Jazz Trip
Gig Seeker Pro

Jazz Trip

Holyoke, Massachusetts, United States | INDIE

Holyoke, Massachusetts, United States | INDIE
Band Jazz Rock

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

The best kept secret in music

Press


"Taxi - Independent A&R Leader"

"... sounds great. You guys have a truly amazing ensemble."

Overall scores:
Music - 9 (out of 10)
Arrangement - 9
Production - 9 - Staff


"Northeast Performer"

[Pull The Shades] " ... demonstrates high levels of talent in both composition and performance ... [and] soloists are given opportunities to develop their musical personalities .... Round Midnight ... possesses a film noir quality that makes it a pleasure to listen to again and again. The highlight of the disk is Frain's "Choices," which has an unpredictability to it ... [and] is held together by a subtle repeating bassline, over which tenor saxophonist Mark Weissman improvises with style and sensitivity. - Katie DeBonville


"The Herald/Reminder Metrowest"

“ … kudos to local musicians David Frain and Mark Dunlap, ... [who] avoid self-indulgence on their CD Pull the Shades … [which] is mostly original tunes, highlighted by elements of the musicians’ rock and roll background. … it’s always refreshing to hear distortion pedals and other guitar effects on a jazz record. Pull The Shades is enjoyable, particularly the fast, catchy opener “Caipirinha,” named for a Brazilian drink – a recipe for which is included inside. … the CD is a lot of fun.”
- Josh Shear


Discography

Pull The Shades, Simmer Music

www.cdbaby.com/fraindunlap
www.simmermusic.com

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

David Frain and Mark Dunlap played together in rock bands throughout New England in the ‘80s. In 2001, the Massachusetts’ natives collaborated on the original, jazz-driven, rock-edged instrumental compositions found on “Pull the Shades”. This first release under their jointly owned and operated independent label, “Simmer Music”, features four distinctly different jazz quintets performing a range of styles that run hot and cool blending influences from hard bop, straight-ahead jazz, Brazilian sambas and bossa novas along with rock-fusion and odd-meter grooves. The leading independent A&R music critics, TAXI, reviewed the recording and wrote “You guys have a truly amazing ensemble … [this is] hard driving serious jazz” and rated the recording a 9 out of 10 for music, arrangements and production.

Guitarist, David Frain, attended Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA, until 1992, where he studied Jazz Composition and Performance with Jon Damian, John Baboian and Hal Crook. In 1995, he co-founded Zing Recording Studios, Westfield, MA, which is a 32-track commercial multi-room facility. Frain suggests that after spending hundreds of hours recording all genres of music, now, it’s time to focus on his own original compositions that he has been creating and polishing since his Berklee training.

Bassist, Mark Dunlap, lhas a BSEE and an MBA from Western New England College. First studying guitar, he switched to electric and then double bass. Dunlap studies composition with Grammy Award nominated composer, and long-time mentor, Ed Byrne, DMA. Dunlap also studies bass with accomplished NYC Bassists, Santi DeBriano, Joe Fonda and Vishnu Wood. Dunlap is a founding member and serves on the board of the Western New England Double Bass Society, a group of almost 200 performing double bassists that sponsors bass workshops and concerts throughout New England.

Saxophonist Geoff Vidal is the band's musical director. Geoff studies with Adam Kolker (Ray Baretto, Vangaurd Jazz Orchestra, Kenny Wheeler, Maria Schneider) and Jeff Holmes at UMASS. Geoff has performed with with many outstanding Jazz musicians including Greg Abate, Mark Vinci, Virginia Mayhew, Steve Houghton, Giaccomo Gates, Eddie Daniels, Ron Wilkins, Nick Brignola and Peter Erskine.

Drummer, Makaya McCraven studies drums with Steve McCraven and Bob Gullotti and small group Jazz with Dr. Ed Byrne. Makaya has performed with Joe Fonda, Vishnu Wood, Agnes Zsigmondi, Dave Shapiro, Avery Sharpe, Dr. Ed Byrne, Wil Letman, Archie Shepp, Paul Arselanian and Tom McClung.

Marc D'Urso studied Jazz guitar with Tony Lombardozzi and Richie Hart. He attended the Jazz Studies program at the Educational Center for the Arts (ECA) in New Haven, CT, under the direction of George Rachio and then continued his training at Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, CT. Marc finished up his training at UMASS in Amherst, MA.

Frain and Dunlap manage every aspect of creating, performing, recording and promoting their own sound through their newly formed independent recording label and publishing company “Simmer Music”. They perform regularly in clubs and festivals in the US Northeast and Germany. “We feel extraordinarily lucky to be able to combine our talent, imagination and resources to produce our dreams”, says Dunlap of his collaboration with Frain.

Band Members