Mark Fechner

Although small known beyond the Chicago area, hard bop improviser Mark Fechner continues to be active about the Windy City jazz scene because the ‘80s. The big-toned tenor and alto saxophonist can be unlikely to become lumped along with jazz’s Great School, which is well known to get a refined, restrained, understated method of playing bebop chord adjustments. Fechner is very much indeed a difficult bopper, and he offers favored a hardcore, aggressive, hard-swinging strategy whether he’s on tenor or alto. The Chicago resident (who sometimes ventures into cool soul-jazz place) offers cited tenor titan Johnny Griffin (another Chicagoan) like a major impact, and his tenor playing also brings to brain Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Gene Ammons and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis (most of whom had been known for his or her big, fat shades). On alto, in the meantime, Fechner’s bop affects consist of Sonny Stitt, Cannonball Adderley, Phil Woods as well as the seminal Charlie “Parrot” Parker. Around Chicago, Fechner offers led a pianoless quartet he phone calls the Tag Fechner Jazz Encounter; in the past due ‘90s, the acoustic-oriented quartet’s additional members had been guitarist Pat Keiner, bassist Jeff Hansel and drummer Bret Sher. That lineup was noticed on Wing It, which Fechner documented for the Chicago-based Southport label released in 1998. Wing It (which Southport chief executive/creator Bradley Parker-Sparrow created along with his wife, vocalist Joanie Pallatto) was Fechner’s 1st recording for Southport and third recording overall.