Showing posts with label Projects and Ensembles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Projects and Ensembles. Show all posts

Projects and Ensembles

Throughout my 40 plus years in music I have been privileged to play in some amazing ensembles comprised of many of the top jazz musicians in Europe and America.    I relish each of these projects and each one is unique.   


  .

Breeze Cayolle Band

Brian "Breeze" Cayolle - Woodwinds and Vocals
Michael Jefry Stevens - Piano
Jonathan Wires - Bass
Sonny Thornton - Drums

New Orleans native Brian Breeze Cayolle’s rich and soulful saxophone style was born from the traditions of the Jazz, Blues and R&B of his hometown. World renown for his strong and spirited tenor saxophone, he has performed with many of the great artists of his time and many of the legends of New Orleans music. His sound and style have taken him around the world, igniting crowds to standing ovations from the Montreux Jazz Festival to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. His abilities and versatility on almost any woodwind from clarinet to baritone saxophone have made Breeze a mainstay on the music scene. He is the definition of a musician’s musician.

A long time member of Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and R&B impresario Allen Toussaint’s band, Breeze has most recently been heard as part of The Crescent City Horns backing Toussaint and Elvis Costello on their album River In Reverse. He’s toured North America and Europe with the pair and appears in the concert DVD Hot As A Pistol, Keen As A Blade. His association with Toussaint and his famed New Orleans studio, Sea-Saint, has afforded Breeze opportunities to perform and record with many diverse and legendary artists seeking the authentic New Orleans sound including Bonnie Raitt, Ruth Brown, Sam Moore, Don Henley, Michael McDonald and Willy Deville.

On his own, Breeze’s sax sound has been sought out by a who’s who of American music, from New Orleans legends Clarence Gatemouth Brown and Dr. John to music masters Cornell Dupree and Chuck Rainey; from R&B legend Solomon Burke to Zydeco prodigy C.J. Chenier.

Cayolle’s other recent achievements include an appearance in the film Make It Funky blowing along side Keith Richards; a heartfelt performance in the concert film From the Big Apple to the Big Easy, which raised funds for the Hurricane Katrina relief effort and a solo performance of the National Anthem for the New York Knicks ’05-’06 season opener at Madison Square Garden. Breeze worked with U2 guitarist The Edge to promote his Music Rising musicians relief fund and appears in the Music Rising documentary. He continues to tour with Allen Toussaint, recently completing a Billboard Live tour in Japan. Breeze also performs as a member of the New Orleans Jazz Ramblers, a band sponsored by Jazz at the Lincoln Center to keep the traditional music of New Orleans alive.


YouTube Links:

Conference Call Quartet


In 1999 Mr. Stevens began the Conference Call Quartet, featuring his partner of many years, bassist Joe Fonda, in collaboration with German saxophonist Gebhard Ullmann and George Schuller on drums. This quartet has released 6 cd's, including their latest CD "What About ...???" on the Polish "Nottwo" Record Label (2011)
"The recording, "poetry in motion", by the collective group 'conference call' deserves to be considered as one of the year's best for the simple reason that its balance of thought and emotion, structure and freedom, clarity and abandon, is exquisitely and transparently laid out. regardless of who composed any particular tune, providing a distinctive voice, the group acts as an organic unit, with the total sound becoming more than the sum of its parts."   --All About Jazz




Fonda Stevens Group

Since the quartet's inception in 1992, the Fonda/Stevens Group has released 12 cds, repeatedly toured Europe and is one of the most successful working modern jazz groups on the international scene with over 25 European tours.
"Over the past twenty years and the course of twelve CDs, the Fonda/Stevens Group has evolved into one of Jazz/improvised musics most accomplished ensembles. Straddling the line between post-bob and free, they have come up with consistently satisfying albums." - Cadence Magazine






Eastern Boundary Quartet


In 2007 Hungarian musicians Balazs Bagyi and Mihaly Borbely and USA musicians Joe Fonda and Michael Jefry Stevens formed the Eastern Boundary Quartet. The group uses Hungarian folk rhythms and melodies in combination with Jazz harmonies and rhythms to form an original "hybrid" improvised music.

The Eastern Boundary Quartet performs original music by all members of the group. The band was formed with the imagination of connecting two worlds of the jazz scene today. This unique collaboration is a mixture of avantgarde jazz and ethno music from Hungary, like a cultural bridge between the USA and Eastern-Europe. This bridge is made of talent, respect, brotherhood and friendship, built by the common language of jazz and improvised music.



YouTube Links



Griffith/Stevens Quartet


Michael Jefry Stevens - piano
MIles Griffith - Voice
Dieter Ulrich - Drums
Peter Herbert - Bass

The quartet has been performing together since 2000 and has released 2 cds (Songbook and Only Love on ARC recordings). We have performed several European tours and are currently booking an upcoming USA tour in April 2014. 
The group features bassist Peter Herbert (Austria), drummer Dieter Ulrich (Switzerland), vocalist Miles Griffith and myself on piano. We perform a mixture of original music and arrangements of jazz standards.


A native of Brooklyn, New York, Miles Griffith's musical roots emanate from the Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, A.M.E. and Yoruba ministries. However, he attributes his percussive vocal style to his Trinidadian roots. Both of his parents come from musical backgrounds, emigrating from Trinidad, and they have performed in numerous church choirs and steel bands throughout the tri-state area. Griffith's professional performance career began at the age of six. His first major gig was extra work in One Trick Pony, Paul Simon's biographical movie. At age 11, he became a member of the esteemed Boys Choir of Harlem, which led to extensive touring and performances for the young musician. Further honing his skills, the ambitious young musician was accepted into New York's prestigious LaGuardia High School of Music and the Performing Arts, where his concentration was classical voice.

However, it was in his junior year that he fell with Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk and Billie Holiday. Prior to graduating, Griffith gigged around town with fellow schoolmates, pianist Stephen Scott, alto saxophonist Justin Robinson, drummers Gregory Hutchinson, Taru Alexander and others. During this time, his mainstay was the renowned Barry Harris Workshop where he performed on a weekly basis.

Miles Griffith's non-traditional use of the voice as a percussive instrument, combined with an uncanny harmonic sense has made him a prime choice for many musicians. He's been a member of T.S. Monk Septet, James Williams' ICU and Jack Walrath's Masters of Suspense. Griffith is at the forefront of some of the music's most inventive working bands. "I enjoy working with these guys because they love the music. It is a continual learning process because they all have such different concepts, and in each group I can strive to contribute something new," reflects the vocalist. In the past, Griffith has collaborated with such revered ensembles as the Jon Hendricks' Explosion, Jimmy Heath's Big Band, Roy Hargrove Big Band, Stanley Cowell Quintet and the Bill Saxton Quartet.

In 1994, he played the lead role of "Jesse" in Wynton Marsalis', celebrated Blood On The Fields, the specially commissioned jazz oratorio, which premiered at Lincoln Centers' Alice Tully Hall. Griffith also participated on the recording, which was released on Sony Music in mid 1997 to end Marsalis' Pulitzer Award and Grammy winning world tour. Will Friedwald states, "Miles Griffith shows off the scat technique that made him Wynton Marsalis' choice for the leading role in Blood On The Fields."

Griffith is not only a stellar performer he is also a band leader and record producer. Having four CD's under his belt and his most recent work, Smile Againon Griffith Records, a record label Griffith created. Author, historian and jazz critic Ira Gitler states about Smile Again, "Miles Griffith is a very talented, multi-faceted singer who can croon short and sweet as in "Hello Friend" or, using his voice instrumentally can unleash passionate, informed swing as in his version of Thelonious Monk's "We See." I like Tony's solo on "Autumn in New York" and Miles scatting here combined the melodic, harmonic and rhythmic beautifully. We see and hear. Oo-pa-pa-da!"

Brain Inventory Trio

Esa Pietila -Saxophones (Finland)
Michael Jefry Stevens – Piano (USA)
Juho Laitinen – Cello (Finland)

The “Brain Inventory Trio” plays music that bridges 2 cultures (USA and Finland) and a multitude of styles (jazz, folk, classical, rock, improvised, composed, acoustic, electric). The instrumentation of acoustic piano, saxophones and cello (acoustic and electric) creates new musical parameters, colors, and hopefully will lead the listener as well as the performer to an internal inventory of one’s life and our relationship to each other. One species. A “Brain Inventory”.


Nowadays mostly known for his prowess and vision as an improviser, saxophonist Esa Pietiläcommenced his career in the big band environment and Sibelius Academy Jazz Department. Over the years, Esa Pietilä´s original style of Freeform jazz and various projects of his Trio, "4 Streams" Quartet with ECM artist Iro Haarla, improvised solo saxophone concerts etc. have stabilized his position performing on the national & international jazz circuit, and have led him to play in Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, France, The Netherlands, Austria, Iceland, England, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Cuba. He has performed e.g. with the names like Ron McClure, Mathias Eick, Mike Nock, Claudio Fasoli, Heiri Kaenzig, Odean Pope, Raoul Björkenheim, Brian Melvin, Iro Haarla, Filip Augustson, Hilmar Jensson, Johannes Mössinger, Mikko Innanen, Mika Kallio, Seppo kantonen, Antti Hytti, and Erling Kroner.

His solo saxophone concerts belong to the elite of saxophone expression – Esa`s virtuosity of saxophone combines with colours of saxophone sound in multitude textures & atmospheres from variety of minimalism whispers to full free blowing results a palette of colourful shapes of multiphonics, chordal tones, rhythmic surprises in drama, and even "Bach"- like fugue approach to Improvisation.

Juho Laitinen (b. 1977) is a cellist, improviser, composer, writer and teacher. He performs as a soloist and chamber musician, teaches and studies at Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, regularly makes recordings for the Finnish Broadcasting Company and writes for various music publications.

Juho has a particular interest in the tradition of American and European avant-garde. His repertoire includes works by Cage, Scelsi and Stockhausen, and also the most recent music – improvisation – is of key importance. In the latter realm he has worked for example with John Zorn, Elliott Sharp and Christian Wolff.

Not a fan of unnecessary classifications of genre, Juho regularly works with jazz musicians, currently with the band of Pepa Päivinen. He also performs on the Baroque cello, plays fado as well as some classical music from the Near East. Juho pursues his interest in the possibilities of electronic sound manipulation with Mikko Hassinen in Sound Dentistry. Among the works he has commissioned and premiered are On Air-Line for cello, electronics and big band by Riikka Talvitie and Boost for cello and analog synthesizer, in extended just intonation, by Juhani Nuorvala. Coming up in November 2011 is a new piece for 6-string electric cello by Maija Hynninen.

He received his initial training at Turku Conservatory and Royal College of Music in London and additionally in Rome and New York, with Timo Hanhinen, Jérôme Pernoo and Petr Kotik as his main mentors. Currently he is working towards a doctorate at Sibelius Academy with "Innovations in 20th century cello music" as his topic. He curates the Kallio New Music Days festival and Tulkinnanvaraista, a new music recital series about to be launched in October 2011. His first solo cd will be released in fall 2011. In 2009–10 Juho was the editor for Amfion, an online magazine for classical music, and has also written for Rondo.

Pianist/Composer and “Steinway Artist” Michael Jefry Stevens (born 1951 in NYC) performs extensively in Europe, Latin America and North America. He has composed over 400 works for both large and small ensemble. As an active band-leader for over 30 years his working musical ensembles currently include the Conference Call Quartet, The Fonda/Stevens Group, the Swiss “In Transit Quartet, the Hungarian “Eastern Boundary Quartet”, the Griffith/Stevens Quartet, the Southern Excursion Quartet, a quartet project with Memphis Vocalist Joyce Cobb, German vocalist Nicole Metzger’s NY Connection and performs with New Orleans horn man Brian “Breeze” Cayolle. Michael has released over 70 cds featuring his own music. Mr. Stevens has performed and/or recorded extensively with many of the top names in Jazz including Dave Liebman, Dave Douglas, Valery Ponomarev, Cecil Bridgewater, Steve Swell, Bill McHenry, Leo Smith, Perry Robinson, Matt Wilson, Mark Feldman, Dom Minasi, Dave Ballou, Pheeroan AkLaff and many others.

YouTube Links:

Trio Generations

MICHAEL JEFRY STEVENS piano
JOE FONDA bass
EMIL GROSS drums

TG (Trio Generations) stands for the clash of generations on the highest imaginable level of musical creativity. It is the reappraisal of fusion and difference regarding the life concepts and styles of the artists as well as their very different, but not contradictory, approaches towards music. The creative resources of the music of Trio Generations are defined by the musical concepts of the three musicians on the very basis of their originality and their traditions. The performance is based upon firmly composed music as well as free improvisation. The tRIo's audible output is a crisp, fresh, modern sound; indefinable somewhere in-between Jazz, Avantgarde, Funk, Rock, Reggae….. establishing a thrilling tension from the first to the last minute.??

 Still in his early 20's, our Austrian drummer Emil Gross lives on the border of Austria/Hungary and is firmly rooted in the music of his generation as well as past generations. Bassist Joe Fonda and Pianist Michael Jefry Stevens are both from New York City and have been performing together for close to 30 years.

Together they have played with such American jazz master artists as Anthony Braxton, Pheeroan Aklaff, Wadada Leo Smith, Dave Douglas, Mark Feldman, Gerry Hemingway, Miles Griffith, Billy Martin (Martin-Medeski-Wood), Steve Turre, Cecil Bridgewater, Valery Ponamerev, Potato Valdez, Ken McIntyre, Charlie Persip, Lou Donaldson, Perry Robinson, Kenny Barron, Curtis Fuller, Chico Hamilton and many others. In addition both Mr. Fonda and Mr. Stevens have performed and continue to perform with a wide range of international jazz artists including Daunik Lazro (France), Gebhard Ullmann (Germany), Carlos Zingaro (Portugal), Szilard Mezei (Serbia), Balazs Bagyi (Hungary), Maciej Obara (Poland), Jon Hemmersam (Denmark), Esa Pietila (Finland) and many others.

 The influence of African American music is international in scope and pervades most societies and countries that exist on the planet. ?From spirituals to blues to jazz to gospel to rock to funk ....... Each generation builds on each succeeding generations’ achievements and learns from their mistakes. As an ensemble Trio Generations exists to celebrate these different musics and cultures.

BOOKING:
limmitationes
udo preis
8382 Deutsch Minihof 52
Austria
SKYPE: NICKLBAUER


YouTube Links:

Joyce Cobb and the Memphis Trio

Joyce Cobb - vocal
Michael Jefry Stevens - piano
Jonathan Wires - bass
Renardo Ward - drums

Joyce Cobb’s musical journey has taken its fair share of twists and turns, but the multifaceted singer is hardly finished adding new chapters to her story at this point. After beginning her professional calling with the distinction of being signed by Stax during its heyday, she proceeded on to a career that includes highlights such as charting in the Top 40 with a record on the famed Cream label (later Hi Records), and touring internationally with household names like The Temptations, Muddy Waters, and Al Jarreau. For many artists these sort of experiences might have been enough, but despite such early success, Joyce has never stopped to dwell on the past, instead adopting fresh approaches to her seemingly limitless talents.

Raised in her grandmother’s church choir, Cobb later left Nashville for a chance to sing down the road in the Home of the Blues. Upon arriving in Memphis, Stax wasted no time inking her to a deal, setting in motion a whirlwind of events. At a time when Soulsville, USA was pumping out hit after hit, Joyce began incorporating her love of jazz recordings into her soulful styled singing, creating a distinct division in her sound from most vocalists who relied more on bluesy power than styled refinement. Somewhat ironically though, as worldwide travel increasingly became a requirement of her blossoming performance career, she began to find herself more deeply rooted into the ever-expanding traditions back in the Bluff City.


In a place boasting marquee names as B.B., Rufus, Elvis, and Isaac, Cobb soon became one of the foremost ladies in a music scene that had produced few notable female vocalists outside of Memphis Minnie and Carla Thomas. That fact never fazed her though, as she was more than comfortable in what had become a melting pot for the southern soul, rhythm and blues, gospel, and jazz she loved. Rather, Memphis became a platform for countless projects outside of her recording career: she owned and performed in her own Beale Street nightclub, received recognition for one-person stage plays at Theatre Memphis, taught jazz vocals at the University of Memphis School of Music, and still continues to host her famous Sunday jazz brunches in midtown. 

And though the love for her adopted hometown remains steadfast, Cobb anxiously anticipates stepping out this year with a new jazz project, her first album with independent Memphis label Archer Records.


Joining her will be Memphis-by-way-of-New York pianist Michael Jefry Stevens, who, like Cobb, has never been one to sit idly around. In fact, at present Stevens heads or plays a part in a number of jazz ensembles across the country, having played on 62 released albums during his career. In addition, he was recently honored with an induction into the prestigious and diverse company of Steinway Artists, including past legends like Irving Berlin and Cy Coleman, as well as modern players such as Billy Joel and Harry Connick, Jr. When not busy juggling one of his many projects, Stevens often gives solo jazz salon performances and leads various instructional series (a current series focused on the 70s era electric fusion of Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Joe Zawinul, et al).

Not long after moving to Memphis Stevens was contacted by local upright bassist Jonathan Wires, and the two instantly formed a playing partnership that grew to eventually include drummer Renardo Ward, well known around town for his session work. After hearing Joyce perform, Stevens felt that her dynamic style and singular intonation would be the perfect foil for his newfound trio. “I have a few places in Europe I always like to play,” mused Stevens, “and I knew these folks would fall in love with Joyce. It made perfect sense.” With the members solidified, Archer Records signed the group in late August 2009 before welcoming them into the midtown Memphis label’s Music + Arts studio. To ensure the best sound possible, Archer arranged a Steinway D for Stevens, and the September 21-24 sessions, which were recorded to magnetic tape, reflect the classic richness and warmth of sound that will recall smoldering Dinah Washington and Billy Holliday LPs.

On their resultant self-titled album Joyce Cobb with the Michael Jefry Stevens Trio, Stevens leads the rhythm section in deftly complementing Cobb’s full range of honey sweet vocals with carefully composed peaks and valleys. Beginning with the distressed album-opening “Moanin’,” they collectively deliver 12 tales that ebb and flow as a dialogue between enflamed passions and desperate solitude. Drawing on her own uniquely developed mixture of silky jazz and aching soul, Cobb scours the depths of cheerless heartache (“It’s Over Now”) and profound longing (“If You Never Come to Me”), before illuminating the heights of hopeful anticipation (“Jitterbug Waltz”) and unwavering love (“My Heart Belongs to Daddy”, “If You Know Love”). Throughout, Stevens provides vibrantly articulated and lyrical solos, as Wires and Ward glide naturally between moods and tempos with remarkable ease and style. The outcome is a magnificently crafted album coursing with life and full of delicate flourishes resulting from an incredible understanding between the full-bodied musical personalities of Cobb and Stevens.
Look for Joyce Cobb with the Michael Jefry Stevens Trio online and in stores this summer, after which the ensemble will embark on a U.S. tour this September beginning at the Al Sears Jazz Festival, with European dates in Switzerland, Germany, and more to follow in October.

For project photos, audio samples, and more, please visit Archer Records online at www.archer-records.com or the Michael Jefry Stevens homepage at michaeljefrystevens.com.

This quartet features three of the finest Memphis musicians including Memphis Vocal Diva Joyce Cobb, bassist Jonathan Wires and Renardo Ward on drums. The quartet just recorded our debut CD on Archer Records and will be supporting this new release with an October 2010 European tour. Joyce Cobb is a vocalist extraordinaire - a cross between Billy Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. The group plays a variety of jazz standard material from the early 1900's through the present. This is some deep Southern rooted jazz/blues music.Greetings from Memphis.

As a singer, teacher, and actor, Joyce Cobb has done it all: Signed a deal at Stax Records, cut a Top 40 hit, "Dig The Gold," for the Cream label, opened shows for The Temptations, Muddy Waters, and Al Jarreau, toured Europe, performed with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, and starred in local productions of Ain't Misbehavin' and the Center For Southern Folklore's Beale Street Saturday Night (which she co-created). Born in Oklahoma and reared in Nashville, Joyce has been immersed in music since her childhood days singing in her grandmother's church. Joyce Cobb's many awards and honors include:

* Best Female Singer (The Recording Academy/NARAS)
* Best Memphis Band (Memphis Flyer Readers' Poll)
* Memphis Music Commission Emissary of Memphis Music (2009)
* Tri-State Defender Women of Excellence Award (2008)
* W. C. Handy Heritage Award (2007)
* Women of Achievement Award for Initiative (2002)
* United Music Heritage Music Pioneer Award (2000)
* Beale Street "Walk of Fame" Brass Music Note
* Honorary PhD in Music (Grand Valley State University)
* Only Woman to Have a Beale Street Club Named in Her Honor



YouTube Links

Jon Hemmersam Project

Serbian violist Szilard Mezei, Danish guitarist Jon Hemmersam and native New Yorker Michael Jefry Stevens join forces in this new "Trio of Improvisors" Project. The trio's first CD "Upcast" was recently released on ARC Records.

"Dear Jonas" is a duet CD featuring Jon Hemmersam on guitar and Michael Jefry Stevens on piano. The duo performs both original compositions by each musician as well as several free improvisations.

Remembering the Future is a quintet recording featuring Jazz Masters Dave Liebman and Rakalam Bob Moses. The recording features original music by Jon Hemmersam with the added composition "For My Brother" by myself.

Ewald Hugle Quartet

Ewald Hugle - Saxophones Dieter Ulrich - drums
Christian Weber - Bass
Michael Jefry Stevens - Piano

Ewald Hügle studied saxophone at Music Conservatory Basel under Prof. Iwan Roth. Masterclasses and workshops by Evan Parker, Jerry Bergonzi, David Liebman, Michael Brecker, Erni Watts and Frederik Hemke.

International awards for example: "International Concours de Jazz" in Sorgue/Avignon 1989 and "Le meilleur soliste de la concours", Paris 1991 [with Ewald Hügle Trio, Heiner Merk [bass], Gerald Moniez [drums], Ewald Hügle [sax]

Ewald Hügle has worked with:
Marion Brown, Albert Mangelsdorff, Lou Blackburn, Emil Viklicky, Frantisek Uhlir, Matt Garrison, Günther "Baby" Sommer, Ed Schuller, Thomas Heideprim, Thomas Moekel, Runo Erikson, Siegfried Kessler, Oliver Johnson, Jay Oliver, The Blech, Lawrence Butch Morris, Ian Gordon Lenox, Günter Weiss Quartett, Heiner Merk, Jörg Niessner, Gregor Hübner, Christian Weber, Lucas Niggli, Nils Wogram, Claus Stötter, Steffen Schorn etc.

Sorgen-Rust-Stevens Trio


This group includes Michael Jefry Stevens (piano), Harvey Sorgen (Drums) and Steve Rust (Bass).
Since 20055 the group has released 4 cds on the Polish Nottwo Record Label: Decade. 


"Stevens, Sorgen and Rust have cast their roots as improvisers. All possess expressive intuition, allowing them to play off each other and work in tandem towards developing a concept with insight and imagination."  --  All About Jazz 

Mosaic Sextet

Between 1988-1990 Michael Jefry Stevens co-led the now legendary "Mosaic Sextet" with acclaimed trumpeter Dave Douglas. This group included Mark Feldman on violin, Michael Rabinowitz on bassoon, and the rhythm section of Harvey Sorgen on drums and Joe Fonda on bass. Their "Today This Moment" CD release on Konnex Records and re-release on GM Recordings is considered one of the classic modern jazz recordings of the 1990’s and was voted one of the best 1000 jazz recordings by the 2011 Penguin Guide to Jazz.   The rhythm section would go on to become the nucleus for Mr. Stevens working quartet the Fonda/Stevens Group. 



Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)