working, Chicago journalist Studs Terkel’s landmark oral history of working class Americans. The book also prompted Knuffke to compose “Elevator,” with its off-kilter, up-and-down unpredictability; and “Bonderizer,” which reflects the titular machine in its unwieldy mechanical lurch.

Other musicians, both influences and peers, were also a rich source of inspiration for the music on Arms & Hands. “Bright Light” was written for Daniel Carter, whose fertile improvisational imagination graces that song as well as “Atessa.” The late saxophonist Jimmy Lyons, a longtime member of the Cecil Taylor Unit, was on Knuffke’s mind when he wrote the frenetic “Root,” while Jim Pepper is the namesake of the slickly grooving “Pepper.” The tragic life of Goodwin’s former employer Art Pepper, meanwhile, inspired the equally chaotic “Use.” And “Chirp,” with Jeff Lederer on soprano, was penned in honor of Steve Lacy, a longtime influence whose work Knuffke explores in Josh Sinton’s one-of-a-kind tribute band Ideal Bread.

The album concludes with a jaunty rendition of country crooner Ernest Tubb’s “Thanks a Lot,” a song, which Knuffke discovered in his father’s record collection. “I’m a big fan of Lester Bowie and Sonny Rollins,” Knuffke says, “and their determination that no song is off limits. If you like the song, it doesn’t matter where it comes from.”

Knuffke is a prolific composer and improviser who has worked with a host of incredible musicians including Roswell Rudd, William Parker, Uri Caine, Myra Melford, Allison Miller, Steve Swell, John Zorn, Dave Douglas, Billy Hart, Steven Bernstein, and Mary Halvorson. Internationally, he has played with ensembles at jazz festivals in Saalfeldan Austria, Willisau Switzerland, The North Sea Jazz festival in Holland, The Moers festival as well as festival dates in Canada, Mexico, Italy and France.

He is currently a member of the Matt Wilson Quartet, which recently released a new CD in collaboration with keyboardist John Medeski. Knuffke is also a member of the Mark Helias Quartet, the Andrew D’Angelo Big Band, Josh Roseman’s Extended Constellations, Kenny Wollesen’s Wollesonic, and Allison Miller’s Boom tic Boom. Knuffke’s leader debut, Big Wig, was released by Clean Feed in 2008, followed by the trio recordings Chew Your Food and Amnesia Brown and the quartet album Chorale. He has also recorded several duo CDs with pianist Jesse Stacken and one with percussionist Mike Pride, and co-led the collaborative trio Sifter with Mary Halvorson and Matt Wilson and a quartet with saxophonist Ted Brown.