Bassist Renaud Garcia-Fons

July 3, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.

Add new comment | Filed under: auray, berimbau, bowing technique, cello, contrebasse, Discovery, double bass, FIJM, fingers, flamenco guitar, francois rabbath, gesu, jazz players, Listening Post, montreal jazz festival, musicians, no doubt, percussion, pizzicato, renaud garcia fons, tutelage, woodshed

Notice anything unusual about this bass?

Take another look at the fretboard. You'll see five strings on the Jean Auray bass, a French-made instrument. But that's not the only difference. This bass is played by Renaud Garcia-Fons, who plays the instrument and makes it sound like a cello, a drum, a Brazilian berimbau, even a flamenco guitar. His pizzicato, or plucking style, sounds most like flamenco. Renaud uses the tips of his fingers, rather than the sides (like most jazz players). He has a flawless bowing technique, no doubt developed under the tutelage of the master of the contrebasse, Francois Rabbath. Garcia-Fons can execute a sequence on the double bass that would send most musicians back to the woodshed. He looks like he's doing these pyrotechnics with little effort.

But enough about technique. What makes Renaud Garcia-Fons so interesting is that he plays some amazing music. In Montreal, he performed with a trio (guitar, percussion) at the Salle de Gesu.

Click here to listen to Renaud Garcia-Fons at the Montreal Jazz Festival 2008.
-Josh

© 2008 WBGO

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Next Generation JAM - WBGO Studio Sessions

April 25, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.

Add new comment | Filed under: afternoon jazz, area music, berklee college of music, clive davis, dave schroeder, group features, james moody, Jazz Alive, jazz appreciation, Jazz Education, jazz players, jim anderson, manhattan school of music, metro area, michael bourne, music programs, nyu school, performance studio, reggie workman, school jazz ensemble, Studio Sessions, suny purchase, wbgo

April is Jazz Appreciation Month, and it's been a busy time in the WBGO Performance studio. The next generation of jazz players from metro area music programs has been visiting Michael Bourne on Afternoon Jazz. Here are some highlights:

First up, the SUNY-Purchase Jazz Endeavor came to WBGO on April 9th. The group features recipients of the James Moody Scholarship.
Hear them play.

Today, we featured the students from Manhattan School of Music.

Check out the Manhattan School of Music Ensemble.

The New School, tutored by bassist Reggie Workman, came to WBGO.

Listen to The New School Jazz Ensemble.

Tune in Wednesday, April 30th at 8pm. I'm your host for a performance of Combo Nuvo, featuring faculty and students from the NYU School of Music.
This is a collaboration between WBGO and the Clive Davis School for Recorded Music at NYU. Special thanks to Jim Anderson and Dave Schroeder.
And finally, on May 20th, WBGO presents students from the Berklee College of Music on Midday Jazz with Rhonda Hamilton. So much for just one month of jazz appreciation. WBGO loves this music year-round. And you?
-Josh

© 2008 WBGO

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