by Howard Landsman
Guitar One Magazine says he exhibits “…the same technical prowess John Coltrane demonstrated on his sax. Simply put, he sounds like no other guitarist you’ve ever heard before.” They’re talking about master improvising guitarist Jack Grassel, who returns to Madison to close out the Madison Music Collective – Mad Toast Live Fall 2011 Series with a 3:30 PM concert and 6:00 PM seminar on Sunday, December 11th, in the intimate setting of the Brink Lounge,701 East Washington Avenue.
Mr. Grassel, who performed at Jazz at Five this summer in a duo with vocalist Jill Jensen, brings a completely different group and sound to the Brink this time. He’ll be joined by fellow guitarist Kirk Tatnall and the magnificent percussionist Dane Richeson for a free-wheeling romp through interesting and thought-provoking material that will challenge listeners from start to finish.
Messrs. Grassel and Tatnall will be performing on the Superax, an instrument invented by Grassel that enables a musician to play bass and guitar strings on the same neck. This allows a trade off between bass lines and guitar parts, eliminating the need for aseparate bass instrument.
In keeping with the Collective’s educational mission, Mr. Grassel will conduct a seminar on jazz guitar immediately following his concert. The seminar will begin with bassist Laurie Lang, Director of Madison’s Improvisational Music Workshop, interviewing Grassel about his approach to music-making. Afterwards, Mr. Grassel will respond to questions submitted by audience members during the concert.
Winner of seven Wisconsin Area Music Industry awards including “Jazz Artist of the Year” and “Guitarist of the Year,” and voted Milwaukee’s “Best Jazz Artist” in 2007 and 2009 by the readers of the Shepherd Express weekly newspaper (Milwaukee’s equivalent of Isthmus), Mr. Grassel has played over 12,000 performances in every conceivable musical situation. Among his favorites are duets with Luciano Pavarotti as well as concerts with pianist Melvin Rhyne, vocalist Nancy Wilson, and fellow guitarist Tal Farlow.
Guitar Player Magazine says of Mr. Grassel, “Adventurous to a fault, (he) explores everything – from “straight ahead” to modal to outside to avant-garde – as long as it involves improvisation … (with) formidable technique, musicianship, sense of humor, imagination, and ability to do the unexpected.”
Mindful of the tough economy, tickets for the concert are only $10.00 for the general public, and $8.00 for students with an ID as well as members of Madison Music Collective and the Madison Jazz Society, and will be sold only at the door on the day of the show. The post-concert seminar will be free of charge.
This concert and seminar are made possible by a grant from the John and Carolyn Peterson Charitable Foundation and support from the Madison Music Collective, The Brink Lounge, Liliana’s Restaurant, the UPS Store in Fitchburg, Farley’s House of Pianos, The Cardinal Bar, Tornado Club Steak House, Oak Bank, The Isthmus and WORT 89.9FM
I was lucky enough to learn some things from Mr. Jack Grassel at MATC back in 1986. I would like to hear about anything that he would be doing in the future!
I’m sure that anyone who attends Mr. Grassel’s performance this coming Sunday will have a chance to hear about his future plans/activities. If you’re unable to attend, check out his website at http://www.jackgrassel.com/pages/schedule.html.