Magic Triangle Jazz Series
The Magic Triangle Jazz Series, produced by WMUA, 91.1FM and the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, begins its 18th season with the Michael Gregory Trio, featuring Michael Gregory, guitars, Mark Helias, bass and Pheeroan akLaff, drums.
Michael Gregory has successfully straddled the pop and improvised music worlds since the beginning of his career in the 1970s. "Gregory has that rare combination of virtuosity and versatility, able to play the guitar whiz...then slip easily into hugely commercial cuts," writes Q Magazine. "Michael Gregory is, quite simply, the business."
A long-time resident of the Pioneer Valley, Michael Gregory was born in New Haven in 1953 and he has collaborated with Leo Smith, pianist Anthony Davis, and saxophonists Julius Hemphill, David Murray and Oliver Lake. During this period, Gregory produced a series of outstanding recordings, including Clarity, Circle, Triangle, Square, Karmonic Suite, Gifts and Heart and Center.
Bassist/composer Mark Helias embarked on an international performance career with the Anthony Braxton quartet in 1977. Since then he has enjoyed long musical associations with Edward Blackwell, Anthony Davis, Dewey Redman, Ray Anderson, Don Cherry and Gerry Hemingway. Ten albums of his music have been released since 1984, including the newly released, Atomic Clock (2006).
Drummer Pheeroan akLaff was born in Detroit and came of musical age in New Haven, Connecticut. His live and recorded work with Wadada Leo Smith, Oliver Lake, Anthony Davis, Michael Gregory and Henry Threadgill, catapulted him to the top eschelon of improvising musicians. His most recent recording as a leader is Brooklyn Waters (Telepathy Records) which he co-leads with pianist Michael Cain.