Todd Sickafoose

Bassist, bandleader, and composer Todd Sickafoose probably performs before his largest live viewers when backing choice folk singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco, and he is able to end up being heard on such DiFranco CDs simply because 2005’s Knuckle Straight down and 2006’s Reprieve. A lot of his musical profession has been specialized in the avant-garde and innovative jazz world, nevertheless, and he provides garnered substantial acclaim like a jazz sideman in addition to innovator of his personal Todd Sickafoose Group. Like violinist Jenny Scheinman, Sickafoose is really a West Coast indigenous who shifted east to NEW YORK, becoming a crucial person in the Brooklyn jazz picture through the 2000s. During California, the SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA native researched in LA with Charlie Haden and Mel Powell before time for the Bay Region and becoming a member of the Scott Amendola Music group and Scheinman’s quartet; he is able to be noticed on CDs such as for example Amendola’s eponymous debut documented in 1999 and Cry from 2003, in addition to Scheinman’s 2000 Live at Yoshi’s. In 2000 Sickafoose released his first Compact disc as innovator of his personal band, Dogs Outdoors for the Evander label. He also toured and documented with genre-bending SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA vocalist/songwriter Noe Venable. Sickafoose shifted to Brooklyn in 2005, so when not really touring with DiFranco can often be captured leading his personal band or carrying out with groups such as for example Jenny Scheinman’s Shalagaster at night clubs like Barbès in Brooklyn or 55 Pub in Greenwich Town. In Feb 2006 the next Todd Sickafoose Group Compact disc, Blood Orange, premiered for the Brooklyn-based Key Hatch record label. Furthermore to Sickafoose, the primary quintet heard for the recording contains tenor saxophonist Ben Wendel, trombonist Alan Ferber, guitarist Justin Morell, and drummer Ches Smith. Many guest musicians will also be presented, including avant jazz guitarist Nels Cline, whose personal largest audience through the 2000s originated from his recruitment in to the lineup of Wilco. Sickafoose’s most ambitious documenting yet like a leader found its way to June 2008: Tiny Resistors on Cryptogramophone presented a eight-piece group with Sickafoose on a number of tools (piano, Wurlitzer, vibraphone, marimba, and much more) furthermore to acoustic and electrical basses. With sweeping, multi-layered compositions for the primary octet supplemented by visitor looks from DiFranco and violinist Andrew Parrot, the documenting also shown the bandleader’s sociable and environmental awareness on pieces such as for example “Pianos from the 9th Ward” and “Bye Bye Bees.” While keeping his alliance with DiFranco, Sickafoose continuing leading his personal ensemble in to the 2010s while also offering as bandmember in several notable innovative jazz groupings led by others, including violinist Scheinman’s Mischief & Mayhem quartet also offering Cline and drummer Jim Dark, and drummer Allison Miller’s quartet offering Scheinman and pianist Myra Melford.