Dan Weiss

Jacob Sacks – Piano
Michael Formanek – Bass
Dan Weiss – Drums

ABOUT THE MUSICIANS:

Jacob Sacks is one of the most creative pianists on the NYC jazz scene today. His strong individual voice has been heard in a variety of settings ranging from the mainstream jazz traditions of the Mingus Big Band and Orchestra to the compositional free jazz style of the Mat Maneri ensemble to the vamp based fusion of Dave Binney's Balance.

Originally from Michigan, Jacob moved to NYC in 1995 to study with Garry Dial at the Manhattan School Of Music. After graduating in 1998, he focused his energies on both performing and teaching music. In the performing arena, Jacob became a member of many different ensembles, recorded several albums, and has toured the United States, Europe, and Canada several times.

Along the way, Jacob has had the honor and privilege to perform with musicians such as Clark Terry, Paul Motian, Joe Maneri, Charles Gayle, Eddie Henderson, Christian McBride, Brian Blade, Tony Malaby, Chris Potter, Mark Turner, Ben Monder, Adam Rogers, Kenny Wollesen, Gene Jackson, and Matt Wilson.

Also after graduating, Jacob decided to devote a good amount of his time to bringing music to students of all ages. While currently teaching 30 or so students in private practice, Jacob has also joined with Bob Bowen, Brian Drye, Mike McGinnis, and Khabu Doug Young to form a partnership, the Creative Music Workshop, a cooperative school based upon helping students of all ages and levels transcend the boundaries of style to find their own voices through the creation of original works, both written and spontaneously conceived, in different sized ensembles.

Jacob currently resides in Brooklyn, where he is working on several recording projects and on a book for beginning pianists.

Michael Formanek’s singular approach to the acoustic bass has led to an impressive range of musical associations. During his thirty-plus year career, he has played and/or recorded with Elvis Costello, Tim Berne, Uri Caine, Freddie Hubbard, Stan Getz, Marty Ehrlich, Chet Baker, Tony Williams, Gerry Mulligan, Bob Mintzer, Fred Hersch, Dave Liebman, Joe Henderson, Mark Isham, Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Big Band, Mingus Big Band, Terumasa Hino, Cedar Walton, Attila Zoller, George Coleman, Jane Ira Bloom, Bob Moses, Gunther Schuller, Peter Erskine, Joe and Matt Maneri, Gary Thomas, Harold Danko, Dave Burrell, and many others.

Composition also plays a significant role in Formanek’s overall musical profile, and four albums of his original music, Wide Open Spaces, Extended Animation, Low Profile and Nature Of The Beast have been released to critical acclaim on the Enja label. Am I Bothering You, a recording of solo bass performances made for Tim Berne’s Screwgun label, has firmly established itself as an important contribution to that genre. Formanek produced or co-produced all of these recordings and among the featured musicians are Greg Osby, Tim Berne, Mark Feldman, Dave Douglas, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Ku-umba Frank Lacy, Marty Ehrlich, Wayne Krantz, and Jim Black. Formanek received Chamber Music America's New Works: Creation and Presentation Grant for 2000-2001 to compose a new piece for the Tim Berne/Michael Formanek Duo, which was recently performed in Philadelphia as part of the Chamber Music America Encore program for 2007. Formanek was commissioned to compose an original piece for the 150th anniversary of the Peabody Conservatory. The piece, The Open Book for Jazz Soloists with Orchestra, was premiered at Peabody in February of 2007, and featured members of the Peabody Jazz Orchestra and the full Peabody Concert Orchestra under the direction of Hajime Teri Murai.

Current projects include Tim Berne’s bloodcount, together with saxophonists Tim Berne and Chris Speed, and drummer Jim Black, which has reunited after a ten-year hiatus, and 3081, a Baltimore based quartet featuring trumpeter Dave Ballou, saxophone and clarinetist, John Dierker, and percussionist Will Redman, and a new quartet with Tim Berne, pianist Craig Taborn, and Gerald Cleaver on drums.

Dan Weiss is a drummer, tabla player, and composer. He plays as a sideman with different groups and leads his own groups "Dan weiss Trio" and "tabla drumset project" ( dan weiss, miles okazaki). He co leads Ari Hoenig/Dan weiss duo. He is also a member of the doom group "Bloody Panda". Dan Is blessed to Have Pandit Samir Chatterjee as his guru for the past 9 years. "Chilla is a sadhana, tapaysa. Through this disciplined practice the mind discovers the body and the body discovers the mind" - Samir Chatterjee " The relationship between a guru and disciple is a very special one, transcnding that between parent and child, husband and wife, or friends. A guru is free from egotism. He devotedly leads his disciple towards the ultimate goal without any attraction for fame or gain. he shows the path of god and watches the progress of his disciple, guiding him along that path. he inspires confidence, devotion, discipline,deep understanding and illumination through love. With faith in his pupil, the guru strains hard to see that he absorbs his teachings. he encourages his students to ask questions and to know the truth by question and analysis. A disciple should possess the necessary qualifications of higher realisation and development. he must have confidence , devotion , and love for his guru " - B.K.S. Iyengar