Weekend Guide: BLAST Gallery to Open Coffee Bar, Tim Horner Octet at Puffin

From learning how to play the drums at the age of 10 and singing in his church choir to studying at the Berklee College of Music and performing all over the world, jazz musician Tim Horner has led a life immersed in music.

In his 30 years of being a professional musician, Horner has been featured on more than 200 CDs as a sideman. At 8 p.m. Saturday, Horner and seven other talented musicians will perform at the to celebrate Horner’s first CD as a leader. His recent release, titled “The Places We Feel Free,” features 10 original compositions and will be available for sale at the performance. The CD also can be purchased through online retailers.

Horner has lived in Teaneck for 16 years. He said it’s been wonderful living close to New York City and in a peaceful community filled with creative residents.

“We do have a lot of musicians out here – many I know personally, and many are great friends,” Horner said. “There are a lot of other creative people: writers, painters, sculptors, photographers and comedians here in Teaneck as well.”

The lineup for Saturday’s concert includes Horner on drums and percussion, Jim Rindl on piano, John Hart  on guitar, Mark Sherman on vibes, Martin Wind on bass, Scott Robinson on soprano sax and flute, Marc Mommaas  on tenor and soprano sax, and Ron Horton on trumpet.

The musicians will concentrate on all the pieces found on Horner’s new CD.

“There are 10 of my original compositions on the CD, and they have a wide range of sound and inspirations,” Horner said. “One piece was written after a boat ride traveling down the Lijiang River outside of Guilin China. Other songs were inspired from looking at paintings at The Metropolitan Museum in New York City, while others were studies that I gave myself that just took shape as I worked on them.”

The Tim Horner Octet performs at 8 p.m. Saturday at the . There’s a $10 suggested donation, and reservations are recommended.

More events this weekend:

FRIDAY, JAN 6:

• Boys Wrestling is in action at 5 p.m. at home. For more details, click here.

• Popa Chubby and The Great Fraud perform at at 9 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m., and tickets can be purchased here.

SATURDAY, JAN. 7:

• Teaneck High School Boys Wrestling and Girls Varsity Basketball are in action today. For more details, click here.

• takes place from 10:30 a.m. to noon at St. Mark's Episcopal Church. This free tutorial program is open to students in grades 2 through 12.

• begins at 11 a.m. at the . Recommended for ages 3 and older.

• Kashmir (Led Zepplin Tribute) and Doomsday Diaries hit the stage at Mexicali Live at 8 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m., and tickets can be purchased here.

• The Tim Horner Octet brings jazz to the Puffin Cultural Forum at 8 p.m. Horner, a Teaneck resident, celebrates the recent release of his CD “The Places We Feel Free.” There’s a $10 suggested donation, and reservations are recommended.

• Make reservations to hear live music at Smokey Joe’s BBQ. Breslov Bar Band performs sets at 8:30 and 10 p.m. There’s a $10 cover charge for each set.

• opens its new addition – 8 feet east of its current location – and also presents the opening reception for artist Mark Mothersbaugh of DEVO fame at 8 p.m. BLAST now will feature a full espresso and coffee bar with Counter Culture Coffee. There also will be a large selection of teas, hot chocolate, sodas and pastries from Balthazar Bakery and Zoe’s Cupcake Café. The art exhibit, “Rugs! Rugs! Rugs! The Visual Art of Mark Mothersbaugh” will be on display through Jan. 31.

• T is a hosting a at 8 p.m. headlined by comedian and author Mordechai Schmutter. Those in the public interested in giving stand-up comedy a try are encouraged to contact the store (info@teaneckgeneralstore.com or 201-530-5046) for more details about participating. There is a $7 cover charge. 

• Teaneck resident Linda Kraar is representing her music production company, International Masters Series, at the APAP Conference for Global Music Presenters at 11 p.m. in the Regent Parlor of the New York Hilton Hotel (2nd Floor). Guitarist Lulo Reinhardt, who specializes in Latin swing and Gypsy swing, and French guitarist Olivier Kikteff, founder of Les Doigts de l'Homme, will be featured at this event, which is a "teaser" to a tour that will include three Gypsy jazz groups visiting performing arts centers in 30 cities. The humintarian angle to all this discusses the plight of Gypsies in Europe. For more information, call Kraar at 551-486-3772.

SUNDAY, JAN. 8:

• Violinist Janet Packer and pianist Geoffrey Burleson will play at the Teaneck Public Library at 3 p.m. as part of the library’s Music on Sunday Afternoon series. The event is free and open to the public.

• Recording artist, singer-songwriter and pianist Aliza Dubin performs a  at 4 p.m. at the Teaneck General Store. Dubin’s music weaves her love of Judaism and life into her spiritual melodies. Event has a $5 cover charge. 

• Also at 4 p.m. at the Teaneck General Store is an for Harriet Sobie Goldstein and Barbara Jacoby. Light refreshments will be served at this reception through 6 p.m. The artwork will be on display through Jan. 27.

Correction: According to new information, the Aliza Dubin and T  events have cover charges.