Bio

Larry Kwartowitz has been drumming since the age of 3 or 4 and has been composing and performing live music since he was a teenager. One of the founding members of the Tri State area based avant-metal band, Cleric, Larry is known for playing many styles that range from hip hop and funk to jazz and the heaviest of rock.


He attended French Woods Festival, a performing arts camp, for many years where he gained a great deal of experience playing in symphony and jazz orchestras, theater pit orchestras, rock bands as well as in drum circles and for dancers and circus performers, playing accompanying hand percussion. That combined with private lessons starting at a young age and attending a high school that specialized in music prepared Larry to pursue any musical styles he felt the ambition to.

Since Cleric's first full length album was released on Trey Spruance's label, Web of Mimicry, they have toured most of the United States and Canada and most recently have been working on their sophomore album as well as a Masada record for John Zorn.

Mr. Zorn has taken them under his wind as proteges, which has opened them up to many opportunities, including a residency at his New York club, The Stone, as well as international shows including Colombia, Switzerland and most recently Mexico. In addition to Cleric, Larry has been playing in side projects with musicians that include Ron Anderson and Steve Blanco (PAK), Mick Barr and Matt Mottel (GULAG) and Brandon Seabrook and Johnny DeBlaze (NEURONOMICON). He also has plans for future collaborations with Colin Marston, Uri Caine and more.

photo by: Peter Gannushkin