“They’re a hard band to categorize, but an easy band to enjoy.” – All About Jazz
Minneapolis-based collective Happy Apple has delivered its own enigmatic vision of jazz and improvised music for over twenty-five years. They’ve found favor from the jazz community at large, revered by an adoring cognoscente of listeners. However, the trio of saxophonist Michael Lewis, bassist Erik Fratzke, and drummer Dave King remain a band of outsiders. Here, three independent personalities with eclectic tastes and styles provide music with an obtuse Midwestern charm.
Mostly known for their electric live performances, Happy Apple has been a hard beast to capture on record. Though they recorded frequently in the early 2000s, they admit they never truly captured their “real” band sound. So, when Happy Apple decided to record after a long hiatus, they decided to get it right. New York CD is the recording that the band agrees finally captures the essence of Happy Apple.
“clever and melodic… elegant free-bop” – Jazz Music Archives
Happy Apple came together during the mid-1990s as an outlet for Lewis, Fratzke, and King’s experiments with improvisation and composition. Consequently, the group amassed a book of nearly 150 pieces, most of which were never recorded. Then, during the early 2000s, the group found themselves in a position to document their music. The typical challenges of recording led to several strong, respected albums. However, those albums never truly captured the group’s spirit.
Each band member leads a busy musical life. King has been a member of many well-known bands, most notably with the Bad Plus and Halloween, Alaska. Also, Lewis’s time has been mainly spent in Bon Iver’s touring band. Additionally, Fratzke was a member of the prog band Zebulon Pike. The increase in Happy Apple performances led the band back to the studio to capture their reignited energy.
Recommended for fans of The Bad Plus, Ornette Coleman, Kneebody and Nate Smith.
LEARN MORE: https://www.daveking.net/
- Genre:
- Jazz
