“Shapiro leads an outstanding sextet through some Jewish classics".....

“Shapiro leads an outstanding sextet through some Jewish classics. Incorporating klezmer and Oriental modes, Shapiro’s approach is still surprisingly modern and quite swinging. Shapiro plays tenor and soprano with potent authority.” - Mitch Myers, Downbeat

“Midnight Minyan is a bubbling brew of soulful Jewish traditional music reimagined by someone who grew up playing tenor and flute while listening to Blue Note records and John Coltrane…a heady mixture of Middle-Eastern modes and bristling backbeats.” - George Robinson, The Jewish Week

“Mr. Shapiro’s “Midnight Minyan” is a brilliant synthesis of klezmer and hard bop. The CD’s money track is a rousing rendition of “La Chaim.” He takes the drinking toast from “Fiddler on the Roof” and plays it like Sam Butera and Louis Prima. This is a tenor exhibition of rare chutzpah, complete with honks, squeals, growls, abrupt, carnival-like tempo changes, and the noises of a cheering crowd of admirers.  In 2002, my favorite single track on a CD was Cassandra Wilson singing “Darkness on the Delta”.  So far this year, Mr. Shapiro’s “La Chaim” is the leading contender.” - Will Friedwald, The New York Sun

“...the aesthetic is something like a bar mitzvah afterparty, soaked in Manischewitz and smoky lounge jazz.  Liturgical material and Oriental-mode musings make up the tunestack.” - Mark Schwartz, Barnes and Noble

“Jewish music is sexy.  Slow, meandering melodies conjure hot, arid lands or intimate moments at the synagogue...  Midnight Minyan breaks through the usually nostalgic sounding songs with brassy panache”. - Celeste Sunderland, All About Jazz

“On his first solo release saxophonist Paul Shapiro, who has played with everyone from Lou Reed to Ben Folds Five, offers several delightful rhythms… Shapiro’s leadership is forthright and detailed.  Midnight Minyan is all the better for it.” - Michael J. Ryan, Boston Herald

“The venerable melodies receive appealing contemporary treatments and are complemented by excellent mainstream improvisations.  Shapiro’s own “Lester Young’s Misheberakh’ does in fact evoke the cool, melodic style of Young, as does the tenorist’s smooth sound and laid-back improvisation.” - David Franklin, Jazz Times

“Saxophonist Paul Shapiro addresses the religious music of the Jewish tradition from a New York Downtown jazz perspective, and comes up with a very appealing hybrid in the process.” - Kenny Mathieson, Jazzwise

Our live performance of the great Cab Calloway's Ot Azoy at a celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Cornelia Street Cafe in the summer of 2007. Babi Floyd is featured with bandleader Paul Shapiro on sax, Brian Mitchell on piano, Dave Hofstra on bass and Tony Lewis on drums.