Pooch’s
Playhouse at the Red Sea, March 19th, 2009
What
happens when five veteran jazzmen come together
for mutual inspiration and free conversation?
Welcome to Pooch’s Playhouse, built over
about six months of experimentation and collaboration.
The “housewarming” was held in January
at the 318 in Wayzata, and another “open
house” took place on a Late Night gig at
the Dakota. The playspace now moves to the Red
Sea on the U of M’s West Bank, on Thursday,
March 19th at 9 pm.
Pooch’s Playhouse features
Bruce “Pooch” Heine on bass, guitarist
Joel Shapira, saxophonist Dave Brittain, pianist
Mark Asche and percussionist Dave Schmalengerger.
These musicians have a number of interconnections—Schapira
and Heine play together in the modern trio, Triplicate;
Heine, Asche and Brittain perform together with
the Cedar Avenue Big Band; Shapira has played
with everyone in one context or another. Notes
Shapira, “To me this group was a very natural
fit...it felt good from day one and developed
rapidly into something special to all members
that we want to expand upon in the future...I
would describe the music as diversely influenced,
adventurous and open-ended, but we are first
and foremost a pure jazz group, that
is the intention of this band... and we are proud
of that fact.”
The Musicians
Bruce “Pooch” Heine teaches
bass and trombone at St. Cloud State University.
With over 20 years of professional performance
experience, he’s played with Mose Allison,
Jim Rotondi and Barrett Deems. Locally he regularly
appears with Triplicate, Cedar Avenue Big Band,
the George Avaloz Trio and R&B band Jimeo.
Dave Brittain is a
20-year veteran of the Cedar Avenue Big Band
and Vanguard Variety Ensemble; toured the U.S.
with Troup America (1940s Radio Hour), and has
been featured with pianist Ben Sidran. Locally
he’s played with the Paul Renz Quintet
and JazzMN Big Band, as well as his own quartet.
Currently Dave is on the faculty of Wayzata
High School.
Joel Shapira livee
and performed in New York City for over six years,
where he also studied at the Mannes School of
Music. He has a long-standing partnership with
singer Charmin Michelle (Charmin & Shapira)
and has been a member of Triplicate for 12 years
and the Vic Volare Orchestra for ten years. In
addition to his jazz dates, Joel is contemporary
music director at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in
Maplewood and performs for private events solo
and with small ensembles.
Mark Asche is active
in the Twin Cities’ jazz, blues and gospel
scenes. He’s performed with Kenny Loggins.
John Lee Hooker, Viola Wills, Bob Berg and Paul
Wertico, and locally with Dave Karr, Gordy Johnson,
Phil Hey, Gordy Knudtson, Bobby Peterson and
the JazzMN Big Band. He’s also appeared
on many recordings by The Senders, Mojo Buford,
Dave Graf and The Hornheads.
Dr. Dave Schmalenberger holds
a DMA in Percussion Performance and World Music
from West Virginia University. His resume includes
performing with John Scofield, Tim Ries, Larry
Grenadier and Steve Turre, and locally with the
JazzMN Big Band, Vocalessence and shows at the
Ordway and Children’s Theater. Currently
Dave is Assistant Head of the Drum Department
at McNally Smith College in St. Paul.
The Music
According to Shapira, the repertoire for Pooch’s
Playhouse “features about about 1/3
originals, 2/3 jazz tunes and standards,
done in a ‘modern jazz quintet’ style....lots
of sax/guitar/ piano interaction with linear ideas
and melody. Also members are actively composing
new tunes especially written for PP players
and instrumentation.” A taste of the musical
menu can be found on a demo CD of four tunes,
including covers of “Invitation” and “Lady
Bird.” Less than a total of ten minute
of music, the CD ripples with energetic teamwork
and strong individual voices. Strong melodies
from sax and guitar lead the way on “Invitation”;
the bluesy “Isotope” does seem a
bit radioactive, its dissonant harmonies, angular
percussion and snaky sax lines riding above a
cool bass running in counterpoint. “Manfredo’s
Long Shadow” opens with bass and guitar
in tandem; Asche and Brittain trade responsibilities
for the melodic virtues, while guitar and percussion
inject deep breaths of Brazil. Tad Dameron’s
swinging “Lady Bird” soars on Brittain’s
dazzling tenor, here fulfilled in about 75 seconds,
a coda to a brief but powerful introduction to
an ensemble that will hopefully bring playtime
to many venues. A night at the Red Sea is a good
way to join the fun at Pooch’s Playhouse,
this Thursday night at 9.
Return to Press page
