Joe Fonda

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 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.

Steve Swell

Steve Swell, born in Newark, New Jersey, has been living, working and

performing in New York City his entire adult life. In the mid-seventies he

studied with Roswell Rudd, Grachan Moncur III and Jimmy Knepper after

attending Jersey City State Teacher’s College. He has toured and recorded

with such diverse jazz personalities as mainstreamers Lionel Hampton and

Buddy Rich, to so-called outsiders like Anthony Braxton and Jemeel

Moondoc. Swell has 30 recordings as a leader or co-leader and is a

featured artist on more than 100 other releases. His CD, “Suite For Players,

Listeners and Other Dreamers”, recorded on the CIMP label, was ranked

number 2 in the 2004 Cadence Readers Poll. He received grants from

USArtists International in 2006, a program of the National Endowment for

the Arts, an MCAF award (LMCC) in 2008 & 2013 and was commissioned

twice for the Interpretations Series at Merkin Hall in 2006 and at Roulette in

2012. Steve is also well known for his many collaborations with Cecil

Taylor, Bill Dixon, Alan Silva, William Parker, and his many projects

including “Slammin’ The Infinite” with Sabir Mateen, The Ullmann/Swell

4tet featuring Barry Altschul, “Unified Theory Of Sound” with Cooper-
Moore, “Fire Into Music with Hamid Drake and his large ensemble, Nation

Of We. He was the Jazz Journalist’s Association Trombonist of the Year

nominee for 2008 & 2011, named Trombonist of the Year 2008-2010, 2012 &

2014-2015 by El Intruso, an Argintinean Jazz journal and selected for the

Downbeat Critics Poll in the Trombone category from 2010-2015. Steve is a

Teaching Artist in the NYC public school system working with special

needs children and was awarded the 2008 Jubilation Foundation

Fellowship Award of the Tides Foundation for recognition of that work.Steve Swell, born in Newark, New Jersey, has been living, working and

performing in New York City his entire adult life. In the mid-seventies he

studied with Roswell Rudd, Grachan Moncur III and Jimmy Knepper after

attending Jersey City State Teacher’s College. He has toured and recorded

with such diverse jazz personalities as mainstreamers Lionel Hampton and

Buddy Rich, to so-called outsiders like Anthony Braxton and Jemeel

Moondoc. Swell has 30 recordings as a leader or co-leader and is a

featured artist on more than 100 other releases. His CD, “Suite For Players,

Listeners and Other Dreamers”, recorded on the CIMP label, was ranked

number 2 in the 2004 Cadence Readers Poll. He received grants from

USArtists International in 2006, a program of the National Endowment for

the Arts, an MCAF award (LMCC) in 2008 & 2013 and was commissioned

twice for the Interpretations Series at Merkin Hall in 2006 and at Roulette in

2012. Steve is also well known for his many collaborations with Cecil

Taylor, Bill Dixon, Alan Silva, William Parker, and his many projects

including “Slammin’ The Infinite” with Sabir Mateen, The Ullmann/Swell

4tet featuring Barry Altschul, “Unified Theory Of Sound” with Cooper-
Moore, “Fire Into Music with Hamid Drake and his large ensemble, Nation

Of We. He was the Jazz Journalist’s Association Trombonist of the Year

nominee for 2008 & 2011, named Trombonist of the Year 2008-2010, 2012 &

2014-2015 by El Intruso, an Argintinean Jazz journal and selected for the

Downbeat Critics Poll in the Trombone category from 2010-2015. Steve is a

Teaching Artist in the NYC public school system working with special

needs children and was awarded the 2008 Jubilation Foundation

Fellowship Award of the Tides Foundation for recognition of that work.

Herb Robertson

Herb Robertson: Trumpeter Herb Robertson met alto saxophonist Tim Berne in the late 1970s where he first gained attention for his playing with Berne’s groups during the years 1981­87. His lyricism, tonal distortions and use of mutes looked back to jazz’s past, while his freer improvising was quite futuristic, fitting in very well with Berne’s music and passionate alto playing. During this period he also became a band member of long time collaborator, bassist Mark Helias and drummer Gerry Hemingway. He has been active as a member of the NY Downtown Improviser’s scene since 1980. Herb has since traveled the world always playing in jazz and creative music festivals. He brings a special kind of modern lyricism through his trumpet and other wind­type instruments, having influenced younger generations of trumpeters and musicians alike.

Robertson’s music is simultaneously a game of equals and a parody of excesses, with an irreverent use of structured freedom. It is also an obtuse refraction of Ellingtonian hues and blues that’s both dramatic and compelling. Whether it’s complex large group arrangements or free form duets, Herb Robertson brings his wide knowledge of jazz history along with his original voice and adventurous spirit to each session. He has recorded extensively and can be heard on many CDs, radio and tele-broadcasts.

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/herb­robertson-mn0000679047

http://www.gerryhemingway.com/robertson.htmlHerb Robertson: Trumpeter Herb Robertson met alto saxophonist Tim Berne in the late 1970s where he first gained attention for his playing with Berne’s groups during the years 1981­87. His lyricism, tonal distortions and use of mutes looked back to jazz’s past, while his freer improvising was quite futuristic, fitting in very well with Berne’s music and passionate alto playing. During this period he also became a band member of long time collaborator, bassist Mark Helias and drummer Gerry Hemingway. He has been active as a member of the NY Downtown Improviser’s scene since 1980. Herb has since traveled the world always playing in jazz and creative music festivals. He brings a special kind of modern lyricism through his trumpet and other wind­type instruments, having influenced younger generations of trumpeters and musicians alike.

Robertson’s music is simultaneously a game of equals and a parody of excesses, with an irreverent use of structured freedom. It is also an obtuse refraction of Ellingtonian hues and blues that’s both dramatic and compelling. Whether it’s complex large group arrangements or free form duets, Herb Robertson brings his wide knowledge of jazz history along with his original voice and adventurous spirit to each session. He has recorded extensively and can be heard on many CDs, radio and tele-broadcasts.

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/herb­robertson-mn0000679047

http://www.gerryhemingway.com/robertson.html