This will no doubt be a wild evening of music! Bassoon virtuoso and electronics wizard, Paul Hanson and virtuoso bassist and vocalist, Jeff Denson have a long history of trio explorations with both acoustic and electric instruments so you never know what to expect from them. For the first time they are going to be joining forces with the creative drummer extraordinaire, Scott Amendola! This is going to be fun!!
Artist/Group Bio(s)
Paul Hanson
"The incredible bassoonist Paul Hanson..blew the entire audience away. The bassoon isn't supposed to be able to be played so fast but Hanson did it, digging deep into the changes, combining awesome technique and precise articulation with hot fire."
- Glen Dour, California JAZZ NOW magazine
Paul Hanson is an exciting and brilliant soloist - a distinctly original talent..."
- Phillip Elwood, San Francisco Examiner
"..Over the past decade, Hanson has brought the double reed instrument into areas where it's seldom, if ever, gone before, combining a commanding improvisational sensibility with funk, classical and world music influences.
Playing without electronic devices, Hanson produces a sound so full, lithe and flexible that it's easy to forget the mind-boggling intricacies of the instrument that's producing it. When he alters his sound electronically, the bassoon can take on eeire, jaggedly distorted or ethereal timbres. It's hard to overstate just how unlikely a quest Hanson has undertaken in transforming the bassoon from a symphony orchestra instrument into a viable workhorse for extended solos."
-Andrew Gilbert, DOWNBEAT Magazine
Paul Hanson’s musical journey is a testament of fearless dedication to craft and creativity. Over the last 20 years, Paul has rewritten the rulebook and set new standards for what is possible on this most classical of woodwind instruments. As one reviewer puts it, “But he simply transcends technique to a point where the listener no longer has in mind that it’s a BASSOON that he’s playing.”
His explorations have transcended limitations and created new possibilities-all while making music of the highest quality. Paul’s repertoire encompasses musical aspects of all modern styles of improvised music. From his roots as an award- winning classical bassoonist and jazz saxophonist- Paul has sought to expand the lexicon of the bassoon while creating a unique musical voice.
As a jazz/fusion bassoonist:
Paul has recorded and/or performed with Billy Cobham’s Crosswinds Ensemble, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Wayne Shorter, Peter Erskine, with 6-string bassist in the group OoN, Billy Childs, Harmonica virtuoso Gregorie Maret, Billy Higgins, David Binney, Ray Charles, Charlie Hunter, Patrice Rushen, Alex Acuna, Dennis Chambers, Abraham Laboriel, Medeski Martin & Wood, Bob Weir’s RATDOG, T. Lavitz from Dixie Dregs, Jeff Coffin, Jeff Sipe, Jonas Hellborg, Afro/ Cuban pianist Omar Sosa, Bob Moses, Kai Eckhardt, Peter Apfelbaum and the Hieroglyphics Ensemble, The Paul Dresher Ensemble, DAVKA, St. Joseph Ballet Company, The Klezmorim, as jazz soloist with the Oakland Eastbay Symphony Orchestra, as classical soloist with the Napa Symphony Orchestra (non- improvising) and many more.
Jeff Denson – bassist, vocalist & composer
“Master of the jazz bass.” Lee Hilldebrand – San Francisco Chronicle
“The penetrating power of Jeff’s voice is outstanding.” Kayo Fushiya – JazzTokyo Magazine
"Denson is breaking new musical ground, proving that he should be counted as one of the leading bassists of contemporary jazz.” Teddy Doering - Jazz Podium (Germany)
Jeff Denson is a world-renowned bassist, vocalist and composer who has released 8 albums as a leader and performed in many of the world’s top jazz festivals such as the Berlin Jazz Festival, the JVC Jazz Festival Paris and the Montreal Jazz Festival to name a few. He has done extensive freelance work throughout the US, Europe, and Canada and has performed and/or recorded with distinguished musicians such as Charlie Byrd, Bob Moses, Joe Lovano, Carl Allen, Kenny Werner, Anthony Davis, Edward Simon, Lionel Loueke, Ted Poor, Dan Weiss, Ralph Alessi, Charles McPherson, Lee Konitz and Brian Blade, amongst others. Jeff has received rave reviews in such periodicals as the Washington Post, NY Times, SF Chronicle and DownBeat Magazine, and has received such prizes as the German Cultural Award in 2006 and DownBeat Magazine Rising Star Critic’s Poll awards for both “Electric Bassist” and “Male Vocalist” the last two years in a row (in both categories in 2018 & 2019). Jeff also had the unique distinction of being the bassist of the Lee Konitz New Quartet for over twelve years and is currently the Dean of Instruction and Chair of the Bass Department of the California Jazz Conservatory.
Scott Amendola
“Amendola’s music is consistently engaging, both emotionally and intellectually, the product of a fertile and inventive musical imagination.” Los Angeles Times
“Amendola has complete mastery of every piece of his drumset and the ability to create a plethora of sounds using sticks, brushes, mallets, and even his hands.” Steven Raphael, Modern Drummer
“If Scott Amendola didn’t exist, the San Francisco music scene would have to invent him.”
Derk Richardson, San Francisco Bay Guardian
“…drummer/signal-treater Scott Amendola is both a tyrant of heavy rhythm and an electric-haired antenna for outworldly messages (not a standard combination).” Greg Burk, LA Weekly
For Scott Amendola, the drum kit isn’t so much an instrument as a musical portal. An ambitious composer, savvy bandleader and capaciously creative foil for some of the world’s most inventive musicians, Amendola applies his rhythmic virtuosity to a vast array of settings. His closest musical associates include guitarists, Nels Cline, Jeff Parker, Charlie Hunter, Hammond B-3 organist Wil Blades, violinists Regina Carter and Jenny Scheinman, clarinetist Ben Goldberg, players who have each forged a singular path within and beyond the realm of jazz.
As a sideman, Amendola has performed and recorded with a vast, stylistically varied roster of artists, including Bill Frisell, John Zorn, Mike Patton, Mondo Cane, John Scofield, Cibo Matto, John Dieterich from Deerhoof, Wadada Leo Smith, Bruce Cockburn, Madeleine Peyroux, Joan Osborne, Jacky Terrasson, Shweta Jhaveri, Phil Lesh, Sex Mob, Kelly Joe Phelps, Larry Klein, Carla Bozulich, Wayne Horvitz, Johnny Griffin, Julian Priester, Sonny Simmons, Pat Martino, Jim Campilongo, Bobby Black, Larry Goldings, Paul McCandless, Rebecca Pidgeon, and the Joe Goode Dance Group.
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