My music is described as Acoustic Post-Bop, but is "informed" by all the jazz styles that preceded it.

7 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Traditional Jazz Combo, JAZZ: Free Jazz



Details:
Committed to exploring the boundaries of notated and improvised music, Fred Hess attended the Creative Music Studio, Woodstock, NY (1979), founded the Boulder Creative Music Ensemble (1982), Denverâs Creative Music Works Orchestra (1993), and was a member of drummer Ginger Bakerâs DJQ.
Recording eleven CDs under his own name, Hess received Coloradoâs Composition Fellowship (1986/1994), won Denverâs inaugural Hennessey Jazz Search (1991), the Jazz Composers Alliance, Julius Hemphill Award (2000), and first prize at the First International Jazz Composers Symposium (2006). Favorable articles and reviews have appeared in DownBeat, Jazziz, JazzTimes, Coda, The Wire, JazzWise, Cadence, and online jazz websites.

IN THE GROTTO

The inspiration that comes from being in the presence of great musicians gives my compositional bent many fresh ideas. Having multi-instrumentalist John Gunther aboard means the pieces can have colors as well as structures. His solos on Simple Steps and Alisonâs Dream are fired with passionate alto sax wails. Also, his complementary tenor style on Hold On makes the piece an interesting dialogue between friends. Bassist Ken Filiano brings his obvious love for this music to the forefront with solos that are brimming with original ideas. His interlude on Ninth House allows the spirit of Jimmy Garrison to quietly enter the room with the strumming techniques so often heard on those famous Coltrane recordings. Ron Miles velvety cornet breathes softly into the modal atmosphere of Ninth House, sounding the sweet side of his personality. The presence of the other âMilesâ is felt in the muted whisperings heard on the evocative In The Grotto. Drummer Matt Wilsonâs ever-expanding vocabulary comes forth on every selection. He swings hard on Hold On, grooves incessantly on Simple Steps, and seems to have the perfect creative touch on all the pieces.