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Joel Frahm
For more than 30 years, Joel Frahm lived in New York City, working in jazz clubs, collaborating with other musicians, and honing his craft. He now lives in Nashville, where he continues to play the music he loves. His bold, inventive tenor sound has won fans in the U.S. and across the world. He has worked alongside Betty Carter, Kenny Barron, Freddy Cole, Dianne Schuur, Kurt Elling, Jane Monheit, Bill Charlap, Brad Mehldau, Matt Wilson, Cyrille Aimee, and many other top artists. He has played as a leader or sideman on more than 100 recordings and has appeared at jazz festivals in the United States, Europe, Israel, Canada and South America. In addition to his work as a performer, he has taught jazz classes in clinics at the University of North Carolina, the University of Connecticut, New York University, Wichita State University, the University of North Texas, Baylor University, Colorado State University, Furman University, the University of Toronto, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, the University of Manitoba and others. He also has worked at the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation program; the Sant Andreu Youth Jazz Orchestra in Barcelona, Spain; the Dave Brubeck Institute in Stockton, California; the Center for Jazz Studies at the Israel Conservatory in Tel Aviv; the Czech Jazz Workshop in Prague; and the Siena Jazz Workshop in Italy. Joel grew up in Racine, Wisconsin and moved to West Hartford, Connecticut as a high school freshman, where he became part of the acclaimed Hall High School jazz band. It was there he developed a passion for jazz, exploring the music of jazz greats such as Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Horace Silver and Wayne Shorter. In 1992, he received a bachelor's degree from the Manhattan School of Music.
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Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra: Tenor Madness
by Jack Bowers
Nashville-based composer, arranger and saxophonist Ryan Middagh salutes apostles of the mid-range wind instrument on Tenor Madness, his second recording as leader of the Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra. Even so, there are no tenor solos after the first three of the album's half-dozen numbers, on which tenors Don Aliquo and Jeff Coffin ("Wiley Roots"), Aliquo again ("Waiter, Make Mine Blues"), Coffin and New York luminary Joel Frahm--who together galvanize the album's robust title song--are featured. While the ...
Continue ReadingDiane Marino: Romance In The Dark
by Nicholas F. Mondello
Romance in the Dark, from highly-versatile vocalist-pianist-arranger Diane Marino and a team of Nashville's top studio players, offers 10 entertaining selections. Comprised of covers of well-known standards and classic soul material (with a handful-plus being remixed and remastered from the vocalist's previously released recordings), it is a thoroughly enjoyable and, yes, romantic effort. “Out of This World" opens the session in a lush exotic atmosphere. Originally recorded by Jo Stafford and nearly a jazz standard, Marino dives ...
Continue ReadingJohn Ambrosini: Songs for You
by Richard J Salvucci
John Ambrosini is a New York City-based pianist, composer and arranger. He has a number of recordings to his credit and this one, strictly speaking, is a bit of a departure. Ambrosini's band is populated by a number of well-known jazz professionals in and around the city. So the music swings and the solos--including piano--are all worth hearing. It may be that Ambrosini is a stronger player than singer, something not unusual among instrumentalists who sing. ...
Continue ReadingJohn Alvey: Loft Glow
by Chris May
Such is the proliferation of albums which in the 2020s are taking jazz in new and exciting directions--see AAJ's Best Jazz Albums of 2024: All-Star Break Edition round-up here--that it is easy to pass over albums which have their feet firmly planted in the tradition, and which show no ambition to redefine it, but which are by any standards fresh and first-class jazz. Such an album is Nashville-based drummer John Alvey's debut, Loft Glow. On this love ...
Continue ReadingErnesto Cervini: A Canadian Songbook
by Hrayr Attarian
Composer and drummer Ernesto Cervini is a stalwart of the Canadian creative music scene both as an artist and promoter. His ninth release as a leader, the captivating A Canadian Songbook, is a collection of seven intricate pieces, composed by him and other compatriots. Cervini, at the head of his sextet Turboprop, deftly balances collective harmony and individual expressions and delivers all with refreshing spontaneity. The leader starts off his arrangement of pianist James Hill's “Skeletons" with sparse ...
Continue ReadingJoel Frahm Trio At Scott's Jazz Club
by Ian Patterson
Joel Frahm Trio Scott's Jazz Club Belfast, N. Ireland April 12, 2024 Another sold-out gig. It is not an uncommon occurrence at Scott's Jazz Club. Yet this was no ordinary occasion for Ballyhackamore's award-winning venue. For starters, the Joel Frahm Trio was in the house. Scott's Jazz Club has attracted plenty of outstanding musicians since opening its doors in 2021, but this felt like a cat-got-the-cream event. And there was an extra ...
Continue ReadingErnesto Cervini's Turboprop: A Canadian Songbook
by Dan McClenaghan
Toronto-based drummer, Ernesto Cervini has a “T" theme going with the groups he leads. There is the funky, forward-thinking Tetrahedron. Then we have the terrific trio (bass, drums and saxophone) TuneTown. And the third: Turboprop, presenting their fourth album, A Canadian Songbook, which digs into the musical soul of their home turf. Turboprop is a sextet with a powerhouse three-horn front line, featuring three of Canada's finest, Tara Davidson on alto saxophone, Joel Frahm on tenor saxophone, and ...
Continue ReadingBen Markley Quartet Featuring Joel Frahm - Hot New Release September 16th - Slow Play!
Source:
Scott Thompson Public Relations
Ben Markley Quartet featuring Joel Frahm Slow Play: Release Date September 16th Label: OA2 Records Slow Play is a compilation of music I wrote with the band of Joel Frahm, Jim White, and Marty Kenney in mind. I've had a chance to work with Jim and Marty over the last 10 years in various settings and it's always been a blast. I met Joel a little over two years ago and asked him to do a ...
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Three Views of a Trio Featuring The Wee Trio, the Joel Frahm Trio & the Danny Fox Trio @ Le Poisson Rouge
Source:
Jason Byrne, Red Cat Publicity
Le Poisson Rouge, February 28, 2012 THREE VIEWS OF A TRIO: CD Release Celebration for The Wee Trio's Ashes To Ashes—A David Bowie INTRAspective Also featuring the trios of Joel Frahm and Danny Fox Tues, Feb. 28, 10 PM, tkts are $15, 158 Bleecker St., NYC The Press Rave About The Wee Trio's Ashes to Ashes: “The music makes a wonderful jumping-off point for these inventive musicians . . . a take-no- ...
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Three Views of a Trio Featuring The Wee Trio, the Joel Frahm Trio & the Danny Fox Trio @ Le Poisson Rouge!
Source:
Jason Byrne, Red Cat Publicity
Le Poisson Rouge—February 28, 2012 CD Release Celebration for The Wee Trio Ashes To Ashes—A David Bowie INTRAspective Also featuring the trios of Joel Frahm and Danny Fox. Tues, February 28, 10 PM, $15 Le Poisson Rouge 158 Bleecker St. New York, NY 212 505 FISH The Ashes to Ashes Tour: Stephenville, TX, Jan 18: Tarelton State University Denton, TX, Jan 19: University of North Texas ...
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"Three Musicians" is New CD from Pianist/Arranger Joan Stiles, Featuring Joel Frahm & Matt Wilson
Source:
Terri Hinte Publicity
Pianist Joan Stiles's first two CDs—Love Call (Zoho, 2004) and Hurly-Burly (Oo-Bla-Dee, 2007)—showcased Stiles the resourceful and inventive arranger for octet and sextet. Her new album, Three Musicians, on which Stiles arranges for an unusual trio with saxophonist Joel Frahm and drummer Matt Wilson, reveals the pianist as a fearless improviser who combines harmonic gifts and rhythmic acuity with a pleasingly sharp sense of humor. The album is due for Oct. 25 release on her Oo-Bla-Dee label. Three Musicians is ...
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Anzic Records to Release "Project A" from Saxophonist Joel Frahm + Hammond B3 Player/Pianist Bruce Katz
Source:
Jason Byrne, Red Cat Publicity
“Katz is a killer on the B3” --Bill Milkowski, JazzTimes “Joel Frahm, one of the young band leaders often heard in New York’s small jazz clubs, sounds supremely comfortable playing the tenor saxophone.” --Ben Ratliff, The New York Times Available August 25, 2009 on Anzic Records Joel Frahm + Bruce Katz – Project A – Live at The Jazz Standard in NYC – Sept 1, 2 + 3 In the lexicon of soul.. A is for Aretha. On August 25 ...
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Ondrej Pivec's New Hammond Organ Album from New York with Jake Langley and Joel Frahm
Source:
All About Jazz
Young jazz Hammond organist Ondej Pivec (b. 1984) is releasing his new album Overseason. Pivec is leader of the Prague-based Organic Quartet, an ensemble which has already recorded two albums during its brief existence (Don't Get Ideas, winner of the Czech Academy of Popular Music's 2006 Best Jazz Album award, and Never Enough). The album was recorded in New York, where Pivec and his colleague from Organic Quartet, drummer Tom Hobzek were visiting in the summer of 2007 on a ...
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Joan Stiles/Joel Frahm Duo Concert at the New School Jazz Performance Space
Source:
Two for the Show Media
The Jazz Session #27: Joel Frahm
Source:
All About Jazz
On the new episode of The Jazz Session, Jason Crane interviews saxophonist Joel Frahm. Frahm is one of the busiest saxophonists on the scene today. You'll find him on recordings with pianist Brad Mehldau, vocalist Jane Monheit, trumpeter Avishai Cohen, drummers Matt Wilson and Pete Zimmer, and the Waverly 7. His fourth record as a leader, We Used To Dance (Anzic Records, 2007), brings together a classic rhythm section that played with Stan Getz on some of his final recordings: ...
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Tenor Saxophonist Joel Frahm Releases "We Used to Dance" with Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid, Victor Lewis on Anzic Records
Source:
DL Media
Frahm to Celebrate the CD Release with the Trio on May 2-6 at Sweet Rhythm
“Joel Frahm, one of the young band leaders often heard in New York's small jazz clubs, sounds supremely comfortable playing the tenor saxophone." - Ben Ratliff, New York Times
If you've spent time in the New York jazz scene during the last two decades, you have undoubtedly heard superlative statements like the one about the exceptional saxophonist Joel Frahm. His past recordings have been universally ...
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Joan Stiles Quintet w/Jeremy Pelt & Joel Frahm @ Sweet Rhythm, Sunday, December 12th
Source:
All About Jazz
Photos
Music
Out Of This World
From: Romance In The DarkBy Joel Frahm
Loo-Lee
From: LuminationBy Joel Frahm
Skeletons
From: A Canadian SongbookBy Joel Frahm
Omer's World
From: The Bright SideBy Joel Frahm
My Shining Hour
From: AbundanceBy Joel Frahm
Granada Bus
From: RevBy Joel Frahm
The Windup
From: TurbopropBy Joel Frahm
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Joel Frahm
Location: New York City
Instrument: Saxophone, tenor
