Jazz Articles

Stevens, Siegel & Ferguson: Get Out of Town

by Larry Taylor
January 8, 2008

Get Out of Town features one of many unheralded groups out there which begs to be heard--three relatively unknown musicians in a trio setting who have been working together for some 18 years.

Michael Jefry Stevens on piano, Jeff Siegel on drums and Tim Ferguson on bass--veterans of the New York scene--make up this cooperative trio. Their time as a unit shows in the cohesive arrangements, which give each ample solo time to show off their talent.

Get Out of ...

The New York Trio Project: Fifth House

by Glenn Astarita
November 1, 2001

Not unlike the hordes of jazz piano trios infiltrating this rather divergent genre, guitar-based trios are very much in vogue these days. Here, guitarist, Adam Rafferty pilots this threesome through a brisk set consisting of works by Chick Corea, Horace Silver and Sir Roland Hanna. However, the band also tackles John Coltrane’s “Fifth House” and Wayne Shorter’s “Beauty and the Beast” amid originals by bassist, John Menegon, drummer Jeff Siegel and Rafferty. Overall, the musicians provide a hearty mix, as ...

Stevens, Siegel & Ferguson: Panorama (Featuring Valery Ponomarev)

by Eric Saidel
June 1, 1999

Stevens, Siegel & Ferguson are a well established trio, having played together for a decade, and they sound like it on this recording. They move together so well that each has clearly internalized the others' tendencies. They're funky together, sensitive together, sparing together, and lavish together. This recording shows them in fine form, supporting guest artist Valery Ponomarev. Ponomarev is a splendid horn player. His playing is careful and deliberate, with solos that are finely crafted and never given over ...

Stevens, Siegel & Ferguson: Points of View

by AAJ Staff
March 1, 1999

These guys cover a lot of ground; you can tell by looking at the selections. The first three are the jazz perennial “On Green Dolphin Street”, the ancient warhorse “A Bicycle Built for Two”, and Ornette Coleman’s “The Blessing”. (This was covered by John Coltrane, who is also represented here.) With confidence and a varied technique, they march on, aiming to state the old in a new way. Their aim is true.

“Green Dolphin” starts faster than normal, with a ...

Stevens, Siegel & Ferguson featuring Valery Ponomarev: Panorama

by AAJ Staff
March 1, 1999

Stevens, Siegel & Ferguson with Valery Ponomarev – PANORAMA. Imaginary Records 010; Released 1998. The last two SS&F records were strictly trios; while the group enjoys exploring their dynamics, this time they wanted more. Jeff Siegel says “we also enjoy mixing it up with other players – particularly horn players”; Tim Ferguson wanted “a special person ... able to contribute to it without disrupting its delicate balance.” That person was one-time Jazz Messenger Valery Ponomarev, who brought his talent and ...

Stevens, Siegel & Ferguson: One of a Kind

by AAJ Staff
March 1, 1999

The piano trio has been a staple of jazz forever, and one would think all the approaches have been found. Regardless of who the “leader” is, the trio’s sound is almost always led by the personality of the pianist. If I mention “simultaneous improvisation”, you will likely think of Bill Evans-type introspection. This group belongs in neither category. You get plenty of interplay, but you also get the straightforward charge of the traditional trio. It’s a refreshing sound – one ...