upcoming |
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| August 30 | David Boykin's Hereafter Fest @Heaven Gallery | Nicole Mitchell Quartet |Nicole Mitchell, Josh Abrams, Marcus Evans, Adasiewicz| |
| August 31 | Chicago Jazz Fest | Josh Berman and His Gang |Josh Berman, Guillermo Gregorio, Jason Stein, Jeb Bishop, Josh Abrams, Frank Rosaly, Adasiewicz| |
| Sept 1 | The Velvet Lounge | Exploding Star Orchestra in some form |
| Sept 6 | Lodz, Poland | Exploding Star Orchestra with Bill Dixon |
| Sept 24 | The Hideout | Hats |Dave McDonnell, Josh Berman, Anton Hatwich, Dylan Ryan, Adasiewicz| |
| Sept 27 | Hyde Park Jazz Festival | Nicole Mitchell Quartet |Nicole Mitchell, Josh Abrams, Marcus Evans, Adasiewicz| |
| Nov 1 | Frankfurt, Germany | Exploding Star Sextet with Bill Dixon |
| Nov 15-29 | Mike Reed's Loose Assembly European Tour | past 2008 |
| August 17 | Hungry Brain | Josh Berman and His Gang |Josh Berman, Guillermo Gregorio, Jason Stein, Jeb Bishop, Josh Abrams, Frank Rosaly, Adasiewicz| |
| August 18 | The Skylark | |Adasiewicz, Nate McBride, Mike Reed| |
ROLLDOWN RECORD RELEASE PARTIES |
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| August 8 | The Charleston | Rolldown |Adasiewicz, Josh Berman, Aram Shelton, Jason Roebke, Frank Rosaly| |
| August 9 | The Velvet Lounge | Rolldown CD Release!! Adasiewicz, Josh Berman, Aram Shelton, Jason Roebke, Frank Rosaly| |
| August 10 | Hungry Brain | Rolldown CD Release!! |Adasiewicz, Josh Berman, Aram Shelton, Jason Roebke, Frank Rosaly| |
| August 11 | Skylark | Rolldown |Adasiewicz, Josh Berman, Aram Shelton, Jason Roebke, Frank Rosaly| |
| August 7 | Millennium Park Pritzker Pavilion | Amir Elsaffar’s Two Rivers |
Aram Shelton's Arrive US Tour |
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|Aram Shelton, Jason Roebke, Tim Daisy, Adasiewicz| |
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| July 22 | Bloomington,IN @Cinemat | |
| July 23 | Knoxville,TN @The Pilot Light | |
| July 24 | Asheville,NC @Bobo Gallery | |
| July 25 | Columbia,SC @The Museum of Art | |
| July 26 | Columbia,SC @The Whig | |
| July 27 | Charlotte,NC TBD | |
| July 29 | Richmond,VA @The Camel | |
| July 30 | Philadelphia,PA @The Gershman Y | |
| July 31 | Brooklyn,NY @Zebulon | |
| Aug 1 | Montreal, Quebec @Casa del Popolo | |
| Aug 2 | Toronto, Ontario @Somewhere There Gallery | |
| Aug 6 | Chicago,IL The Hideout | |
| July 9 | Hideout | A Fox Can Be Hungry |Matt Schneider, Anton Hatwich, John Herndon, Adasiewicz| |
| July 6 | Hungry Brain | Duet with Charles Gorczynski |
| July 2 | Hideout | Hats |Dave McDonnell, Josh Berman, Anton Hatwich, Dylan Ryan, Adasiewicz| |
| June 30 | Skylark | A Fox Can Be Hungry |Matt Schneider, Anton Hatwich, John Herndon, Adasiewicz| |
| June 28 | Heaven Gallery | A Fox Can Be Hungry |Matt Schneider, Anton Hatwich, John Herndon, Adasiewicz| |
| June 28 | The Velvet Lounge | |Mike Reed, Jason Stein, Nate McBride, Adasiewicz| |
| June 12 | Elastic | Klang |James Falzone, Jason Roebke, Tim Daisy, Adasiewicz| |
| June 3 | The Empty Bottle | The Hats |Dave McDonnell, Josh Berman, Anton Hatwich, Dylan Ryan, Adasiewicz| |
| May 21 | Chicago Cultural Center | Matana Roberts COIN COIN |Matana Roberts, Jamie Branch, Tomeka, Reid, Anton Hatwich, Adasiewicz| |
| May 10 | Heaven Gallery | AAT |Adasiewicz, Josh Abrams, Nori Tanaka| |
| May 7 | The Hideout | Josh Berman Group |Josh Berman, Keeke Jackson, Anton Hatwich, Frank Rosaly, Adasiewicz| |
| May 5 | Skylark | The Hats |Dave McDonnell, Josh Berman, Anton Hatwich, Dylan Ryan, Adasiewicz| |
| May 2 | The Velvet Lounge | AAT |Adasiewicz, Josh Abrams, Nori Tanaka| |
| May 1 | Elastic | AAT |Adasiewicz, Josh Abrams, Nori Tanaka| |
| April 30 | The Velvet Lounge | Josh Berman Group |Josh Berman, Keefe Jackson, Anton Hatwich, Frank Rosaly, Adasiewicz| |
| April 26 | The Hideout | Ken Vandermark’s Index Orkest |Ken Vandermark, Jeb Bishop, Jamie Branch, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Dave Rempis, Gerg Ward, Nate McBride, Tim Daisy, Adasiewicz| |
| April 23 | The Velvet Lounge | Josh Berman Group |Josh Berman, Jeb Bishop, Frank Rosaly, Adasiewicz| | April 18 | Chicago Park District | Lucky 7s |Jeb Bishop, Jeff Albert, Josh Berman, Keefe Jackson, Matthew Golomisky, Quin Kirchner, Adasiewicz| |
| April 17 | The Viaduct | Nicole Mitchell Quartet |Nicole Mitchell, Josh Abrams, Marcus Evans, Adasiewicz| |
Mike Reed's Loose Assembly European Tour with Rempis Percussion Quartet |
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|Mike Reed, Greg Ward, Tomeka Reid, Josh Abrams, Adasiewicz| |
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| March29-April 16 | ||
Fred Lonberg-Holm's Valentine Trio European Tour |
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|Fred Lonberg-Holm, Jason Roebke, Adasiewicz| |
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| March 7-16 | ||
| Feb 29 | Sotish (LaGrange, IL) | Klang |James Falzone, Jason Roebke, Tim Daisy, Adasiewicz| |
| Feb 14 | Elastic | Josh Berman and His Gang |Josh Berman, Guillermo Gregorio, Jason Stein, Jeb Bishop, Josh Abrams, Frank Rosaly, Adasiewicz| |
| Feb 10 | Hungry Brain | Stephen Gauci, Anton Hatwich, Frank Rosaly, Adasiewicz |
| Feb 5 | The Hideout | Klang |James Falzone, Jason Roebke, Tim Daisy, Adasiewicz| |
| Feb 3 | Hungry Brain | The Hats |Dave McDonnell, Josh Berman, Anton Hatwich, Dylan Ryan, Adasiewicz| |
| Feb 2 | Millennium Park Museum of Modern Ice | New Millennium Orchestra |
| Jan 25&26 | The Velvet Lounge | Nicole Mitchell Quartet |Nicole Mitchell, Josh Abrams, Mike Reed, Adasiewicz| |
past 2007 | ||
| Dec 29 | The Velvet Lounge | Nicole Mitchell Quartet |Nicole Mitchell, Josh Abrams, Marcus Evans, Adasiewicz| |
| Dec 28 | The Charleston | The Hats |Dave McDonnell, Josh Berman, Anton Hatwich, Dylan Ryan, Adasiewicz| |
| Dec 20 | Elastic | Arrive |Aram Shelton, Jason Roebke, Tim Daisy, Adasiewicz| |
| Dec 17 | Skylark | Softs Pow |Josh Berman, Jeff Parker, Anton Hatwich, John Herndon, Adasiewicz| |
| Dec 13 | Elastic | Jason Stein/Guillermo Gregorio Group |Jason Stein, Guillermo Gregorio, Jeff Parker, Jason Roebke, Adasiewicz| |
Exploding Star Septet European Tour |
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|Rob Mazurek, Jason Ajemian, Mike Reed, Adasiewicz, Artur Majewski, Kuba Suchar, Ray Harmon| |
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| Dec 8 | Stanica (Zilina, Slovakia) | |
| Dec 6 | Manggha-Japanese Art and Technic Center (Krakow, Poland) | |
| Dec 5 | Jazzga (Lodz , Poland) | |
| Dec 4 | Jazzga (Lodz, Poland) | |
| Dec 3 | Aurora (Warszawa, Poland) | |
| Dec 2 | Kino Lwow (Wroclaw, Poland) | |
| Nov 27 | Student Center (Zagreb, Croatia) | |
| Nov 21 | Cabaret Vauban (Brest, France) | |
| Nov 19 | Gallery 37s Storefront Theatre | Nicole Mitchell “Qualities of my Father” |Nicole Mitchell, Kegdrick Pollum, Jennifer Swansen, Renee Baker, Todd Mathews, James Sanders, David Boykin, Jeb Bishop, Tyler Nelson, Anton Hatwich, Adasiewicz| |
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A prolific and visible member of Chicago's jazz and improvised music scene, Jason Adasiewicz is quickly gaining widespread recognition from his extensive work as a sideman as well as such high-profile honors as his strong showing in the Rising Star Vibes category of DownBeat's 2007 Critics' Poll. Critics have called him "a remarkably adroit colorist" (Jay Collins, Cadence) and "a welcome new voice" (Chris Kelsey, JazzTimes), noting his "probing sound" (Michael McCaw, AllAboutJazz.com) and ability "to create cunning and subtle rhythmic suspensions" (Derek Taylor, Dusted).
Adasiewicz is a member of more than 20 working bands, including Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra, the Nicole Mitchell Quartet, the Guillermo Gregorio Trio, and Ken Vandermark's Index Orkest.
About Rolldown
Rolldown takes its title from Adasiewicz's four year-old working band of the same name featuring Josh Berman, Aram Shelton, Jason Roebke and Frank Rosaly."Composing pieces for Rolldown started with free improvisation on the piano," explains Adasiewicz, who wrote all the music during a year in Madison, Wisconsin in which he supported his wife's academic pursuits and re-evaluated his life while working on a vegetable farm. "The melodies usually comprise more than one voice and the tunes do not follow a chord progression, but were constructed using conventional ABA song form. Harmony is created spontaneously during the group's improvisation, and the rhythm, while deeply rooted in the jazz tradition, at times pulls away from any suggestion of pulse."
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|Jason Adasiewicz| Rolldown with Josh Berman Aram Shelton Jason Roebke Frank Rosaly |
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|Jason Adasiewicz| Rolldown 140g Vinyl Version! Contains tunes from the CD, one alternate take, and one 'vinyl only' track |
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|Mike Reed's Loose Assembly| The Speed of Change with Greg Ward Tomeka Reid Josh Abrams Adasieiwcz |
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|Bill Dixon with Exploding Star Orchestra| with Rob Mazurek Nicole Mitchell Matt Bauder Jeb Bishop Josh Berman Jeff Parker Jim Baker Adasiewicz Matthew Lux Jason Ajemian Mike Reed John Herndon Damon Locks |
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|Exploding Star Orchestra| We are All From Somewhere Else Rob Mazurek Nicole Mitchell Jeb Bishop Corey Wilkes Josh Berman Matt Bauder Jeff Parker Jim Baker Adasiewicz John McEntire Matthew Lux Jason Ajemian Mike Reed John Herndon |
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|Mike Reed's Loose Assembly| Last Year's Ghost with Greg Ward Tomeka Reid Josh Abrams Adasieiwcz |
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|Chris Connelly| The Episodes with Tim Kinsella Ben Vida Josh Abrams Adam Vida Nate Kinsella Ben Massarella Adasiewicz |
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|Overova| Cockroaches Are 100% Virgin Fred Lonberg-Holm Jason Roebke Adasiewicz |
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|Lucky 7s| Farragut Jeb Bishop Jeff Albert Josh Berman Keefe Jackson Matt Golombisky Quin Kirchner Adasiewicz |
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|Harris Eisenstadt| The Soul and Gone with Jeb Bishop Jason Mears Jeff Parker Jason Roebke Adasiewicz |
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|Steve Dawson| Sweet is The Anchor |
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|Central Falls| Love and Easy Living Adam Vida Ben Vida Ryan Hembrey Andy Uhrich Adasiewicz |
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|Document Chicago| New Jazz and Improvisation |
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|Simon Joyner| Blue Melody:Live From the South with Michael Krassner Fred Lonberg-Holm Jessica Billey Adasiewicz |
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|Central Falls| Latitude Adam Vida Ben Vida Steve Dorocke Noel Kupersmith Adasiewicz |
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|Manishevitz| Private Lines EP Adam Busch Via Nuon Ryan Hembrey Fred Lonberg-Holm Nate Lepine Jim Baker Adasiewicz |
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|Manishevitz| Rollover |
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|Bablicon| In A Different City |
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|Andiamo| |
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|Through an Open Window| -Order Through Me- Adasiewicz John Dolye |
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|Josh Berman Group| with Keefe Jackson Anton Hatwich Nori Tanaka Adasiewicz |
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Time Out Chicago - May 22, 2008
Off The Beat Path
By the time Jason Adasiewicz dropped out of DePaul University’s School of Music in the late ’90s, jazz was the furthest thing from his mind. It took detours through alt-country and rock & roll and two years working on an organic farm to rekindle his passion. This week, the city’s only working vibraphonist marks his public re-upping with jazz with the release of his ensemble’s eponymous debut, Rolldown (482 Music).
The 30-year-old native of suburban Crystal Lake was raised by a computer programmer and a school teacher. His father and brother were passionate fans of classic rock and new-wave who embraced the youngest son’s fascination with the drums. After playing in what he calls his high school’s “joke” jazz band, Adasiewicz got serious by enrolling at DePaul. “I really wanted to become a ‘jazz drummer in the city,’ and all that it entails. I wanted to gig at Pete Miller’s and Andy’s and the [Green] Mill,” Adasiewicz says. But by his junior year, he began to suffer from an affliction all too common among jazz students—an acute lack of inspiration. “I left why everybody leaves,” Adasiewicz says. “I was frustrated, confused and not sure anymore what I wanted to do.”
But his training had made him a desirable percussionist in the city. Right after Adasiewicz left school, the alt-country band Pinetop Seven, featuring fellow Blue Demon Ryan Hembrey, asked the drop-out to flesh out the band’s onstage lineup. “I loved [the band],” Adasiewicz gushes. “It was just these simple, gorgeous tunes.” A studio project that had quickly become one of the most critically acclaimed representatives of the booming alt-country movement, Pinetop gave Adasiewicz the space and encouragement to experiment with new instruments, including the vibraphone. “It was part of the percussion family where you could beat the shit out of it,” he says with a laugh. “But I was also fascinated with [its] melody.”
Through Pinetop, Adasiewicz would meet—and tour with—several other rock bands, including Edith Frost, Calexico and Manishevitz. On the side, he started working at the city’s unofficial breeding ground for jazz iconoclasts, the Jazz Record Mart. “I learned so much from that store,” he says. “I became a Lester Young freak and got into Ellington, Art Ensemble of Chicago and Sun Ra. That’s more education than college.”
After catching local jazz pioneers Vandermark 5 at the Empty Bottle—where he regularly played in rock bands—Adasiewicz realized that working in jazz didn’t have to mean sacrificing inspiration. Vandermark 5’s reconciliation of jazz improv with a punk ethos showed him a new path. “This isn’t the jazz I was getting upset about at DePaul. This is what I want to do.”
His comeback would clear one more hurdle: After he returned from a European tour with Manishevitz, his girlfriend (now wife) moved to Madison to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Wisconsin, and Adasiewicz decided to follow. Once there, he took a job that required no prior experience: working in the fields of Tomato Mountain Farm. “There were days swinging a big scythe, with the sun pounding down on you,” he says. But his absence from the scene only made him more determined in his pursuit, and he began trekking to Chicago multiple times a week to perform.
Since then, Adasiewicz formed Rolldown, moved with his wife back to Chicago and became a key player in dozens of other groups, including Rob Mazurek’s Exploding Star Orchestra and Ken Vandermark’s Double Quartet. Now his inspiration is right in front of him on stage: “I freak out every day about playing with my peers.”
The new album is both Adasiewicz’s promising first step as a leader and a powerful statement. His kaleidoscopic compositions, chock-full of references to thorny post-bop, swing easily and joyfully with the assistance of saxophonist Aram Shelton, drummer Frank Rosaly, cornetist Josh Berman and bassist Jason Roebke. Although Adasiewicz plays as a sideman more often than not, his presence is always unmistakable: Coursing with energy, he doesn’t merely tap his vibes—he attacks them, like a scythe to the vine. In hindsight, those detours look more like destiny.--Matthew Lurie
Chicago Reader - March 22, 2007
Lean and Mean
Depending on how you look at it, the local jazz and improvised music scene is either annoyingly incestuous or deeply collaborative. I prefer the second option. In Chicago, more often than not, mixing up the combinations of players doesn’t just yield varied ensemble sounds, but reveals different sides of individual musicians. Tomorrow night, May 23, a new trio with bassist Josh Abrams, vibist Jason Adasiewicz, and drummer Nori Tanaka makes its debut at the Hideout (cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm will also do a solo set). Based on the four demo tracks I’ve heard, AAT unleashes a stunningly spare, measured sound strongly at odds with the more frenetic and aggressive approach Chicago is known for.
The nominal foreground star and key melodist is Adasiewicz, a constantly improving talent who’s never sounded so restrained. Over loose, spacious grooves, he clearly revels in the gorgeous vibrato of his instrument. It’s not as wide and warm as the tone of someone like Milt Jackson, but it’s there, in all of its stark glory, both in slowly unfolding melodic phrases or in coolly hydroplaning vamps, as on "Cold in Spring." (That song also features a highly tuneful midpiece solo by Tanaka, one of the most unheralded and flexible percussionists in town.) Elsewhere, when Abrams lays down high velocity walking lines, the light touch of the vibist reminds me of the great Walt Dickerson. On “Trance #2,” Abrams plays the bass-like Moroccan string instrument called the guembri, carving out a hypnotic groove over which Adasiewicz unfurls metallic lines by playing the vibes with the wooded end of his mallets. New groups come and go quickly, but based on what I’ve heard, I hope this one sticks around for a while.
--Peter Margasak
