Jenny Scheinman Quintet
Violinist Jenny Scheinman, ranked as the #2 jazz violinist in the world by DownBeat Magazine, brings her quintet to Mr. Tipple's ahead of her twelfth album release this fall. With 11 albums of original music already to her credit, Scheinman has established herself as a major creative force who seamlessly blends folk influences, avant-garde jazz, and Americana into music that feels both accessible and adventurous.
Scheinman is known for her warm, enveloping melodies that "beckon and envelop" rather than keeping audiences at a distance. Her compositions have been described as earthy and folky, mixing melancholy with hope and playfulness in what one reviewer called "a truthful place to be." Beyond her acclaimed solo work—including 12 Songs, named one of The New York Times' Top Ten Albums of 2005—she has collaborated with an impressive roster including Bill Frisell, Jason Moran, Nels Cline, Lucinda Williams, and Joni Mitchell, and appears on the original cast recording of the hit musical Hadestown.
Joining Scheinman are longtime collaborators who understand the importance of serving the song over individual virtuosity. Carmen Staaf is a pianist and composer who served as Musical Director for NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater for eight years, performing at major venues from the Village Vanguard to Jazz at Lincoln Center. Guitarist Matt Wrobel brings his experience from the Bay Area's improvised music scene, while bassist Mat Muntz—whose experimental work earned a 2024 German Jazz Prize nomination—adds his background in microtonality and world music fusion. Drummer Scott Amendola, known for his genre-bending approach that fuses jazz with funk and electronics, has been a longtime collaborator with Scheinman and artists like Nels Cline and Charlie Hunter.
Live, Scheinman's performances create an intimate, almost trance-like atmosphere. Reviews describe her expressive stage presence—eyes flickering and radiating in line with her musical expression—and how "time stops for a draw of Jenny Scheinman's bow." Her concerts blend technical brilliance with storytelling warmth, often including brief tales about her compositions between songs. Expect music that ranges from frantic, funk-infused pieces to sweeping ballads, all anchored by Scheinman's "celestial violin talents" and delivered with the kind of rapport that comes from years of collaboration.