Mark Fewer: Expanding Your Horizons
Blog post by Chris Maskell
When thinking about musicians who feel equally at home in both the classical and jazz realms, not many players come to mind. It’s challenging to keep a foot in both doors and meet the unique demands required to be proficient in both styles. One might think of a pianist or trumpet player for the few who do make it work, but probably not a violinist. Luckily for us, Schulich’s own Mark Fewer serves as a prime example that it can be done – and done well.
Over the years, he’s appeared with chamber groups and orchestras across the globe, all while fitting in jazz gigs with the likes of Dave Young, Terry Clark and Phil Dwyer. This pattern carries over to his performances held at McGill, where he acts as an associate professor in the String area. This concert season, for example, he’s been scheduled to perform a variety of classical music (including a concert of Bach sonatas with harpsichordist Hank Knox) in addition to a Rush-Hour Jazz concert this upcoming Friday. In anticipation of this show, Fewer discussed the relationships between the two genres and some details about the concert itself.
At first, classical and jazz may seem like two disparate musical worlds, but Fewer quickly pointed out a key similarity between high-level playing in both styles. “In really top-notch chamber music performance, rehearsing is all about getting to know your collaborators (and reflexively, yourself) in such a fashion that you are listening deeply to their contributions. It is assumed you know the music and your specific role very well.”
“You then have a choice. If people are playing at a high enough level, you can get by with very little rehearsal – which is a sign that you are comfortable with their contributions to the music as well as your own. In the jazz world, I have found it to be similar. Often, rehearsal before a performance is minimal, but the process is the same – one of deep listening to each player and getting to know and appreciate their contributions.”
In the case of Friday’s performance, the musicians in Fewer’s quartet have gotten familiar with each other’s playing both inside and outside the context of this specific group. Pianist Joshua Rager, bassist Fraser Hollins and drummer Jim Doxas are frequently hired by other bandleaders looking for a creative and swinging rhythm section, which has given them plenty of prior experience playing together. As for Fewer’s relationship with the three, he explained that he got to know them through both musical situations and otherwise.
“When I first thought about putting a quartet together, these were the three people I wanted to ask – and they all said yes! I've known Josh the longest, as he actually participated in my very first performance at McGill years ago. I've also known Jim for several years and he's married to a former student of mine! I don't consider myself any kind of matchmaker, but in this case, it was clearly my fault. Fraser is someone I first came into contact with through working with the late Jan Jarczyk, who was a professor in Schulich’s Jazz area. Before that experience, I certainly knew his name and work, as he's one of the best in the country. I'm a lucky guy to be surrounded by such incredible talent. It’s great that they put up with me!”
The group plans to perform a wide variety of material during their Rush-Hour show, including tunes from musicians as diverse as Chick Corea, Duke Ellington, Phil Dwyer and Ralph Towner. With the exception of Corea and Ellington, Fewer revealed that he had played most of this material before by participating in projects led by the composers themselves.
“Another way in which I've been extremely fortunate in my career is through people asking me to perform their music. A person who has been central for me in this way is Phil Dwyer. With Phil, I've had my horizons expanded greatly, which is something that happens every time I get to share a musical experience with him. The same can be said for Brad Turner, Jodi Proznick, Joshua Rager and Jan Jarczyk.”
“Many of the tunes on this concert were written expressly for me, which is something I'm very thankful for. I also wanted this performance to be at least partly a thank-you to Jan, whose passing was too soon and deeply felt by all those who were lucky enough to know and spend time with him.”
Finally, in regards to the bigger picture, Fewer commented on how exploring music in different genres has greatly enriched his musical experience. “Nothing helps deepen your understanding of any artistic pursuit more than having several viewpoints to observe it from. When people use the phrase ‘can't see the forest for the trees,’ I think it partly sums it up. But I also mean it in terms of how artists and communities interact. In other words, operating in today's world as a true artist can't be something done in isolation. The more we open ourselves to new possibilities as artists, the more we are creating a better future for the generations to come.”
The Mark Fewer Quartet performs in Tanna Schulich Hall on Friday, October 21 at 5:30 p.m. Ticket prices include one drink.