This remarkable band, consisting solely of saxophonists, in the Seventies brought Lake together with Julius Hemphill, Hamiet Bluiett and David Murray. Although personnel changes were frequent, the quartet has managed to reach and uphold the status of the most successful saxophone-only ensembles in the world.
The most recent album in Lake’s extensive discography is What I Heard (2014) by the Oliver Lake Organ Quartet. Released by Passin’ Thru Records, it confirms that after more than four decades on the scene Lake can still masterfully balance conventionality with avant-garde. What’s more, he has somewhat of a talent for picking collaborators. On stage he will be backed by skilled musicians: Michael Jefry Stevens(piano), Joe Fonda (bass) and multi-instrumentalist Emil Gross (20 October).
Michael Jefry Stevens is a jazz composer and pianist who feels equally at home in mainstream jazz and in less conventional music. The New York native took up the piano at the age of five. As a teenager, he played rock and roll on the Farfisa organ, but when he heard Miles Davis and John Coltrane he realized that jazz is his music. Stevens is also a member of the Mosaic Sextet, which he co-founded with violinist Mark Feldman, trumpeter Dave Douglas and oboe virtuoso Michael Rabinowitz. Stevens has recorded over 320 pieces of music composed for big bands, string quartets, and soloists. Since the late 90s he’s been a member of the Conference Call Quartet, which includes, among others, Joe Fonda. Since 2005, NotTwo Records has released four albums from Michaela Jefry Stevens. The most recent one is Conference Call Quartet’s Seven (2014).
Joe Fonda plays with Stevens in the Conference Call Quartet and the Fonda-Stevens Group. The American double bassist is perhaps best-known from Anthony Braxton’s renowned sextet (which with time has grown to a 10-man ensemble). He was a board member and the president of the Tri-Centric Foundation, a non-profit which supports the work and legacy of Anthony Braxton. He was also a member of Braxton’s 38-piece Tri-Centric orchestra, and performed on bass during the premiere of his opera Shala Fears for the Poor, dedicated to Nelson Mandela.
Jazz runs through Fonda’s veins – his parents met while playing together in a jazz orchestra. Fonda grew up interested in blues-rock, and turned to avant-garde jazz in the early 70s. In the following decade he performed with trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith. He also performed with a dance company, exploring the connection between jazz music and dance. With From the Source (1998) and The Healing (2002), the Fonda-Stevens Group have seen contributions from tap dancer Brenda Bufolino and vocalist and healer Vicki Dodd.
Emil Gross (who also goes by El Milio the Stick) is a dynamic drummer and the youngest musician in the band, although he’s already had some notable performances under his belt, including those with Debbie Davies, whom he played with for three years. He met Stevens and Fonda through the band Generations. October will see them performing throughout Europe, joined by Oliver Lake. The band has a new record in the works, due out in 2016.
Oliver Lake – reeds
Michael Jefry Stevens – piano
Joe Fonda – bass
Email Gross – drums
Tickets 30 PLN in advance, 40 PLN on the day of the show
