专辑简介

Description: Featuring Herb Robertson on trumpet, Michael Jefry Stevens on piano & compositions, Joe Fonda on contrabass and compositions and Harvey Sorgen on drums. Hard to believe that this group has been together for some twenty years now, especially since the members have moved around since they were a New York-based unit. The Fonda/Stevens Group have a dozen disc out and each one I've heard, has something special to recommend. This one was recorded live in Dornbirn, Austria in October of 2012. The two longtime leaders, Fonda & Stevens, are also members of another great quartet called Conference Call and have split the compositions equally. What seems apparent immediately is how well this quatrte plays together, tight and full is inventive energy. The interplay between all four members is consistently astonishing, thinking together with a group mind. You can tell that this quartet has been playing together for a long while since everything they do is so well connected. Master-trumpeter Herb Robertson occasionally has a tendency to go very far out and use toys or a megaphone instead of his trusty trumpet. Here, he is in truly fine form, whether using a mute or not, his playing rich and inspired, an integral part of a magical quartet. One of the things I dig most about this quartet is the way they are adventurous (arrangement-wise), without going too far out. Besides, Mr. Robertson, both Stevens on piano and Fonda on bass are superb soloists and supporters of that tight quartet sound. The other secret weapon is Harvey Sorgen, who spent a decade with Hot Tuna (?!?) and is one of best under-recognized drummers around. Happy anniversary to the magnificent Fonda/Stevens Group, may they continue for another decade or two. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG