Rooted
firmly in the organ tradition with the great Hammond B-3 jazz players
like Jimmy Smith, Groove Holmes, Don Patterson, Jimmy McGriff, and Wild
Bill Davis who emerged in the 1950s, Dan Fogel caught the B-3 bug early.
Born June 21, 1948, in Atlantic City, NJ, Fogel came from a family
deeply ingrained in the entertainment industry, being Jackie Gleason's
second cousin and the nephew of Helen Forrest, a famed big-band singer
who worked with Benny Goodman, Harry James, and Artie Shaw, among
others. It was a natural step for Fogel to follow his path and first
love music.
As a young child Fogel found an opportune job shining shoes in front of
the legendary Club Harlem when he was only seven years old. By osmosis
he couldn't help but soak up the fabulous sounds — mostly jazz — that
came from the club.
Luminaries of the jazz organ Groove Holmes, Jack McDuff, Larry Young,
Jimmy Smith, Don Patterson, Butch Cornell and Doc Bagby were Fogel's
direct inspiration. As a young teenager, Fogel was able to shadow his
idols and watch the depth and soul of this music "in the flesh." At the
live shows Fogel experienced the thumping bass, clomping chords, sounds
that twirled from the Leslie into Fogel's body had him hooked hard. It
was after hearing Groove Holmes' B-3 version of "Misty," Fogel was
forever hooked on the intoxicating sound of Hammond. Fogel started piano
lessons at the age of ten, but it was the organ that called to him as
his true love. With his parents' help and a whole lot of shoeshine
money, Fogel purchased his first B-3 organ when he was 11.
Fogel holds true to the tradition and vocabulary of Jazz organ keeping
the authenticity of time and the soulful connective punctuation taught
to him by his idols. Being there and learning from the originators of
this art form has given him the platform from which he conveys his
message. Fogel's style of playing incorporates the licks that have been
passed down from the Masters in addition to incorporating his own voice
into the mix. Fogel is not a newcomer in the scene creating complete
mimicry. He is from the scene of the Masters, playing alongside or along
the same tour route as Larry Young, Groove Holmes, Don Patterson, Jimmy
McGriff and in the past Jimmy Smith. Fogel continues his legacy of
grinding solos and greasy down-home groovin' with techniques he has
developed with the Leslie tone cabinet that have created his own unique
style while still honoring the genuineness of the instrument by
purposely not using compression. digital options and recording live with
no overdubs.
Fogel continues to use the Atlantic City area as a home base. Over the
years Fogel has worked with such jazz notables as Pat Martino, Odean
Pope, Billy James, Eddie McFadden, Sunny Murray, Cecil Payne, Tony
Ventura, Rufus Harley, Monette Sudler and Harvey Mason. Fogel has
released six albums on his own Laughing Waters imprint: Movement de la
Mer (1983), Naked Flowers (1986), Something Like That (1996), Oracle
(2001), Soul Eyes (2004), and 15 West (2006). 15 West was recorded in
2006, but was not released until 2007. Many of these same artists were
in the recording studio with Fogel. In fact, for 15 West, Fogel has
captured the Boss Trio heritage with a guitarist who was deeply involved
in the Jazz Organ combo scene 'back in the day'. O'Donel Levy welcomed
Fogel's invitation and truly enjoyed every minute back in the
organ/guitar marriage. "He used to play with Ellington and he was Jack
McDuff's guitarist for many years, he was also called by his ole' buddy
George Benson to fill for him when he couldn't make it", says Fogel. "O'Donel
has twenty or twenty-five records on Groove Merchant. I had no idea when
we called him in. We were like bread and butter. He said he never
thought he would be playing like this again."
For Dan Fogel, Jazz Organ has been a way of life, not just a side hobby.
He is thought to be one of the last real Jazz Organists around who has
not strayed from the music he grew up with and learned to play so
masterfully. His commitment to this heritage is heard in his latest
release 15 West and clearly continues the history of this rare genre
played out on Hammond B-3 organ. It's this recapitulation of heritage
and commitment to authenticity that keeps the Jazz organ tradition alive
and not forgotten in modern times. The real twist on this CD is that it
is performed by true masters of the era who are living and breathing
monuments still alive and able to share this magical art form in today's
times.
"Danny can play, he come through the
ranks!"
- Jimmy McGriff
"Danny plays the organ in the tradition of
the Masters. He can play!" - Joey
DeFrancesco
"This is what swinging
is all about."
-
Nat Hentoff
15 West
A Night In Tusinia
Blues After All
Broadway
$14.95
$14.95
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Something Like That
Plan B
Triste
Beatrice
$13.95
$13.95
Check out other CD's By Dan at CD Baby!
(click on CD image below)
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As Duke Ellington said, "It don't mean a
thing if it ain't got that swing." But deeper than swinging is what
musicians call "finding a groove" - a pulse that immediately moves an
audience and lifts its spirits. One of the more infectiously satisfying
grooves in all of jazz are the room- filling sounds of a combo led by a
master jazz organist as you hear in Dan Fogel's "15 West".
"Recorded live in July
2006, at a nineteenth century church in Ventor, New Jersey, with no
overdubs, it swings with overflowing energy, unstoppable till the final
fade out, 15 West breezes through nine selections with force and
eloquence. Fogel’s 15 West, while furthering the tradition, stamps the
music with his own personality as well. Nat Hentoff and Pete Fallico agree
on the power of Fogel’s work on the organ. 15 West will carry on the
soulfulness of Mr. Fogel into the next generation."
- Bill Donaldson, Jazz
Improv.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contemporary, innovative, freeform jazz
quartet featuring B-3 Hammond organ.
"Fogel is an artist
deserving wider recognition."
- Downbeat Magazine
"Fogel's soothing accompaniment and grinding solos shows why he's
respected by his peers."
- Jazziz Magazine
Fogel's style of
playing incorporates the licks that have been passed down from the Masters
in addition to incorporating his own voice into the mix. Fogel
continues his legacy of grinding solos and greasy down-home groovin' with
techniques he has developed with the Leslie tone cabinet that have created
his own unique style while still honoring the genuineness of the
instrument...
To Contact
Dan
Fogel: For
more information about Dan Dobek visit:
www.danfogel.org
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