The Mike Falcone Quartet - Playing Live
Mike Falcone - Tenor and Soprano Saxophones
Ron Thomas - Keyboards & Piano
Paul Klinefelter - Acoustic Bass
Glenn Ferracone - Drums
Additional Musicians
Mike's Song - Don Glanden/Piano
Some Other Spring - Mike Falcone &
The West Chester University Jazz Band
Produced by Mike Falcone & Glenn Ferracone
The last recordings of the late great saxophonist, Michael Falcone. It documents Mike's last Quartet with Ron Thomas, Glenn Ferracone and Paul Klinefelter. I often worked with Mike Falcone in the 1980's in duo, quartet and septet settings. He was a great friend, teacher and musical leader. His presence on the bandstand commanded the highest respect of his fellow musicians. His sound always seemed to bring great joy to everyone who would listen to him.
Richard Burton
Information about Richard Burton can be found at www.richardburtonmusic.com and www.vectordisc.com.
I first saw Mike Falcone play at the Oyster Bar near West Chester back in 1980. It was a steady Thursday night gig, and I went to hear him regularly. This was the first live jazz I'd heard, at a time when I was just becoming seriously interested in the music. The bar was a rebuilt barn out in rural Chester County. The musicians played up in a loft, with a raggady upright piano. There was an atmosphere of relaxed intensity. This mixture-The casual, intimate surroundings and unpretentious, relaxed attitude of the musicians combined with their serious approach to the music- has become the standard by which I judge live music as a listener and a player. Mike's playing has always been warm, direct and from the heart. It is fitting that Mike's first CD is a compilation of his live performances, where his spontaneity and expressiveness can be truly appreciated.
John Swana
Information about Criss Cross Jazz recording artist John Swana can be found at www.crisscrossjazz.com and www.johnswana.com.
Falcone, who died of cancer in May 1997, is captured live on this double CD with the others in his longtime quartet: pianist Ron Thomas, drummer Glenn Ferracone and bassist Paul Klinefelter. No slick tricks here, just cameos of a hardworking, proficient quartet that slugged it out out night after night. Falcone, a longtime teacher and former sax man for the Glenn Miller Orchestra, never lost his legato or his love of big-band swing. Playing Live is a decent epitaph.
Karl Stark/The Philadelphia Inquirer
Other Vectordisc CDs featuring Ron Thomas as a leader are "Scenes from a Voyage to Arcturus", "The House of Counted Days", "17 Solo Piano Improvisations" and "Cycles". Ron can be heard as a sideman on Richard Burton's "Simple Major/Simple Minor" and Kristin Garson's "Music Under the Influence". Glenn Ferracone is featured on following Vectordisc CDs Ron Thomas's "Scenes from a Voyage to Arcturus", Richard Burton's "Simple Minor/Simple Minor" and Kristin Garson's "Music Under the Influence".
Check out Ron Thomas at www.ronthomasmusic.com and www.vectordisc.com.
