Monday,
March 24 at 8pm
Ars
Nova Workshop in Residence
Fonda/Stevens Group
with Michael Jefry Stevens, piano; Joe Fonda,
double-bass; Herb Robertson, trumpet Harvey
Sorgen, drums
With
over 15 years of performing together in various
ensembles the powerful acoustic NYC based
jazz ensemble features the music of bassist
Joe Fonda and pianist Michael Jefry Stevens
performing with master percussionist Harvey
Sorgen and the brilliant modern jazz trumpet
legend Herb Robertson.
Pianist
and co-leader Michael Jefry Stevens has performed
and/or recorded with Dave Douglas, Mark Feldman,
Gerry Hemingway, Billy Martin, Pheeroan Aklaff,
Leo Wadada Smith, Steve Turre, Cecil Bridgewater,
Valery Ponomerev, Potato Valdez, Thomas Chapin,
and Dominic Duval. His most recent releases
include "The Equinox Trio: Dominic Duval"
(Leo Records), The Fonda/Stevens Group "Evolution"
(Leo Records) and Stevens, Siegal and Ferguson
"Panorama" (Imaginary Jazz).
Bassist
and co-leader Joe Fonda has developed an extensive
international reputation over the last several
years recording and touring with the world
renowned Anthony Braxton including performances
at some of the world's most prestigious jazz
festivals including the North Sea Jazz Festival
and the Istanbul International Jazz Festival.
He is also featured bassist on numerous recording
with Mr. Braxton including the famed Charlie
Parker Project Recordings as well as the piano
quartet recordings with Braxton on piano Mr.
Fonda has performed with such notable musicians
as Ken McIntyre, Charlie Persip, Lou Donaldson,
Perry Robinson, Kenny Barron, Leo Smith, Curtis
Fuller, Chico Hamilton, and others. He recently
recorded his first solo bass CD and has released
numerous CD's on the Konnex jazz label, Leo
Records, and the Music and Arts label.
Master
drummer Harvey Sorgen has performed or recorded
with Anthony Braxton, Bruce Hornsby, Jack
DeJohnette, Bob Weir, David Torn, Ahmad Jamal,
Los Lobos, Art Lande, Roswell Rudd, NRBQ,
and Bill Frisell. He is currently a working
member of the world famous rock group "Hot
Tuna" and was a featured in a recent modern
drummer interview article. His album credits
include Hot Tuna, The Arc Quartet, The Mallards,
the Mosaic Sextet, NRBQ, and Sorgen-Rust-Stevens
Trio. His first instructional video, "Drumming
Made Easy" is available worldwide from Homespun
tapes, Inc.
Herb Robertson is internationally
renowned as one of the most innovative trumpet/brass
improvisers of the twentieth century. In 1981,
Robertson became one of the original members
of Tim Berne's ensemble and shortly after
joined Mark Helias' band. It was with these
two artists that Robertson first began receiving
enormous critical acclaim for his original
brass concept incorporating extended mute
techniques. Mr. Robertson has recorded five
albums under his own name and has appeared
with such artists as Bill Frisell, Wayne Horvitz,
John Zorn, Bobby Previte, Charlie Haden Music
Liberation Orchestration, Anthony Davis, Elliot
Sharpe, The George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band,
Barry Guy and the London Jazz Composer's Orchestra,
Paul Motian, and Dewy Redman among others.
He has performed at most of the important
European Jazz and New Music festivals including
the "October Meeting" in Amsterdam, the Moers
Festival in Berlin, Saalfelden, Willasau,
Arri and Nicklesdorf Music festivals.
