Infrared Band + Dead Cat Bounce Tonight In Cambridge, MA

© 2008 Angela Rowlings/Boston Herald

Boston-based guitarist/composer Eric Hofbauer and his longstanding quartet, The Infrared Band, will perform tonight at the Cambridge Family YMCA Theatre in Cambridge, MA. Also on the bill is fellow Boston jazz scene mainstay, Dead Cat Bounce. The music begins at 8:00 p.m.

The Infrared Band will perform selections from its 2008 debut, Myth Understanding (Creative Nation Music), as well new music. Its current line-up features saxophonist Kelly Roberge, bassist Sean Farias and drummer Miki Matsuki.

This event will be Hofbauer’s unofficial farewell to Boston before heading to France for most of October and November as part of the traveling production of Julius Caesar directed by Arthur Nauzyciel. He is reprising his role as a member of the on-stage jazz trio from last year’s production at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, also directed by Nauzyciel.

JazzTimes: Garrison Fewell + Michael Musillami

The resurgent JazzTimes shows two of our guitarists, Garrison Fewell and Michael Musillami, some love in the newly arrived August/September issue, making its return to active publishing status that much sweeter.

“Variable Density Sound Orchestra should be on jazz education syllabi worldwide,” declares Michael J. West in his review of Fewell’s latest release on Boston’s Creative Nation Music. “It demonstrates how even free improvisation depends on musicians listening closely to each other. Guitarist Garrison Fewell’s septet uses some compositional structures, but the real backbone comes from developing and responding to each other’s spontaneous ideas. The products of that chemistry are gorgeous.”

In his review of the Michael Musillami Trio +3’s From Seeds (Playscape Recordings), Chris Kelsey writes, “Vibist Matt Moran, alto saxophonist Marty Ehrlich, trumpeter Ralph Alessi, bassist Joe Fonda and drummer George Schuller join guitarist Musillami in performing his creative, forward-thinking compositions. The music is exceptional in all respects, from the fiery but respectful readings of Musillami’s tortuous compositions to the inspired solo work by one and all…Musillami is at his best when exploiting his nuanced quasi-acoustic sound, as he lays down long, unpredicatable freeboppish lines. Alessi and Moran are excellent, and Ehrlich is brilliant—his playing here is fresh and impassioned.”

New Cadence Reviews

The Jul/Aug/Sep 2009 issue of Cadence arrived to subscribers this week, and with it a number of enthusiastic reviews of our clients’ recent recordings.

Here are a few highlights:

In his review of Garrison Fewell’s Variable Density Sound Orchestra (Creative Nation Music), Phillip McNally writes, “Using the blues and improvised melody, Fewell’s sextet creates something like a completely tonal yet free music…the results are solid, approachable and at the same time richly complex…I for one would love to catch this Variable Density Sound Orchestra live.”

“I unhestiatingly give Muse my highest recommendation,” declares David Kane in his review of The Ayn Inserto Jazz Orchestra’s second release. “She claims Maria Schneider and Bob Brookmeyer as muses but, to my ear, she has already equaled and perhaps surpassed these august icons in sheer musical sophistication. It’s quite clear on the evidence of this recording that Ayn Inserto has a bright future ahead of her.”

Jay Collins calls David S. Ware’s Shakti (AUM Fidelity) “intensely personal, with a spiritual directness that looks to India, but, also, with an outcome that is surprisingly accessible. Ware remains faithful to his sense of purpose and direction, while also offering sounds that are palatable enough for folks that may have been overwhelmed by previous work.”

“This band has an impressively wide range of textures to draw upon,” explains Stuart Kremsky in his review of William Parker’s Double Sunrise Over Neptune (AUM Fidelity). “The infectious and insistent rhythms of the ensemble draw you right in, and the pleasing density of the band keeps you there. Parker’s projects as a leader invariably result in some of the most rewarding and creative music being made by anyone, and this gem is no exception.”

Eric Hofbauer Awarded Mass. Cultural Council Artist Fellowship

© 2008 Angela Rowlings/Boston Herald

Creative Nation Music is proud to announce its founder, guitarist/composer Eric Hofbauer, has been honored with the 2009 Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellowship in Music Composition. He plans to use the $10,000 cash award to compose new music for his working quartet, The Infrared Band, complete a new book on modern improvisation methods, and mix and master his next solo recording, American Fear.

One of the Boston jazz scene’s most prolific artists for more than a decade, Hofbauer has been called “a refreshingly original voice” (Troy Collins, AllAboutJazz.com), “a brilliant player” (Ron Wynn, Nashville City Paper) and “a major young talent” (Rick Anderson, All Music Guide). Critics have also noted his “intriguingly original music” (Bill Milkowski, JazzTimes), calling it “deft and inventive” (Brian Marley, The Wire) and “rewarding on every level” (Michael Coyle, Cadence). His most recent release as a leader is 2008’s Myth Understanding (Creative Nation Music).

In addition to his efforts as an award-winning musician, Hofbauer is also a respected purveyor of performance and recording opportunities for other local musicians. The Creative Nation Music label, which grew out of a concert series and later an online storefront for recordings by Boston-based performers, celebrated its 5th anniversary earlier this year and has released more than a dozen recordings to date. He is also a teacher of jazz guitar and jazz history at Emerson College and The University of Rhode Island. Learn more about Hofbauer, his recordings and his efforts as a cultivator of Boston jazz at http://cnmpro.com

Garrison Fewell Featured In DownBeat

Photo by Rosetti © Phocus

Veteran guitarist/composer Garrison Fewell is featured in the Players section of the June 2009 issue of DownBeat.

The article, written by Shaun Brady, discusses Fewell’s two recent releases, The Lady of Khartoum and Variable Density Sound Orchestra, on Boston’s Creative Nation Music label, as well as his long and distinguished career as a performer and educator.

Creative Nation Music Festival This Weekend

Quartet of Happiness

On Saturday, March 28th and Sunday, March 29th, Boston’s Creative Nation Music will present the first Creative Nation Music Festival at the Cambridge Family YMCA Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  The official local celebration of the label’s fifth anniversary, and the culmination of its four-state package tour of New England, the festival will feature seven bands over the course of two nights. 

Saturday, March 28th at 7:00 p.m.
Ronald Reagan
Scurvy
Quartet of Happiness
Mostly Other People Do The Killing

Sunday, March 29th at 7:30 p.m.
Garrison Fewell/Eric Hofbauer Duo
Eric Hofbauer & The Infrared Band
The Ayn Inserto Jazz Orchestra with special guest George Garzone

The Cambridge Family YMCA Theatre is located at 820 Massachusetts Avenue in Central Square.  Tickets will be available at the door for $15 per night ($10 with student ID) and $22 for a festival pass ($15 with student ID) that includes a free CD.

Ayn Inserto On WICN This Afternoon

Composer Ayn Inserto will be interviewed today at 1:00 p.m. EST on WICN’s Jazz New England program hosted by Tyra Penn.

Click here to listen in. 

Ms. Inserto will be talking about, and playing tracks from, her new CD, Muse (Creative Nation Music), as well as discussing the upcoming Boston CD release celebration at this weekend’s Creative Nation Music Festival.

Creative Nation Music Showcase Tour Featured In The Hartford Courant

Photo by Scott Menhinick

The Hartford Courant’s Owen McNally writes about the Creative Nation Music Showcase Tour’s Saturday night stop at Hartford’s Real Art Ways in the March 19th edition of his weekly jazz column, Riffs.

This event, part of the New England tour celebrating Creative Nation Music’s fifth anniversary, will feature the Garrison Fewell/Eric Hofbauer Duo and Eric Hofbauer and The Infrared Band.

Eric Hofbauer On Hartford’s WWUH March 17th

© 2008 Angela Rowlings/Boston Herald

On Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m., Boston-based guitarist/composer Eric Hofbauer will be interviewed on West Hartford’s WWUH 91.3 FM.

The interview, which will preview Hofbauer’s performance at Real Art Ways on Saturday, March 21st as part of Creative Nation Music’s showcase tour of New England, will be conducted by the station’s jazz director, Chuck Obuchowski, on his weekly program, “Out Here & Beyond”.

Hofbauer will perform with both the Garrison Fewell/Eric Hofbauer Duo and Eric Hofbauer & The Infrared Band on Saturday night beginning at 8:00 p.m.

New Garrison Fewell Interview

A new interview with guitarist/composer Garrison Fewell is now posted at the popular French jazz blog, lessondugrisli.com.

The extensive Q&A covers a wide range of topics, including his two recent Creative Nation Music releases, The Lady of Khartoum (CNM 010) and Variable Density Sound Orchestra (CNM 014).