Here’s what's new...

What's new? ...Two premiere performances of new compositions!

I am privileged to have two new works premiered on Wednesday, April 7th, at the ACES Educational Center for the Arts, during the school's 4th New Music Festival. The concert will take place in the ECA Arts Hall, 55 Audubon Street, New Haven, beginning at 6:30 pm, and will also feature new music from Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang, Neely Bruce, my ECA colleague Tawnie Olson and jazz drummer and former New Haven resident Ray Kaczynski.

My String Quartet (2001) will be performed by the Haven Quartet, an outstanding group of players known for their school residencies, educational programs and top-notch professionalism. The piece was completed in November, 2001, a short time after the Sept. 11 disaster. Although it is not outwardly expressive of tragedy and grief, the act of composing it had a huge cathartic effect on me, as the piece readily flowed out and as I immersed myself in the ineffable enjoyment of bringing my musical ideas to life. Influences in the piece range from 20th century tonality and gesture to World Music rhythms and modalities, and to dense jazz polyphony.

Also being presented on the same concert is a new jazz big band arrangement of Rumberos del Irazu (1991), performed by the ECA Large Jazz Ensemble, a 20-piece ensemble of talented high school performers. Rumberos is an extended Afro-Cuban piece originally recorded by Grupo Irazu, with guests Arturo Sandoval and Tata Guines. The piece is an homage to those who carry on and expand the traditions of Afro-Cuban music and its history, especially in countries far removed from Cuba. As bassist and composer/arranger I have tried to carry on those traditions in my own way.

What else? ... A wonderful new song I co-wrote with my songwriting partner, Debra Alt, entitled "More Than Remember has been officially designated The MADD Song by the national office of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in coordination with the CT office of MADD. The song was put together from real life stories of the victims of drunk driving crashes, interviews with surviving friends and families We have just released an extraordinary video of a performance of the song by the music students of The Educational Center For The Arts (ACES-ECA), the arts magnet high school where I teach. Here's a link to the You Tube video of the 65 students performing the song in concert last June. I think you'll find it engrossing and moving!

A new CD! This one by the outstanding Premier Jazz Ensemble from New Haven's Neighborhood Music School. This group of eight musicians has been working together and playing in the public eye for several years, and I have been quite pleased to be their director the entire time. They have done a great job interpreting my arrangements of tunes such as Daahoud, Giant Steps, Theme from "Frasier," and even a funky version of Chopin's Nocturne in E-flat. The CD is really a collective project of all of us involved, and I welcome inquiries for the purchase of this great music!

What's else is new? ... I've been playing the Upton Hawkes Hybrid double bass, a fantastic instrument made in Mystic, CT, by Gary Upton at Upton Bass. I had been looking around for a "new sound" even though I had been playing my vintage Juzek since 1975(!) A couple of my students had been using Upton basses and I was very impressed with (and a bit jealous of) their sound. So I decided to try one out for myself and loved the punchy, wooden sound and responsiveness right from the start! I got hooked and have enjoyed playing the Upton Hybrid on all my gigs since then. I hope you get a chance to hear me playing it soon and, if you're a bassist, try one out at Gary's state-of-the-art showroom and workshop in Stonington, CT. Pictured below (l. to r.) set-up wizard Jack, me, my Upton Hawkes Hybrid and Gary Upton.

Upcoming gigs...

Go to Alive and Swingin'!

Recent CD releases...

Neighborhood Music School

Premier Jazz Ensemble

Festive!

Available from Quadrangle Music (QDR125)

Don Friedman, Jeff Fuller, Tommy Bradascio

Standards in Cagliari

Available from Quadrangle Music (Soulnote 121377-2)

Charlie Sutton and Jeff Fuller

Deep in a Dream

Available from Quadrangle Music (QDR124)

Ed Cercone Trio

Symphony

Available from Quadrangle Music (QDR123)

Samba Brasil

So Many Stars...

Available from Empathy Records (QDR123)

Ken Todd & All That Jazz

Hoagy Carmichael: A Jazz Update

Available from Ken Todd Bands (QDR123)

Copyright ©2007 Jeff Fuller. All rights reserved.

Comments or suggestions to Jeff Fuller.

www.jefffuller.net