The Opera House at Enosburg Falls presents the Will Patton Ensemble on Saturday, November 21, 2005, at 7:30 p.m. The concert will feature music from their new CD, String Theory, plus "some Gypsy jazz, some of the Brazilian choros," Will Patton said. "Probably about half are original compositions. David [Gusakov] wrote a great tune that sounds like Django meets Bill Monroe. It's quasi-gypsy, quasi-bluegrass called 'Last Train to Zinkov' about his ancestral home town." GYPSY COMES HOME
The full Quintet consists of Will Patton, mandolin/octave mandolin; David Gusakov, violin; Steve Blair, guitar; Steve Wienert, drums; and Clyde Stats, string bass.
Mandolinist and all around string wizard Will Patton, also well known for his fine bass playing, draws a strong influence from jazz, Gypsy, and Brazilian music. His collaborations with the manouche guitarist Ninine Garcia from Paris, documented in the cds "Peripherique" and "String Theory" have been enthusiastically reviewed both in the U.S. and abroad. He teaches jazz mandolin at Jay Ungar and Molly Mason's Ashokan Camp and the Django in June Festival at Smith College. He has performed with Mose Allison and his bands have opened for such acts as Ray Charles, Bonnie Raitt and Van Morrison.
He is in demand as a jazz bass player and session mandolinist in his home state of Vermont and has of late been traveling to NYC, Paris, California and Grenada for gigs and recordings dates.
During the last 7 years he has been leading his own quintet comprised of mandolin/octave mandolin, violin, guitar, flute, clarinet and string bass. The group has been focusing on Gypsy jazz and Brazilian styles and perform many original compositions in their repertoire.
Mr. Patton is also doing some duo work with guitarist Don Schavner of Morrisville.
Guitarist Steve Blair has toured extensively through the United States, Canada, Mexico and Russia. Steve received a Master of Music degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and is now Assistant Professor and head of the jazz program at Johnson State College. Steve also continues to perform, record and compose in a broad spectrum of musical styles.
Steve Wienert (drums and percussion) started playing drums at the age of twelve in his native Baltimore. He studied in New York City with Roy Burns and with Henry Adler in his renowned mid-town studio. He has toured with legendary jazz singer Sheila Jordan, and is a first call drummer all over the Northeast.
Violinist David Gusakov's lifetime career has ranged from classical, as a member of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra since 1973, to hard driving Bluegrass with Pine Island and Banjo Dan & The Midnight Plowboys. He has performed with such luminaries as Vassar Clemens, Emmylou Harris, Peter Rowan and John Denver. Born in the heartland of America, Gusakov has travelled the world with his fiddle as his passport, and currently teaches music in his Bristol studio.
Clyde Stats has been a professional bassist for over 30 years, and has performed rhythm and blues, funk, bluegrass, and jazz throughout Vermont and New England for the past 21 years. He began his career in Chicago performing with blues greats Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy, and Otis Rush He has studied with internationally known jazz bassists George Mraz and Santi Debriano, and has accompanied jazz legends Mose Allison, Bobby Watson, Joshua Redman, and James Carter in their Vermont appearances. An active jazz educator, he holds an M.A. in Jazz Studies from Norwich University and teaches courses in jazz and popular music at Johnson State College, Trinity College, and the University of Vermont.
"It's lovely [to play at home] especially since we just got off the road," Mr. Patton said. They played at The Loft in Brattleboro, the Pioneer Art Center in East Hampton, Massachusetts, "and points south this weekend. It's nice to leave the house and be at the gig in 15 minutes."
Meanwhile, the whole band is busy with other projects. "We steal away when we can and are trying to set up these little weekend tours," Mr. Patton said. The Ensemble is also playing Leunigs next Tuesday.
Will and legendary Gypsy guitarist Ninine Garcia. teamed up once again to record three tracks on the new release String Theory. The new recording features solid playing and inspired soloing from Mr. Patton's long time Ensemble, as well as stellar contributions from accordion wizard Jeremiah McLane, clarinetist Anna Patton, jazz flautist Patricia Julien and members of Vermont's Sambatucada, the Brazilian samba school of the north on a no-holds barred samba. String Theory takes the mandolin into whole new worlds.
General admission is $12 for adults or $10 for seniors and students and $5 for children under 12. Tickets are available at Enosburg Pharmacy and Merchant's Bank in Enosburg Falls and at Better Planet in St. Albans. Call 802-933-6171 or e-mail to order tickets. (These email or phone orders must be picked up by 7:00 pm on show night or the reservations will be cancelled.)
123 Depot Street
Post Office Box 1250
Enosburg Falls, Vermont 05450
802.933.6171
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