Jazz Articles about Steve LaSpina

Steve LaSpina Quartet at William Paterson University

by David A. Orthmann
July 30, 2015

Steve LaSpina Quartet William Paterson University Summer Jazz Room Wayne, NJ July 23, 2015 At William Paterson University, jazz is taken seriously. Undergraduate and graduate courses are taught by some of the most distinguished names in the business, and the music is presented to the public with care and attention to detail. The past, present, and future are all part of the experience of pursuing a degree or attending a jazz concert at ...

Maud Hixson: Don't Let A Good Thing Get Away

by David Bittinger
July 6, 2013

This collection of songs by veteran composer Michael Leonard has deep roots but contemporary character. It was laid down in New York's legendary Nola Recording Studio, whose clients have included Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie. The outstanding instrumentalists--cornetist Warren Vache, bassist Steve LaSpina, guitarist Gene Bertoncini, and pianist/arranger Tex Arnold--have worked with such luminaries as Benny Goodman and Stan Getz.In 2008, Twin Cities-based vocalist and music researcher Maud Hixson, working with Arnold, began reviewing the prolific work of ...

Steve LaSpina: Play Room

by Terrell Kent Holmes
July 17, 2007

Juggling a whirlwind schedule as a musician, father and student means that bassist Steve LaSpina is always in constant motion. Play Room is a selection of original compositions that comment on the recent state of affairs in his life. The music is lively, contemplative, playful and always involving. The title cut serves as the album's mission statement, placing avant-garde sensibilities within a bop framework. Dave Ballou and Billy Drewes banter mischievously on trumpet and soprano sax, and ...

Steve LaSpina: Remember When

by Elliott Simon
July 3, 2004

There can be something very special about a bassist-led session. Perhaps it is their knowledge of both time and melody that, when coupled with the rich emotional sound of their instrument, results in some of the most creative jazz. On all these counts, Steve LaSpina's Remember When, makes its mark.

Composed in the aftermath of the unexpected death of his young son, Scott Anthony, Remember When is somewhat surprisingly not a dark depressive work. Instead, LaSpina has eloquently chronicled the ...

Steve LaSpina: Remember When

by Derek Taylor
January 9, 2004

A dependable fixture in the Steeplechase stable, Steve LaSpina has contributed his anchoring bass sound to a variety of projects. Sadly his fourth recording as a leader comes in the tragic wake of the loss of his son. The aftermath of grief arising from such a tribulation registers with the unimaginable for those who have not experienced it. LaSpina draws on his music as a means of cathartic release and healing, crafting a collection of pieces that communicate his coming ...