Jazz Articles about Garrison Fewell

Garrison Fewell: Variable Density Sound Orchestra

by Lyn Horton
December 10, 2009

For the descriptively-titled Variable Density Sound Orchestra, guitarist Garrison Fewell has assembled a group whose members expertly develop the thematic content central to the pieces on the album. All but one are composed by Fewell, the disc closing with Butch Morris' “Namthini's Shadow." Trumpeter Roy Campbell, Jr. plays with Fewell for the first time here, the rest of the ensemble consisting of second guitarist Eric Hofbauer, reedist Achille Succi, bassist John Voigt, drummer Mike Matsuki and percussionist Alex Fewell, who ...

Garrison Fewell: Variable Density Sound Orchestra

by AAJ Italy Staff
June 8, 2009

Garrison Fewell è un maturo chitarrista americano nato a Charlottesville nell'ottobre del 1953 e cresciuto a Philadelphia. Fewell ha collaborato con jazzisti importanti come John Tchicai, Benny Golson, Harbie Hancock, Billy Harper, Kenny Wheeler, Steve Grossman, Hal Galper, Tim Hagans e altri. Con questa Variable Density Sound Orchestra giunge ad una delle prove più importanti della sua lunga carriera di musicista e didatta (è professore al Berklee College of Music di Boston sin dal 1977). La sua carriera è una ...

Garrison Fewell: Variable Density Sound Orchestra

by John Sharpe
February 18, 2009

At the core of guitarist, composer, and educator Garrison Fewell's Variable Density Sound Orchestra lies the duo with Eric Hofbauer which made the captivating Lady of Khartoum (Creative Nation, 2008). Supplementing the two guitars on the debut of this new ensemble, Fewell expands into orchestral realms, broadening his sonic palette to seven instruments, in a generous program of original compositions, complemented by one piece from the pen of Butch Morris.

Boasting a back story including John Tchicai, George Cables, and ...

Garrison Fewell - Eric Hofbauer: The Lady of Khartoum

by AAJ Italy Staff
June 23, 2008

I due chitarristi americani Garrison Fewell e Eric Hofbauer affrontano questa prova con il piglio di due amici che si mettono in viaggio per un sentiero di montagna. Un sentiero non troppo complicato, ma comunque impegnativo. Un percorso di vita che facilita il dialogo e l'interazione, il riemergere di vecchie memorie, la condivisione degli obiettivi e l'aiuto reciproco per superare le aree di difficoltà. Emergono qua e la brandelli del passato: la bella “Let's Cool One" di Monk, posta strategicamente ...

Garrison Fewell: Red Door Number 11

by AAJ Staff
October 6, 2003

It's been said a thousand times, but restraint is a mark of maturity. When it comes to jazz, understatement is a particular risky maneuver because it can sputter and die right on the tracks. Red Door Number 11 bypasses this pitfall by combining a rich harmonic field with an insistent--in fact, unrelenting, if that word can be used in this context--emphasis on melody.

Guitarist Garrison Fewell has led groups on wax for about ten years, starting with a ...

Garrison Fewell Quintet: City of Dreams

by AAJ Staff
April 1, 2001

"Smooth" is not a word most people like to associate with “jazz." Call it a failure of overzealous marketing. (They've changed terms by now anyway, so we're safe to use it as a compliment.) Guitarist Garrison Fewell has the maturity to appreciate the importance of connecting the dots: fitting ideas together and making them work. His smooth, easygoing style on City of Dreams masks a sophisticated understanding of the jazz vocabulary and ensemble sound. While he mostly steers clear of ...