“we are destroyed”

Reflections on The Donner Party Tragedy of 1846

An original oratorio by Howard Fishman

"You feel that you're present for something being born."

- NEW YORK OBSERVER

A ninety-minute musical meditation, “we are destroyed” is performed oratorio-style with four actors and four musicians.  Major workshops of the piece have been performed and/or excerpted at: The Public Theater, The Steppenwolf Theatre, The Abrons Arts Center and The Pasadena Playhouse (in conjunction with Lincoln Center Directors Lab West).

Basement Tapes

Using Greil Marcus’ book THE OLD, WEIRD AMERICA as a touchstone, THE BASEMENT TAPES PROJECT explores the mysterious underground recordings made by Bob Dylan and The Band in 1967.  The project been programmed to wide acclaim at a major national venues, including Lincoln Center’s “American Songbook” series, the Steppenwolf Theatre’s “Traffic Jam”; and at “Duke Performances” at Duke University. 

Howard Fishman Quartet

"The freshest small-group swing in the city."

- THE NEW YORKER

The band that landed Fishman in New York City’s Algonquin Oak Room for an extended residency and went on to take Paris by storm, HFQ plays pre-war jazz, blues and standards with Fishman’s vocals and guitar accompanied by violin, trumpet and upright bass. Stephen Holden, writing in The New York Times, said “rather than studiously copying the sounds of the past, this band recombines familiar sounds to create its own brand of classicism [that] transcends time and idiom.” This band is featured on the recordings "The Howard Fishman Quartet" Volumes I, II and III.

Monkey Farm

MONKEY FARM is a pseudonym Howard uses when playing an under-the-radar gig and usually indicates a somewhat edgier, grittier show showcasing the band’s more indie rock sensibilities and often featuring Howard on electric guitar (playing louder than usual).

The Biting Fish Band

A high-energy, contagiously exuberant five piece New Orleans-style brass band, the BITING FISH is Howard Fishman’s tribute to the Big Easy, his former home.  The band performs originals mixed with a classic brass band repertoire of spirituals, blues, gospel and funk. Featuring tuba, trombone, trumpet and drums and vocals, this project is featured on the Howard Fishman recording "BETTER GET RIGHT."

The Romania Project

A multimedia song cycle, featuring photographs, text and music performed by a chamber folk-jazz orchestra, “THE ROMANIA PROJECT” tells the humorous and moving story of Fishman's month-long sojourn through rural Romania with New York Times travel writer (and childhood friend) Michael Benanav.  Music from this project may be heard on the recording "NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS."