Michael Formanek | |
|---|---|
 Denmark 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | May 7, 1958 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, avant-garde jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instrument(s) | Double bass |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Labels | Enja, Soul Note, Screwgun, ECM |
| Website | amibotheringyou |
Michael Formanek (born May 7, 1958) [1] is an American jazz bassist born in San Francisco, California, United States, and associated with the jazz scene in New York. [1]
In the 1980s, Formanek worked as a sideman with Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Dave Liebman, Fred Hersch, and Attila Zoller. [1] His debut album as a leader was 1990's Wide Open Spaces, featuring saxophonist Greg Osby, violinist Mark Feldman, guitarist Wayne Krantz, and drummer Jeff Hirshfield. [1] In 1992 he released Extended Animation with the same ensemble, except with Tim Berne replacing Osby on saxophone. [1]
In 1993, Formanek, Berne and Hirshfield recorded as a trio on the album Loose Cannon. [1] Following this, Formanek led the septet of himself, Berne, trumpeter Dave Douglas, reed player Marty Ehrlich, trombonist Kuumba Frank Lacy, drummer Marvin Smith and pianist Salvatore Bonafede. [1] That same year, Formanek began playing with Berne's ensemble, Bloodcount, through the end of the decade, on the albums Lowlife, Poisoned Minds, Memory Select, Discretion, and Saturation Point. [1] His fourth album for Enja Records followed in 1996, with Douglas, trombonist Steve Swell, and drummer Jim Black. [1]
In 1998, Berne and Formanek released Ornery People as a duo, and Formanek issued a solo album, Am I Bothering You?. [1] He toured with Gerry Hemingway that same year. [1] In 1999, Formanek worked in a trio with Ehrlich and Peter Erskine on drums. [1] In 2000, he played in the quartet, Northern Exposure, with Black, Dave Ballou on trumpet, and Henrik Frisk on sax. [1]
Formanek has done extensive work as a session musician, appearing on albums by Jane Ira Bloom, Uri Caine, James Emery, Lee Konitz, Kevin Mahogany, the Mingus Big Band, Scott Fields, the New York Jazz Collective, Daniel Schnyder, and Jack Walrath. [1] Formanek is also a member of Lafayette Gilchrist's trio Inside Out. [2] [3]
Formanek was the director of the Peabody Jazz Orchestra and the jazz bass instructor at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland, before his amicable departure in 2018. [1]
As leader
With Tomas Fujiwara and Mary Halvorson as Thumbscrew
With Franco Ambrosetti
With Chet Baker
With Tim Berne
With Jane Ira Bloom
With Uri Caine
With Baikida Carroll
With Tony Malaby
With Mark Murphy
With Art Pepper
With Gary Thomas
With Jack Walrath
Jim Black is an American jazz drummer who has performed with Tim Berne and Dave Douglas. He attended Berklee College of Music.
Tim Berne is an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist and record label owner. His primary instruments are the alto and baritone saxophones.
Hank Roberts is an American jazz cellist and vocalist. He plays the electric cello, and his style is a mixture of rock, jazz, avant-garde, folk, and classical influences. He emerged with the downtown New York City jazz scene of the 1980s and is associated with its post-modern tendencies.
Chris Speed is an American saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.
JMT Records was a German record label founded by Stefan Winter. It was based in Munich, Germany, specialized in contemporary jazz, and operated from 1985 until 1995.
Clarence "Herb" Robertson is a jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist. He was born in Piscataway, New Jersey and attended the Berklee School of Music. He has recorded solo albums and has worked as a sideman for Tim Berne, Anthony Davis, Bill Frisell, George Gruntz, Paul Motian, Bobby Previte, and David Sanborn.
Tom Rainey is an American jazz drummer.
Mark Feldman is an American jazz violinist.
Gerald Cleaver is a jazz drummer from Detroit, Michigan.
Scott Colley is an American jazz double bassist and composer. He has performed in bands led by Herbie Hancock, T. S. Monk, Jim Hall, Andrew Hill, Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Pat Metheny, Carmen McRae, Edward Simon, Adam Rogers, Brian Blade, David Binney, Antonio Sanchez, and Kenny Werner.
Drew Gress is an American jazz double-bassist and composer born in Trenton, New Jersey and raised in the Philadelphia area.
Jeffrey Lee Hirshfield is an American jazz drummer.
Marc Ducret is a contemporary avant-garde jazz guitarist who frequently collaborates with saxophonist Tim Berne.
Lotte Anker is a Danish jazz saxophonist, and composer. With pianist Marilyn Crispell, she serves as one of the co-leaders of the Copenhagen Art Ensemble.
Anthony Cox is an American jazz bass player. He is known for his work with several leading musicians including Geri Allen, Dewey Redman, Dave Douglas, John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Gary Thomas, Marty Ehrlich, Ed Blackwell, Joe Lovano, and Dave King.
Lowlife: The Paris Concert is a live album by saxophonist Tim Berne's Bloodcount which was recorded in 1994 and released on the JMT label.
Saturation Point is a live album by saxophonist Tim Berne's Bloodcount which was recorded in 1997 and released on Berne's Screwgun label.
This is the discography of American jazz musician Paul Motian.
Thomas Morgan is an American jazz bassist.
Joseph Branciforte is an American musician, composer, record producer, and Grammy-winning recording engineer. He is the founder of the greyfade record label.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
