Recorded live at Middle Tennessee State University’s Hinton Hall, the release of The Innocence of Spring brings together two veterans of the US jazz scene in saxophonist Don Aliquo and pianist Michael Jefry Stevens.
Announcing The Innocence Of Spring By Don Aliquo + Michael Jefry Stevens Live At Hinton Hall on the ARC Label.
Recorded live at Middle Tennessee State University’s Hinton Hall, the release of The Innocence Of Spring (ARC-0736) brings together two veterans of the US jazz scene in saxophonist Don Aliquo and pianist Michael Jefry Stevens. In a live performance of raw improvisational clarity and sensitivity, inspiration from the jazz greats of years gone past is evident. Not just in the modern, bebop, post-bop sound, but in the choice of Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington tracks which enclose seven original compositions.
On saxophone, Aliquo’s playing—“smooth as silk...with an unfailing feel for breath and phrasing" (All About Jazz)—combines delightfully with that of Michael Jefry Stevens, described by Cadence Jazz Magazine as a sensitive pianist who ekes out droplets of sparkling gems or volumes of rushing waves…" In an era where albums are often carefully constructed in a studio, this is a rare opportunity to hear two master improvisors at work live, complete with clapping, laughing, and cheering from the audience at Hinton Hall.
Recorded live at Middle Tennessee State University’s Hinton Hall, the release of The Innocence Of Spring (ARC-0736) brings together two veterans of the US jazz scene in saxophonist Don Aliquo and pianist Michael Jefry Stevens. In a live performance of raw improvisational clarity and sensitivity, inspiration from the jazz greats of years gone past is evident. Not just in the modern, bebop, post-bop sound, but in the choice of Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington tracks which enclose seven original compositions.
On saxophone, Aliquo’s playing—“smooth as silk...with an unfailing feel for breath and phrasing" (All About Jazz)—combines delightfully with that of Michael Jefry Stevens, described by Cadence Jazz Magazine as a sensitive pianist who ekes out droplets of sparkling gems or volumes of rushing waves…" In an era where albums are often carefully constructed in a studio, this is a rare opportunity to hear two master improvisors at work live, complete with clapping, laughing, and cheering from the audience at Hinton Hall.
About Michael Jefry Stevens
The music of Michael Jefry Stevens is well documented on over 100 recordings over the past 30 years. The Fonda/Stevens Group (Joe Fonda) has been together for close to 30 years. Conference Call Quartet with Gebhard Ullmann will be together 25 years in 2020. The Eastern Boundary Quartet which features Hungarian master musicians Mihaly Borbely and Balázs Bágyi has been together for over a decade. Other recent collaborations have included the Generations Quartet with Oliver Lake as well as the Core-tet with Dame Evelyn Glennie.About Artists Recording Collective
Called “Jazz’s First Brand Marketing Collective” (All About Jazz) the Artists Recording Collective (ARC) is an internationally established independent recording label based upon a new artist collective model of artist empowerment and ownership of their work. The ARC catalog contains over 100 releases with all titles available at all of the major retailers worldwide. Nearly 300 artists appear on ARC recordings, including emerging talent and established noted names in music.For more information contact Artists Recording Collective, LLC.