The Fonda/Stevens Group
«The Wish»

• Laura Arbuckle - vocals
• Herb Robertson - trumpet & fluegelhorn
• Mark Whitecage - alto & soprano saxophones
• Michael Jefry Stevens - piano
• Joe Fonda - double bass
• Harvey Sorgen - drums

1. The Wish (Fonda) 4:39 ***
2. Soon To Know (Fonda) 8:47 **   sample
3. Round Trip (Stevens) 9:42 **
4. Mischief (Fonda) 8:11 **
5. The River Po (Stevens) 13:57 *   sample
6. Song For Rich (Stevens) 6:07 *   sample
7. In The Whitecage (Fonda) 13:27 *

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From the Joe Fonda/Michael Jefry Stevens Group

As musicians we are profoundly affected/influenced by the company that we keep (on and off the bandstand). As we develop our musical and spiritual identities we move through and learn from a variety of people and end up, finally, playing and growing with a core group of fellow musicians/friends whom we continue to rehearse, perform, record and compose with and for. The Joe Fonda/Michael Jefry Stevens Group is such a group.

Mark Whitecage, Harvey Sorgen, Herb Robertson, Joe Fonda and Michael Jefry Stevens have been performing together in a variety of groups fot the past 11 years. These groups include Mark Whitecage's Liquid Time, Mark Whitecage's Glass House, The Mosaic Sextet, Joe Fonda/Scott Miller and Bottoms Out, the Stevens/Rust/Sorgen trio and a variety of other musical ensembles.

Stevens remarks: "I have never experienced the simultaneous freedom, openness and absolute formal musical structural integrity with any ensemble as I experience with this particular collection of musicians. Each member of this group has the conviction to play what he feels and the intelligence to integrate their voice into the larger musical whole of the ensemble/composition. I feel completely liberated to play from my deepest musical self knowing that everyone is equally profoundly attuned to the moment."

Fonda says: "For me this band plays together so well. There is a wonderful sense of freedom, spontaneity and most of all musical honesty. I am very happy to be a part of this band."

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CD Reviews

• Willard Jenkins for Jazz Times

Willard Jenkins for Jazz Times

Here's a comely date that again illustrates the fact that good jazz can come from disparate sources, in this case a label new to these ears out of Berkeley, CA. The leaders are bassist Fonda and pianist Stevens, and they are joined by the under-recognized talents of trumpeter Herb Robertson and saxman Mark Whitecage, along with drummer Harvey Songen, and the title track vocal of Laura Arbuckle. The blue extraction "Mischief," a Fonda original with a shuffling affinity, is one of the date's highlights.

Source: Briefs section from the September 1997 issue of JazzTimes
Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2006 JazzTimes and Willard Jenkins.

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