The Microscopic Septet
Encyclopedia
The Microscopic Septet is a jazz
septet
, founded in 1980 by saxophonist Phillip Johnston. They played frequently in New York City
, toured, and recorded until they disbanded in 1992. In late 2006, when their four albums were re-released along with previously unreleased material as two double CDs, they reformed for several performances. They performed again in the United States and Europe in December 2007.
They are known for performing the theme song for NPR
's Fresh Air
program, which was composed by pianist Joel Forrester
.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
septet
Septet
A septet is a formation containing exactly seven members. It is commonly associated with musical groups, but can be applied to any situation where seven similar or related objects are considered a single unit, such as a seven-line stanza of poetry....
, founded in 1980 by saxophonist Phillip Johnston. They played frequently in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, toured, and recorded until they disbanded in 1992. In late 2006, when their four albums were re-released along with previously unreleased material as two double CDs, they reformed for several performances. They performed again in the United States and Europe in December 2007.
They are known for performing the theme song for NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
's Fresh Air
Fresh Air
Fresh Air is an American radio talk show broadcast on National Public Radio stations across the United States. The show is produced by WHYY-FM in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its longtime host is Terry Gross. , the show was syndicated to 450 stations and claimed 4.5 million listeners. The show...
program, which was composed by pianist Joel Forrester
Joel Forrester
Joel Forrester is an American jazz pianist and composer. He is notable for having composed the theme song to NPR's Fresh Air.-Joel Forrester:*People Like Us...No, Really, Koch...
.
Members
| 1980 | 1981 | ca 1981-1983 | 1983-2007 | 2007-present | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| soprano saxophone Soprano saxophone The soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in... |
Phillip Johnston Phillip Johnston Phillip Johnston is an American avant-garde jazz composer and saxophonist.Johnston first gained notice working on the underground music scene of New York City in the 1980s. Among those he collaborated with are John Zorn, Eugene Chadbourne, Elliott Sharp, Wayne Horvitz, Butch Morris, and The DB's... |
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| piano Piano The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... |
Joel Forrester Joel Forrester Joel Forrester is an American jazz pianist and composer. He is notable for having composed the theme song to NPR's Fresh Air.-Joel Forrester:*People Like Us...No, Really, Koch... |
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| alto saxophone Alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions... |
John Zorn John Zorn John Zorn is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Zorn is a prolific artist: he has hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, or producer... |
Don Davis | |||
| tenor saxophone Tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... |
George Bishop | John Hagen | Paul Shapiro | Michael Hashim Michael Hashim Michael James Hashim is an American jazz alto saxophonist.Hashim began playing saxophone while in elementary school, playing with Phil Flanigan and Chris Flory as a high schooler. He worked with both into the middle 1970s, and in 1976 he toured with Muddy Waters and played with the Widespread... |
|
| baritone saxophone Baritone saxophone The baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece... |
Dave Sewelson | ||||
| double bass Double bass The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2... , tuba Tuba The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the... |
David Hofstra | ||||
| drums Drum kit A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... |
Bobby DeMeo | Richard Dworkin | |||
Discography
- Take the Z Train (1983) Press Records
- Let's Flip! (1985) Osmosis Records
- Off Beat Glory (1986) Osmosis Records
- Beauty Based on Science (1988) Stash Records
- Seven Men in Neckties: The History of the Micros, Vol. 1 (2006) Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
- Surrealistic Swing: The History of the Micros, Vol. 2 (2006) Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
- Lobster Leaps In (2008) Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...
- Friday the Thirteenth: The Micros Play Monk (2010) Cuneiform RecordsCuneiform RecordsCuneiform Records is an independent record label based in Silver Spring, Maryland.The label releases a mixture of musical styles, including progressive jazz, modern fusion music, progressive rock, the Canterbury Scene and electronic music...