The Public Market

September, 2005
For the past six months, The Public Market has risen from a casual, improvisational group to a legitimate, concentrated movement of original groove. Blending jazz, fusion, and rock styles into intricately woven compositions, the group has been focusing heavily on the live performance setting as a means of communicating new pieces, regularly coming to each gig with one or two pieces with which they've been experimenting.
"From our viewpoint, this is the future of music,"describes guitarist and songwriter Tony Fladeland. Each successive performance is allowing us to expand our roles as musicians and composers, and the audience is given first-hand experience into that creative, energetic process.
Leading the group is longtime trumpeter, guitarist, and composer Fladeland, whose unique, rapid picking style trademarks many of the band's signature tunes. Lately however, Fladeland has been experimenting with more transparent voicings, which has lent well to the chemistry with keyboardist Zachary Schmidt, also a Bismarck native. A phenomenal percussionist and pianist, Zach brings to the group a unique improvisational style coupled with a tremendous listening ability. "With Zach on my right, it becomes a game," says Fladeland, "because I know he's listening to everything Brandon, Reetz, and I are playing. It moves us all towards greater communication, which is the essence of the group."
Providing a solid foundation to the melodies is bassist Brandon Schmidt. Hailing from the thriving metropolis of Mandan, North Dakota, Brandon's lyrical and technical playing well-compliments the linear writings of Fladeland. Fans of group can expect much more from Brandon, who has currently been collaborating with Fladeland on several new compostions.
Percussionist Mike Reetz deserves his own paragraph for several reasons. A Bismarck native, and classmate of both Schmidts (not related), Reetz has been relentless in the past months in developing new percussive styles for the group. "Reetz is the engine," describes Fladeland. "This guy is a freak. I would call his different percussion escapades novelties, except for the fact that he sticks with them all, practicing all day long on everything from drum kit to steel pan to frame drum to tabla."
Mike's talents have certainly been highlighted in the band's most recent project, "Luxembourg", the heart of which Fladeland composed with pencil and paper in Spring 2005. "This tune, I would call it more than a tune, a theme maybe, is really a new step for The Public Market," says Reetz. "It is forcing us all out of our respective boxes. Every time we rehearse it, it gets longer, more complex, and more interesting." It demonstrates the flexibility, the style, the communication, and the innovation of The Public Market.