EN
FRFOUR – quartet
Website(s) : http://www.fourjazz.com
FOUR is a jazz saxophone quartet that performs all original works. Their repertoire is primarily artistic, eclectic mainstream and third stream jazz. Four new compositions are proposed for SaxOpen.
Biography
FOUR was founded in 2004 by Mark Watkins and hails from the Rocky Mountain U.S.
“These cats are dazzling in every way! Beautiful, intelligent, soulful, swinging and all done with the highest caliber of performance.” (Noah Peterson, KPSU Radio Portland), FOUR composes all their own music (Walrus, Jazz Lines, and Dorn Publications) and has performed in clubs, universities, festivals, or held residencies in over a dozen countries. Ed Calle (Miami Saxophone Quartet) comments, “A celebration of diverse musical styles by an inventive writer and FOUR outstanding saxophonists who are as equally at ease unselfishly serving the demands of an ensemble as they are navigating the rigors of solo duties. Thank you for the music and the artistry.”
More information
Four new compositions have been prepared for the 2015 World Saxophone Congress/SaxOpen. Saxitude, a fine quartet from Luxembourg and northern France will join FOUR on a double quartet especially written for these two groups and the WSC. First on the program is a challenging gospel piece called The Gospel According to Mark. This work employs mixed meter and irregular phrase lengths keeping both the performer and the listener on their toes, so-to-speak. There is both a complex sax soli and a “shout” chorus separated by improvised solos in bari and soprano or alto. Second on the program is It Might as Well, a laid back medium swing. The tune is deceptive in its relaxed feel as it contemplates complex harmonies. Solo is in the tenor. Third is a hard swinging, down-home blues that switches between half and double-time feels. Got Sometin’ to Say expresses this sentiment in a soulfull slow groovin’ alto solo and an expressive up tempo soli. This tune will captivate the audience. Finally, Saxitude joins FOUR to play Jon Gudmundson’s (FOUR’s bari player) There You Go Thinking Again. This tune grooves on a New Orleans mambo street beat and features soloists from both ensembles. The first three tunes are composed and arranged by Mark Watkins. Mark also arranged Jon’s tune. FOUR’s music is published by Walrus, Jazz Lines, and Dorn Publications. This will be a most rewarding concert for all who attend.