Dale Fielder

If originality is the barometer of what truly makes a great jazz artist, Dale Fielder possesses this quality in abundance. It has earned him a position in the front ranks of saxophonists over the span of the last ten-plus years. In listening to Fielder perform today, it is without question that here is a saxophonist who has developed his own very personal and original voice. His originality can be experienced on several levels: he is a multi-instrumentalist that plays all four saxophones with equal authority; his original compositions and choice of rare, obscure jazz classics; and in his overall group concepts and constant variety of presentations. Fielder grew up in Midland, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh where he studied oboe, bassoon and tuba in the school system and clarinet, saxophone, composition and arranging privately with Pittsburgh area tenor saxophonist Phillip Celli. Fielder is also a product of the University of Pittsburgh Jazz Studies Program, where he studied as an ethnomusicology major under Dr. Nathan Davis, noted saxophonist/professor and former member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Fielder's debut Jazz performance was as a member of Joe Harris' Quartet, former drummer of the Charles Parker Quintet and Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra. Fielder's years in Pittsburgh found him co-leading a Quintet with his brother, saxophonist Guy Fielder, as well as performing together with percussionist, J.C. Moses' Quintet and getting lessons from saxophone legends, Sonny Stitt and Lou Donaldson when they would arrive in town. A two and a half year stint with calypso legend, Mighty Sparrow enabled Fielder to relocate to New York City. His years in the apple from 1980 to 1988, saw him perform with a host of current jazz stars, most notably pianist Geri Allen with whom he recorded his first album Scene From A Dream in 1983 for his Clarion Jazz label. A recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant in 1984, he completed his first large work, The Aquarian for alto saxophone and chamber orchestra, under the tutelage of composer/trumpeter, Frank Gordon.After eight years in NYC, Fielder moved to Los Angeles, began studying with alto legend, Charles McPherson and recorded his first CD, Free Flow (1993), followed by Know Thyself (1995). In January of 1995, Fielder formed the nucleus of his current Quartet with ex-Charles Mingus Workshop pianist Jane Getz and released the Top-Ten critically acclaimed Dear Sir: Tribute To Wayne Shorter (1996) which became his most well-knowned album. In 1997, Fielder received his first commission and wrote the extended eleven-movement jazz suite, Ocean Of Love And Mercy (1997), which was recorded in performance and released by Cadence Jazz Records and featured an all-star nine piece ensemble with trombonist George Bohanon and the legendary Harold Land contemporary Daniel Jackson. 1998 Fielder began his relationship with writer/engineer Jim Merod's BluePort Records which released Short Forms. A companion video of the performance was shown on BET (Black Entertainment Television) which subsequently led to The Dale Fielder Quartet being selected as BET's 1999 Jazz Discovery winner. The millennium began with the Gavin Jazz Top Twenty release, Romance Serenade (2000) for BluePort Records. He also recorded for BET a half TV show entitled Live From The Knitting Factory/Hollywood that is still being periodically aired on BET national cable station. The Hipster (2001) is by yet another of his bands, the Dale Fielder Group/Force. This recording introduces the great talent of young pianist, Danny Grissett. In the fall of 2002, Fielder was selected as musical director for the Charles McPherson with Strings concert at the Charles Drew University Jazz Festival. Fielder put together and conducted a 10 piece string ensemble for Charles McPherson who reprised the Charlie Parker with Strings compositions from circa 1950. In April of 2003, Clarion Jazz released the 2-Disc CD, Howling Monk, featuring Suite:Clarity an electrifying, non-stop composition and performance of over 1 hour. It is Fielder's most impressive and ambitious work to date. In 2004, Suite:Clarity was re-released as a single CD along with the Gospel and Jazz project, A Divine Union. Through 2006, Fielder made a mid-career detour choosing to switch to the baritone saxophone exclusively during this period. His 2005 CD, Baritone Sunride yielded the first fruits of this career move with impressive results. He has synthesized a baritone style strongly influenced by Pepper Adams in his hard, aggressive approach, with yet a style that's completely his own. Baritone Sunride also marks the return of his classic jazz quartet with legendary pianist Jane Getz, as well as celebrating the quartet’s 10th year together. Fielder's recent projects include the DVD Sensuous Universe recorded summer 2006, an Pepper Adams tribute CD entitled, "The Music of Pepper Adams" was released in June 2007, and Light And Shadow, his third extended work for baritone sax and chamber orchestra. Fielder debuted and recorded the suite in 2008 from a commission by Lenoir-Rhyne College of Fine Arts in North Carolina. In addition to his performances and recordings with vocalist Sweet Baby J'ai and the DFQ~Dale Fielder Quartet, he is also a member and nominal leader of the cooperative unit, Angel City Quartet, with whom he is releasing his 13th CD, "Stellar Moments" in early 2009. ----Leslie Colrane Asheville, NC