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NU Band, The (Whitecage / Heberer / Fonda / Grassi)

In Memory of Mark Whitecage (Live at the BopShop)

NU Band, The (Whitecage / Heberer / Fonda / Grassi): In Memory of Mark Whitecage (Live at the BopSho (Not Two)

A tribute to NY reedist & wind player Mark Whitecage, who passed away in March 2021, in a concert at Rochester's BopShop in 2018 by the band he is probably best known for: Nu Band, with trumpeter Thomas Heberer taking Roy Campbell's original seat, plus Lou Grassi on drums and Joe Fonda on bass, a great concert blending modern creative jazz with passionate playing and a bit of hard bop.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Mark Whitecage-alto saxophone, clarinet, Dine flute

Thomas Heberer-quarter tone trumpet

Joe Fonda-bass, flute

Lou Grassi-drums, percussion


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UPC: 5906395187799

Label: Not Two
Catalog ID: MW 1019-2
Squidco Product Code: 31469

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2021
Country: Poland
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold
Recorded at The BopShop in Rochester, New York, on January 18th, 2018, by Dan Grosse.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"One of the under appreciated veterans of free jazz, Mark Whitecage passed away in March of 2021, leaving a well-established legacy of strong recordings in which his searing yet soulful alto saxophone merged with many of the more visible figures on the scene. Joe McPhee, Anthony Braxton, and Annette Peacock are just a few of the luminaries who partnered with Whitecage over the years. Perhaps his most fruitful period was the late 1990s and early 2000s, alongside the musicians in the CIMP/Cadence orbit-folks like Jay Rosen, Dominic Duval, Paul Smoker, Lou Grassi, and Joe Fonda. Drummer Grassi and bassist Fonda comprise the rhythm section of the Nu Band, a quartet that first included trumpeter Roy Campbell and then, after Campbell's passing in 2014, added cornetist/trumpeter Thomas Heberer to the lineup. As this group provided the context for most of Whitecage's recorded work in the 2010s, it's only fitting that it is the vehicle for this stimulating live outing recorded in 2018 at Rochester, New York's BopShop-a release that now serves as a touching tribute to the departed altoist.

Whitecage is in top form here, with a biting intensity leavened by a folsky lyricism; even during his most heated proclamations there's a generous warmth that makes its presence felt. Fonda's "Minor Madness" may be the best glimpse of Whitecage's duality: his upper-register potency is fearsome, but just as crucial is his deep sensitivity, heard during a richly-hued solo over the freely-roving pulse provided by Fonda and Grassi. All the tracks exhibit a tuneful dimension: Grassi's somber "Dark Dawn in Aurora" has a melodic poignancy explored to the full by Heberer, even once Whitecage joins in with a furious flurry; and Heberer's homage to Campbell, "One for Roy," sees the two horns in a sensitive dialogue with Grassi and Fonda, as the piece continually threatens to burst forth with energy.

Of all its strengths, the group is undeniably at its best when it finds its groove. Whitecage's "Five O'clock Follies" is a ten-minute whirlwind of free-bop, whether Fonda is locking in tight with Grassi during a tenacious solo, or Whitecage and Heberer are crafting their own sinuous statements, independently or in tandem. And while the first half of "Christophe and Ornette" gives the band a chance to stretch out a bit, Whitecage taking a turn on the clarinet while Fonda gets out his flute for a three-part horn conversation, the second half really takes flight, with Fonda's resumption of bass duties throwing out a driving ostinato that Grassi digs into with a funky fervency, unleashing fresh torrents from Heberer and Whitecage.

As Whitecage was essential to the identity of the Nu Band, it's an open question whether the group will soldier on without him. But even if that doesn't happen, this performance serves as an apt remembrance of his distinctive talents and his special rapport with these longstanding musical colleagues."-Troy Dostert, All About Jazz


Get additional information at All About Jazz

Artist Biographies

"Mark Whitecage is an American jazz reedist. Whitecage played in his father's family ensemble as early as age six. In the 1980s, he played with Gunter Hampel's Galaxy Dream Band, Jeanne Lee, and Saheb Sarbib. After touring solo in Europe in 1986, he put together two bands as a leader, Liquid Time and the Glass House Ensemble. In the 1990s, and his first release with Liquid Time was chosen by Cadence Magazine as one of the year's best albums. He worked in the Improvisers Collective from 1994, and began releasing albums on CIMP in 1996 Late in the 1990s he worked with Anthony Braxton, including in performances of Braxton's opera, Trillium R. He has also played with William Parker, Perry Robinson, Joe Fonda, Dominic Duval, Joe McPhee, and Steve Swell. He is married to clarinetist Rozanne Levine; they perform together with Perry Robinson in a trio called Crystal Clarinets."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Whitecage)
10/30/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Thomas Heberer, born 1965 in Schleswig, Germany, started playing the trumpet at age 11. From 1984 to 1987, he studied under Manfred Schoof at the Cologne University of Music.

He has performed on 6 continents; was a lecturer at the the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts (1993-97); and can be heard on approximately 100 recordings.

Honors include receiving the prestigious SWR Jazzpreis in 1990, and being awarded theDown Beat Critics TDWR Poll as a member of the ICP Orchestra in 2002.

Before moving to New York City in 2008, the trumpeter served as a member of the regularband supporting German talk show host and entertainer Harald Schmidt for 12 years.

Wim Wenders' feature-length dance movie Pina, winner of the 2011 European Film Award, includes music Thomas contributed to Ten Chi, a choreography by Pina Bausch.

Besides his ongoing work with the ICP Orchestra, Heberer maintains a busy performanceand recording schedule with numerous New York City based ensembles, among themYoni Kretzmer's Five, the Nu Band and the Angelica Sanchez nonet."

-Thomas Heberer Website (http://www.thomasheberer.com/?PG=about)
10/30/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Joe Fonda is a composer, bassist, recording artist, interdisciplinary performer, producer and educator.

An accomplished international Jazz artist, Fonda has performed with his own ensembles throughout the United States ,Canada , Europe and Asia. He has collaborated and performed with such artists as Anthony Braxton ,Archie Shepp, Ken McIntyre, Lou Donaldson, Bill and Kenny Barron, Leo Smith, Perry Robinson, Dave Douglas, Curtis Fuller, , Bill Dixon, Han Bennink, Bobby Naughton, Xu Fengia, Randy Weston, Gebhard Ullmann, Carla Bley, Carlo Zingaro, Barry Altschul, Billy Bang.

Fonda was the bassist with the renowned Anthony Braxton sextet, octet, tentet, from 1984 through 1999. Fonda also sat on the Board of Directors from 1994 to 1999, and was the President from 1997 to 1999 of the newly formed Tri-Centric Foundation. He has also performed with the 38-piece Tri-Centric orchestra under the direction of Anthony Braxton, and was the bassist for the premiere performance of Anthony Braxton's opera, Shalla Fears for the Poor, performed at the John Jay Theater in New York, New York, October 1996.

As a composer, Fonda has been the recipient of numerous grants and commissions From Meet the Composer New York and the New England Foundation on the Arts . He has released twelve recordings under his own name. (Reviews and recordings available). Fonda was also a member of The Creative Musicians Improvisors Forum directed by Leo Smith, and was the bassist with the American Tap Dance Orchestra in New York City, directed by world renowned tap dancer, Brenda Bufalino.

In 1989, Fonda performed with Fred Ho's Jazz and Peking opera in its world premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. From 1982 to 1986 Fonda was the bassist and dancer with the Sonomama Dance Company. An independent producer since 1978, Fonda is the founding director of Kaleidoscope Arts an interdisciplinary performance ensemble and is the producer and musicial director for the Connecticut Composers and improvisors Festival from 2001 to 2011.

Currently Fonda has been recording and touring extensively with the Fonda-Stevens Group, Conference Call , The Fab Trio, The Nu Band and Bottoms Out , with performances at the Bim huis in Amsterdam, Holland, Prague Jazz Festival, Czech Republic, Jazz Halo Festival, Belgium, Jazz Festival Thurinsen, Weimer, Germany, Berlin Jazz Festival Berlin Germany , Jazz Im Agusto Festival Lisbon Portugal, Natt Jazz Festival Bergen Norway, The Vision Festival New York, New York, Jazz and More Festival Sibiu Romania, Bakau Jazz Festival ,Azerbijan, Tondela Jazz Festival Tondala portugal , Vancouver Jazz Festival ,Vancouver Canada, Guelph Jazz Festival ,Guelph Canada .

Two of Fonda's most recent projects are From the Source, The Off Road Quartet.

From the Source is a group that incorporates the tap dancing and poetry of Brenda Bufalino and the healing arts of Vicki Dodd, and four jazz musicians. The group has released their first CD entitled, Joe Fonda and From the Source, on Konnex Records.

The Off Road Quartet is comprised of four musicians from four different countries. Ux Fengia from Beijing China , Carlos Zingaro from Lisbon Portugal , Lucas Niggle from Zurich Switzerland and Joe Fonda New York USA. The Off Road Quartet blends the musics from all four of these musicians cultures into a unique musicial and visual experence."

-Joe Fona Website (http://joefonda.com/biography)
10/30/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Lou Grassi is internationally known for his work in both the traditional and the avant-garde jazz worlds. He has literally played from Ragtime to No-Time - he toured with Ragtime pianist Max Morath and is the leader of the Dixie Peppers. He has performed and/or recorded with a wide range of outstanding artists including Marshall Allen, Billy Bang, Borah Bergman, Rob Brown, Roy Campbell, The Copascetics, James Garrison, Charles Gayle, Burton Greene, Urbie Green, Gunter Hampel, Johnny Hartman, Fred van Hove, Joseph Jarman, Sheila Jordan, William Parker, Perry Robinson, Roswell Rudd, John Tchicai, and Mark Whitecage. Lou appears on more than 70 recordings including more than 30 as a leader or co-leader.

Lou has toured extensively, performing throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia and Central America. He has been a featured artist at numerous international festivals including The Stork Music Festival, NYC; The Vision Festival, NYC; The Texaco New York Jazz Festival, NYC; The Rochester Jazz Festival, Rochester, NY; Summer's End Music Festival, Middletown, CT; Rive de Gier International Jazz Festival, France; Festas Lisboa, Portugal; CAMP 99, Tubingen, Germany; The Guelph Jazz Festival, Canada, Festival Frei Improvisierter Music, Dresden, Germany, the WIM Festival in Antwerp, Belgium, The Hurta Codell Festival of Improvised Music, Madrid, Spain and Egdefest, Ann Arbor, MI He has also performed at Banlieues Bleues Festival, Paris, France; Luneburg Jazz Nights, Germany; The Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival, NYC and The International Dixieland Festival of Dresden, Germany."

-Lou Grassi Website (http://www.lougrassi.com/LouGrassiShortBio.html)
10/30/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Prayer for the Water Protectors 4:05

2. Five O'Clock Follies 10:25

3. One for Roy 6:33

4. The Closer You Are, the Further It Gets 14:19

5. Christophe and Ornette 9:27

6. Minor Madness 8:39

7. Dark Dawn in Aurora 10:18

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Jazz
Free Improvisation
NY Downtown & Metropolitan Jazz/Improv
Quartet Recordings
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