| Discography of Joe Fonda | 2005 |
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Lineup
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Recorded at The Spirit Room, Rossie, NY, September 15, 2005
Produced by Robert D. Rusch
Recording Engineer: Marc D. Rusch
Cover art: Out bass by Kara D. Rusch
Released 2006 by CIMP Records [CIMP 343]
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Producer's Notes by Robert D. Rusch When I began speaking with Joe Fonda (b.1954, Amsterdam, NY), in mid December 2004, he spoke with much passion and vision. Joe said (about the music) he'd "been hearing this music in my head for low instruments over years" and that during that time he had been writing the music as it came to him. By December of 2004 he had over ten compositions; "I can tell you, as a composer, when the music comes to me without being at a piano or bass or guitar, it's the best and most powerful music that I have and it doesn't happen that often but when it does it's powerful." I admitted that I could not readily fix on the combination but since he seemed to have such clarity of the vision, if he could bring together the particular group then Iwould assist with a CIMP production. And so we met, beginning on September 15th, to hear Joe's music realized by "a group of players I think will do it justice," a group he has associated with over these past many years. Those players are: Joe Daley (b.1949, NYC, NY), probably best known forhis tenure with Sam Rivers and in particular The Tuba Trio. Claire Daly (b.1958, Bronxville, NY), one of the very brightest lights of the next generation of bari players, on the scene since the early '80s. She was a mainstay for years in the band Diva. Gebhard Ullmann (b.1957, Bad Godesberg, Germany) also has been recording and leading groups since the early 1980s and was on Joe's Full Circle Suite (CIMP 198) and also co-led a 2004 CIMP date with Steve Swell (#315). Michael Rabinowitz (b.1955, New Haven, CT) first came to my attention in the Mosaic Sextet, a late '80s/early '90s group which also included Joe. Everybody knows who Michael is even if they don't know his name. Gerry Hemingway (b.1955, New Haven, CT) came into my consciousness in the late '70s as a member of a fertile improvising music scene which seemed to have its genesis in the New Haven/New England area. Since then he has been ubiquitous on the creative improvising music scene, including a long and productive tenure with Anthony Braxton as well as being a leader in his own right. Much to my surprise the sound check went quickly and we got right to the business of eating. About 2½ hours later we gathered in The Spirit Room and Joe opened with a lovely bass intro on Bottoms Out which segued into Joe's tribute to Tom Chapin, Gone Too Soon. I might mention that, like many horn players, Gebhard limited his food intake before he played. I should also mention that, with a certain insistence, he was very eager to become acquainted with a banana cream pie which remained half eaten at the supper table. So should you notice an urgency in his bass clarinet work it could be talent, certainly, but perhaps also gluttony over style. I've mentioned before that Joe Fonda is ebullient and manages to maintain his charm even when he gets down to the serious nature of his music. Right from the first take of Bottoms Out it was clear that Joe was primed and the group in sync, from Gerry's busy hand drumming through the organic development of the ensemble lines into inspired forays and peaks. This group sat and stood (Joe and Gebhard) in a tight little circle (in the center of which a cat sat much of the time) and played high with the low and up with the down. It was an inspired moment, 20 minutes of inspired moments — and the cat dug it too. Things were pumped and, after wiping away the sweat and a few reviews of musical signal from Joe, they went right into Rocks in My Head, a methodical pacing piece featuring the amplified bassoon and the unamplified baritone and bass clarinet and, again, an inspired bass narrative. Brown Bagging It opened with Gerry's musings and, as is typical of Joe's compositions, it evolves from fine parts into a powerful larger fabric. If any one of the particular parts doesn't grab you, the compositional/narrative whole will. I think it could be said that over the decades Joe has evolved from sideman/bassist into an orchestral force, as demonstrated here. Throughout a great section of that orchestra is Gerry Hemingway. It's a symbiotic position of each making the other look good by being good. In fact, everybody seems to excel in this setting and it happens over and over. Even Joe Daley, whose near omnipresent coloring underscores so much of this music, steps out in inspired fashion on Brown Bagging It before Michael plays into his challenge. By the end we could only echo Joe's exclamation, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was it." Three tunes, three inspired performances, three takes. Not bad. And then we took a break, during which I talked with Joe about rehearsals. He said they rehearsed a lot but thankfully did not overrehearse; tight enough to remain inspired. The last piece was Breakdown, as Joe, having managed the hat trick, went for the homerun. With these loaded basses how could he miss? This was a most enjoyable evening. Thank you Claire, Joe, Gebhard, Michael, Gerry, and Joe. The pleasures are now ours to enjoy. Robert D. Rusch - Sept. 15, 2005 Producer's Notes | Recording Engineer's Notes | Artist's Notes | CD Reviews All reviews written by Robert D. Rusch → Overview of all CD/LP reviews and liner notes |
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Engineer's Notes by Marc D. Rusch This was one of the more difficult acoustic mixes to get right. The combination of the instruments, the space, and the material made for an interesting challenge but one accepted in good spirits. (A good attitude can make the difference between success or failure of any sound check.) It took a few tries but we eventually got all the positions nailed down and we soon were on our way to capturing the artistic efforts of this sextet. This music is filled with little details, wide dynamics, periods of density, and, at times, very subtle introspection; a little of everything to keep things interesting. Because of this wide dynamic range and the subtle musical details occuring at the noise threshold of most stereo systems, it will pay you to listen to this in a quiet environment. Think concert and you will have the right idea. Joe Fonda is on the left, Gebhard is to the right of Joe, Claire is left of center, Joe Daley is center, Michael is right of center, and Gerry is on the right. Joe can also be heard accompanying himself vocally on several pieces. Marc D. Rusch Producer's Notes | Recording Engineer's Notes | Artist's Notes | CD Reviews |
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Artist's Notes by Joe Fonda Having the chance to record with these musicians this music that I've been thinking about for a long time was one of the highlights of my musical life. I want to thank Bob for giving me the opportunity to do it and Marc for getting us a good sound in such a short time. It all went down so smoothly — it is how it always should be. I will let the music do the rest of the talking. Please enjoy. I am. Joe Fonda Sept. 18, 2005 Producer's Notes | Recording Engineer's Notes | Artist's Notes | CD Reviews All liner notes written by Joe Fonda → Overview of all CD/LP reviews and liner notes |
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CD Reviews
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August 1, 2006 by Derek Taylor for Bagatellen Puns play a prominent part in Joe Fonda's latest ensemble effort. Both band name and album title present the gist of the project in pithy form as the celebrated bassist crews an ensemble with four talented exponents of lower register exploration. Gebhard Ullmann blows gutsy and garrulous bass clarinet, often trading with the more straightforward, but no less muscular, baritone brogue of Claire Daly. Puckish Michael Rabinowitz brings a playfully unpredictable perspective to the group, occasionally plugging in his bassoon and trading in funky riffs as on the bipolar "Rocks in My Head," a track that morphs from billowy drones to shambling swing and back again. Tubaist Joe Daley occupies the lowest rung on the register ladder, soloing rarely, but maintaining a palpable oompah presence from a position stereo center. Fonda frequently scats alongside his febrile bass lines, his amplified strings punching through with a strong foreground sound. Gerry Hemingway (making his CIMP debut) proves a resourceful choice at the drum kit, serving as valuable rhythmic cantilever to the weighty mass of horns. His combination of cerebral acuity and manual dexterity prevents the bulky vessel from capsizing on several occasions, but there are also instances where the sheer corpulence of the configuration wins out. Two 20+ minute marathons bookend a pair of shorter pieces. Lulls occur, most often when the horns negotiate written passages or resort to water-treading riffing as during the latter half of "Breakdown." Fonda's predilection for seeding his pieces with numerous detours and switchbacks also saps some of the momentum. "Bottoms Out/Gone too Soon" opens on a churning bass-buoyed rhythm, the horns staggered and trenchant to intensify the tension. The medley's second half carries an encomium to Thomas Chapin, a former friend and employer of Fonda whose musical persona comes through in the processional-like blues pattern that powers the piece. The horns subside, leaving Hemingway and Fonda to engage in an intricate dialogue of drums and bass. "Brown Bagging It" takes its sweet time in gaining speed, starting with Hemingway's quietly calibrated percussion and slowly building to more animated conversation between the horns against a seesawing cadence. Fonda and Hemingway seize space for another vigorous teté a teté and the track expands into a series of subsequent solos, most notably from Daly's hard-flexing baritone, on to a slippery swinging close. In sum, the session doesn't quite satisfy with the sizeable potential of the roster, but still delves satisfyingly into the compelling possibilities of its eccentric instrumentation. The set is also one of the better sounding in the CIMP catalog with all instruments clearly audible and judiciously separated. In this case, the label's longstanding bare bones approach is definitely an asset. Reprinted with kind permission. Copyright © 2006 Bagatellen and Derek Taylor. Producer's Notes | Recording Engineer's Notes | Artist's Notes | CD Reviews All reviews written by Derek Taylor → Overview of all CD/LP reviews and liner notes |
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Bruce Lee Gallanter for Downtown Music Gallery This is contrabass phenomenon, Joe Fonda's third date as a leader for CIMP, which will sound hit the 250 number in its vast catalogue. Not that Joe is too busy to release 45+ CDs on labels like Leo, Konnex, M&A, 482 Music and Jazz Halo. However, for this disc, Joe decided to do something completely different: a sextet with all low-end instrumentation: tuba, bari sax, bass clarinet, bassoon plus bass & drums. The title piece, "Bottoms Out/Gone Too Soon" is first and dedicated to Thomas Chapin, who did truly leave us too soon. It is a spiritual sounding work for buzzing bass, Hemingway's uplifting, vibrating drums and strange, yet powerful harmonies for the unique blend of horns. As the bass and drums continue to vibrate together, both the bassoon and tuba solo together, swirling in circles around one another, the bari sax and bass clarinet also starting to solo as well, with different duos merging and submerging in the waves created and maintained by the bass and drums. Gerry and then Joe take solos alone and together about midway, with a hushed, solemn section to follow and a robust bassoon solo from Mr. Rabinowitz. "Breakdown" is a challenging piece for layers of interlocking horns and rhythm. As one horn solos, the other play circular lines around the soloist. Great composing from Mr. Fonda with a number of short spirited solos. "Rocks in My Head" simmers softly when it starts with shifting drones from the breath-like horns. Soon the bass and tuba get into a cerebral repeating groove. As the piece evolves, layers of solos weave around one another, sometimes becoming very dense yet there remains a thread that keeps it together. Joe eventually gets back into a sly groove and Claire takes a wonderful haunting bari solo. Joe Fonda has a habit of singing along with his bass which I find charming, since he only does it on occasion and just to show his exuberance. His bass solo near the end of this piece is just astonishing. The final epic-length piece is called "Brown Bagging It" and again it begins quietly and mysteriously, building intensely with a smoking bassoon solo from Michael, no easy feat to pull off. There is an amazing bass and drums duo, where both players take off and soar together, before things sail down to a more calm state, and finally escalating to a more agitated state. Gerry's drums are spinning intensely throughout the entire piece, adding a slow-burning level of excitement throughout. Another fine date from Joe Fonda and his unique low-end horn sextet. Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2006 Downtown Music Gallery and Bruce Lee Gallanter. Producer's Notes | Recording Engineer's Notes | Artist's Notes | CD Reviews All reviews written by Bruce Lee Gallanter → Overview of all CD/LP reviews and liner notes |
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Guillaume "Grisli" Belhomme for Infratunes Distribuant quelques accrocs à sa discrétion au gré des sorties régulières d'albums presque à chaque fois impeccables, le contrebassiste Joe Fonda dresse en 2006 une stèle imposante aux graves : Bottoms Out, Loaded Basses. Auprès du saxophone baryton de Claire Daly, du tuba de Joe Daley, de la clarinette basse de Gebhard Ullman et du basson de Michael Rabinowitz, enfin, porté par la science percussive de Gerry Hemingway, Fonda tire d'un gimmick soutenu une composition sourcilleuse mais charmante, qui fait aussi bien avec l'unisson des notes allongées des instruments à vent qu'avec les digressions individuelles - tenant d'un free mesuré ou d'un apaisement nécessaire prôné par le basson (Bottoms Out / Gone Too Soon). Emporté ensuite dans une ronde jouant des contretemps et des prédispositions au solo de chacun des musiciens (Breakdown), le sextette profite pleinement des possibilités graves de ses instruments sur Rocks In My Head : lentes, rampantes, les phrases investissent un sillon d'où Daley voudra s'extraire, pour emmener bientôt ses partenaires sur la voie d'une ballade soul et lâche, dans laquelle on instille des périodes de flottement. Pour conclure, le duo Fonda / Hemingway lance une marche fantasque, prétexte pour l'ensemble à feindre l'épuisement, avant de servir un swing rageur. Et de conclure dans un chaos allègre ce concert donné en 2005 au Spirit Room de New York, et cette nouvelle preuve offerte sur disque du don de Joe Fonda. Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2006 Infratunes and Guillaume Belhomme. Producer's Notes | Recording Engineer's Notes | Artist's Notes | CD Reviews All reviews written by Guillaume Belhomme → Overview of all CD/LP reviews and liner notes |
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Andrey Henkin for All About Jazz
William Parker's Bass Quartet
Joe Fonda's Bottoms Out Jazz is primarily thought of as a music of high registers. One need only look at the trumpeters, soprano saxophonists and pianists that for many define its sound or conversely at the relative lack of bassist-leaders, longtime demotion of the tuba and even the late development of the bass clarinet. Low frequencies require an attention to detail (and good stereo equipment). For those who possess both, two new discs explore the bottom end of the spectrum. Both are led, unsurprisingly, by bassists but the formats and intentions are quite different. When William Parker convened his Bass Quartet to close out the Ninth Vision Festival in 2004, the environment was a giddy one. Henry Grimes was back to playing regularly, Alan Silva was in town and a few days earlier, the Revolutionary Ensemble had reformed and Sirone's playing was dynamic. The group's significance stemmed from the stylistic lineage evident from Grimes to Silva to Sirone to Parker and the addition of guest saxophonist Charles Gayle added a wrinkle, an uncommon hierarchy with a horn playing over four bassists. This reviewer's notes from the concert indicate not much listening onstage and an impression of the four basses as one thick instrument matched against Gayle's alto. But unusually for this kind of improvised scenario, the recording is more satisfying than the performance. In the comfort of home, with that all-important good stereo (and excellent recording quality), more of the subtleties come through. Gayle, originally the odd man out, makes absolutely vital contributions, providing refreshing spikes and edgy contrasts to the bubbling underneath. Perhaps some direction or shorter, distinct pieces would have worked better but that was not the objective. This was a memorial to the late bassists Wilber Morris and Peter Kowald (and others mentioned in remarks after). Given where those two fit on the bass tree that is Requiem, anything more disciplined would have been not the point. Joe Fonda's entry is a much different set-up. He chooses not to celebrate one low instrument but the whole tonality, showing how much textural range there can be within the same general frequency. His bass is matched against Claire Daly's baritone, Joe Daley's tuba, Gebhard Ullmann's bass clarinet and Michael Rabinowitz' bassoon. But apart from this aural premise, Loaded Basses is a conventional jazz album. The addition of drummer Gerry Hemingway means that these instruments are still playing traditional roles (whatever that means these days) but are adding layers to a specific range rather than occupying individual ones. The recording process of CIMP makes the need for close attention even greater as there are times when a quiet moment can seem particularly quiet. But when the volume increases, the effect is that of Picasso's blue period. One doesn't miss higher register instruments but is moved by what can be done within a delineated gamut. Given that Fonda is used to thinking in low terms, his tunes make best use of the breadth at hand and he is not afraid of those quiet moments or thickly-spread melodies. Listeners who aren't either should pick up this disc. Tracks and Personnel Requiem Loaded Basses Tracks: Bottoms Out/Gone Too Soon (for Tom Chapin); Breakdown; Rocks In My Head; Brown Bagging. Personnel: Claire Daly: baritone saxophone; Joe Daley: tuba; Gebhard Ullmann: bass clarinet; Michael Rabinowitz: bassoon; Joe Fonda: double bass; Gerry Hemingway: drums. Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2006 All About Jazz and Andrey Henkin. Producer's Notes | Recording Engineer's Notes | Artist's Notes | CD Reviews |
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Vittorio Lo Conte for All About Jazz Italia Conosciamo Joe Fonda come un infaticabile e possente contrabbassista, il cui lavoro è stato associato a nomi come Anthony Braxton e spesso ha fatto da sideman a formazioni operanti in USA ed in Europa (ad esempio, con Gebhard Ullmann). Questa volta in veste di leader ci presenta un progetto molto ambizioso che, grazie all'impegno del tecnico del suono e dei musicisti, è riuscito nel migliore dei modi. I molti strumenti che operano su toni bassi sono messi insieme con cura orchestrale e riescono a farsi distinguere senza grossa difficoltà: ognuno ha il suo ruolo, di solista e di accompagnatore, funzionando in modo egregio senza intralciarsi a vicenda. Fra i partecipanti ci sono il fagottista Michael Rabinowitz, già con Fonda negli anni `80 nel Mosaic Sextet (formazione in cui militava anche il giovane Dave Douglas), Joe Daley, noto per le sue esibizioni con Sam Rivers (anche in Italia ad Umbria Jazz) e Gerry Hemingway, i cui ritmi danno all'insieme la giusta propulsione contribuendo molto alla riuscita del disco. Si comincia con una melodia del basso del leader, che poi sfuma in "Gone Too Soon", un brano dedicato a Tom Chapin e che spesso Fonda ha eseguito nei suoi concerti con altre formazioni. È un brano molto lungo, sui venti minuti, eppure il gruppo rimane unito, compatto, senza momenti di vuoto. Già da qui si nota la bravura di Fonda, maturato in un sicuro leader che sa dare la giusta direzione ad un progetto che rischiava fin dall'inizio di naufragare in fondali bassi e limacciosi. Invece tutto procede in modo chiaro e coerente, fra improvvisazioni ed assoli eseguiti da strumentisti di valore, che sanno adeguarsi al ruolo di accompagnatore o solista a seconda dei momenti. In questa sorta di variopinto viaggio musicale nelle basse profondità si apprezzano tinte smorzate e melodie a basso regime insieme ad interventi piuttosto accesi (Geb Ullmann al clarinetto basso, ad esempio), che fanno di quest'opera quasi un lavoro orchestrale il cui direttore sta nascosto dietro il sontuoso contrabbasso. Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2006 All About Jazz Italia and Vittorio Lo Conte. Producer's Notes | Recording Engineer's Notes | Artist's Notes | CD Reviews All reviews written by Vittorio Lo Conte → Overview of all CD/LP reviews and liner notes |
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