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Press Release
January 29, 2003
Memphis based international jazz artist Michael Jefry Stevens
Monday Jazz Project at the Afterthought
February 10, 2003, 8 pm, Admission $5
(501) 663-1196
For Immediate Release
On Monday February 10, 2003 Monday Jazz at the Afterthought features Memphis based pianist Michael Jefry Stevens, with Joe Vick on bass and Dave Rogers at the drums, 8 PM $5 cover. Stevens is an International recording artist setting roots in Memphis, TN, whose latest European swing starts just after this appearance. He also has a good web site www.ejn.it/mus/stevens.htm containing his music files (mp3), pictures, biographic information, touring dates, and other great stuff. Here is the bio off his web site:
Over the past 20 years Pianist/Composer Michael Jefry Stevens has been associated with some of the most important figures in modern jazz. Beginning with his first CD release in 1991 as a member of Mark Whitecage's Liquid Time Group Mr. Stevens has been in the forefront of the NYC improvised music scene. Between 1988-1990 he co-led the now legendary Mosaic Sextet with Dave Douglas. This group included Mark Feldman on violin, Michael Rabinowitz on bassoon and the rhythm section of Harvey Sorgen on drums and Joe Fonda on bass. Their Today This Moment CD release on Konnex Records and re-release on GM Recordings is considered one of the classic modern jazz recordings of the last 20 years. This rhythm section went on to become the nucleus for Mr. Stevens working quartet.
The Fonda/Stevens Group which originally began as a quintet with Mark Whitecage on sax and Herb Robertson on trumpet and has now evolved into a quartet featuring Mr. Robertson.
Since its inception in 1993 this group has released 6 cd's, toured Europe countless times and is one of the premier working modern jazz groups on the international scene. Mr. Stevens also began a very fruitful and fulfilling relationship with Leo Records with his duo Haiku CD release in 1994 featuring Mark Feldman on violin. These piano/violin improvisations proved to be a pivotal link between Mr. Stevens work in both the composed and improvised music worlds. His 2nd Leo Records release Elements featured group improvisations with bassist Dominic Duval, drummer Jay Rosen, Mark Whitecage and guitarist Dom Minasi, all of whom have now become world recognized improvisors.
In the last several years Mr. Stevens began several new projects including the Conference Call Quartet featuring his partner of many years bassist Joe Fonda in collaboration with German saxophonist Gebhard Ullmann and originally Matt Wilson on drums (Han Bennink and George Schuller have also performed with the group). This quartet released their debut CD in 2002 on Soul Note Records and have already toured the USA and Europe several times. Additionally, Michael Jefry Stevens performed his first solo piano European tour in March 2001 to celebrate his 50th birthday. A live CD from this tour is released on Jazz Halo Records in Belgium.
A proponent of the philosophy that there are only 2 kinds of music "good and bad", Mr. Stevens has also been working in a standard jazz piano trio setting for the past 12 years. His collaborative trio Stevens, Siegel and Ferguson has released 4 cd's on Imaginary Jazz and toured Europe and the United States continuously for the past 12 years. They have worked with such jazz luminaries as Steve Turre, Cecil Bridgewater and Valery Ponamerev and continue to expand and evolve the tradition of the jazz piano trio. Several years ago Mr. Stevens began a new project called Songbook. This group features original vocal compositions by Michael Jefry Stevens, in collaboration with the wonderful young NYC vocalist Miles Griffith.
He won second prize for jazz composition at the 1996 Monaco International Jazz Composers Competition and is listed in the most recent edition of the Penguin Guide to Jazz.
Michael Jefry Stevens continues to explore new musical avenues and associations. During a recent European tour in France Mr. Stevens recorded a series of free improvisations with French Saxophonist Duanik Lazro in collaboration with the Fonda/Stevens Group. He is also scheduled to record with several prominent Swiss improvisors and will be touring Denmark in the company of some wonderful Danish improvisors. Mr. Stevens is truly a believer in the global music community and a vocal exponent of a truly international improvised music.
Check out his web site www.ejn.it/mus/stevens.htm and for more information you may contact Michael Jefry Stevens at (901) 276-6544 or by E-mail mjsjazz@bellsouth.net.
Other Monday Jazz Project Dates in Feb. and Mar. 2003
Feb 17 - Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame Awards and Concert. featuring trumpeter Jim Cullum. with Buck Powell on piano, Dave Rogers on drums, and Joe Vick on bass 8 PM, Tickets $10 available from the Afterthought 663-1196 or Capitol Keyboard 228-9999.
Feb 24 - Monday Jazz Project Jam Session with House Trio featuring Dan Sieckman on guitar, Joe Vick on bass, and Dave Rogers at the drums. 8 PM, $3 cover, $1 Jammers.
Mar 3 - Saxophonist Herman Green with Joe Vick on bass, Buck Powell on piano, and Dave Roger at the drums. 8 PM, $5 cover.
All dates at the Afterthought 2721 Kavanaugh, Little Rock. (501) 663-1196. To participate in monthly jam sessions players should signup starting at 7:45 p.m. in the Afterthought foyer. The Monday Jazz Project is a presentation of the Arkansas Jazz Heritage Foundation and the AfterThought. Seating is General Admission. For more information on the Monday Jazz Project contact Cecil Rich at (501) 228-9999.
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