Eric Seddon's Hot Club Live in Cleveland Public Square

Come here us play tonight from 6-8pm! The concert is FREE

Eric Seddon, clarinet
Kevin Richards, guitar
Bill Fuller, drums
Gene Epstein, upright bass

'Past Midnight' live at Tri-C JazzFest 2017 in Cleveland's Playhouse Square

Eric Seddon, clarinet

George Foley, piano

Jim Davis, cornet

Kevin Richards, guitar

Gene Epstein, upright bass

Bill Fuller, drums

June 23, 2017 

Cleveland

The Pork Pie goes to Tri-C JazzFest

Under the Chandelier in Cleveland's Playhouse Square for Tri-C JazzFest 2017

Eric Seddon's Hot Club @ Tri-C Jazz Fest 2017!

Join us live in Cleveland's Playhouse Square on Friday June 23rd at 7:55pm as part of an all-evening lineup of jazz! We'll be playing on the Strassman Insurance Stage and it's free to the public!

Tri-C is one of the premier jazz festivals in the country, and the jewel in the crown of the Cleveland jazz scene each year. We in the Hot Club are happy to be sharing our interpretation of a century worth of Trad Jazz with this Festival!

Our lineup that evening will be:

Eric Seddon, clarinet
Jim Davis, cornet
Kevin Richards, guitar
George Foley, piano
Gene Epstein, upright bass
Bill Fuller, drums

Gethsemane

This a tune of mine, part Gregorian Chant, part Klezmer, all Blues, meant as a mediation on Christ's prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. I first wrote it about seventeen years ago, but haven't had the chance to perform it publicly. Recorded on a Tascam DR-40 in my studio just now. For some reason I like sharing rough takes, and this certainly is one. Blessings on everyone this Good Friday.

"Then Jesus came with them into a country place which is called Gethsemani; and he said to his disciples: Sit you here, till I go yonder and pray. And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to grow sorrowful and to be sad. Then he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death: stay you here, and watch with me. And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying, and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.And he cometh to his disciples, and findeth them asleep, and he saith to Peter: What? Could you not watch one hour with me?" (Matthew 26:36-46)

Jazz Proverbs

It's better for a musician to have their technique pulled forward by expression, rather than the other way around.

Always be listening, engaging, acting and reacting in music. Never just recite: participate.

Music is the thing that happens between you and the others in the room, not whatever you think you prepared beforehand.

Always allow the moment to be what it truly is. Don't try to force it to be something else.

A good jazz solo shouldn't be bossed around by the one playing it. It needs its own freedom too.

Masterclass at the Cleveland Institute of Music

Some photos of my masterclass with Franklin Cohen's studio at CIM last week:

The Porkpie Goes to The Conservatory

Hanging out with a talented bunch of young players (Photo: Franklin Cohen)

(Obligatory group selfie: we had to get Frank into the picture too!)

Happy Mardi Gras!

To all the readers of The Jazz Clarinet, Happy Mardi Gras! My band will be performing at BLU Jazz + in Akron, Ohio. This year will be an extra special celebration of the music of Pete Fountain. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy celebration!