Role of the Rhythm Section Vol. II Steven Feifke

• 1 I Got Rhythm 04:53
• 2 Invitation 05:53
• 3 And Then There Was Nothing Left 07:21
• 4 Ebb and Flow 05:34
• 5 Our Love Is Here To Stay 06:08
• 6 Someone To Watch Over Me 07:47
• 7 Someday My Prince Will Come 07:03
• 8 Duma 06:41
• Total Runtime 51:20

Info for Role of the Rhythm Section Vol. II

The Steven Feifke trio are back with The Role of the Rhythm Section II — a selection of classic compositions, capped by one standout original.

Pianist, composer and arranger Steven Feifke has been called “a virtuoso and a highly communicative and creative musician” by Grammy Award winning trumpeter Brian Lynch. Lynch goes on to say that “he is one of the brightest new talents to appear on the modern jazz horizon in some time.” Talented beyond his years, the 2011 Thelonious Monk Competition semifinalist has quickly made a name for himself as one of the most in demand young artists of his generation. An avid composer and arranger, Feifke thrives on writing for and performing with his septet and full 17-piece big band. His unique compositional and harmonic voice is sought after, and when not working on writing for his own bands, Feifke can often be found working on a wide variety of commission based work ranging all the way from jazz to pop, and from theater to television. He brings this same fresh compositional energy and creativity to his playing, and “artfully weaves fleeting riffs, background figures, and twists into his own designs.” (Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz.) As a sideman, Feifke has toured as far as Latvia and West Africa, and as close to home as Los Angeles, California, and has played at every major jazz club in New York City. Feifke’s debut record, “Peace in Time,” features an exciting mix of original compositions and standards, and has received much critical acclaim since its release in January 2015. Feifke currently resides in New York City, and holds a bachelors in music and a minor in economics from New York University.

"What makes this album even more exciting is that it follows the acoustic trio form, which requires a delicate balance between the three parts—and this is achieved brilliantly here. It’s a true pleasure to listen to these interpretations of pieces that, for some of us, marked our childhood, and this is surely a testament to the genius of this artist, elevating whatever he touches without restraint. The music of *The Role of the Rhythm Section, Volume II* blends Feifke’s original compositions with renditions of standards from the Great American Songbook. The album opens with Gershwin’s I’ve Got Rhythm, which allows Feifke to showcase his virtuosity at the piano while honoring the great piano trios. Given the exceptional quality of Feifke’s arrangements, it sometimes becomes difficult to distinguish his own compositions from the works of other composers, as reimagined by him. The New York audience is fortunate to witness this trio in concert, and for others, this album, which will undoubtedly enter our “Essential” collection, might be the gateway to discovering this magnificent artist!" (Thierry De Clemensat, PARIS-MOVE)

Steven Feifke, piano
Dan Chmielinski, double bass
Bryan Carter, drums

Steven Feifke
Recognized by GRAMMY.com as one of six big band composers pushing the format forwards and heralded a “masterful pianist” by JAZZIZ Magazine, award-winning Yamaha Performing Artist, bandleader and composer Steven Feifke is one of the most in-demand artists of his generation. A two-time semi-finalist in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Piano Competition, Feifke has been featured on stages around the world alongside premiere artists including Steve Tyrell, Randy Brecker, Chad LB and Veronica Swift, with an impressive performance history at recognized venues like the Blue Note, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Birdland, Times Square and Rockefeller Center. International tours across Europe, Africa and Asia along with an extensive discography of over 30 albums all before turning 30 have established Feifke’s name as a global presence in jazz.

Feifke is an internationally recognized arranger and orchestrator, and has written commissioned works for notables like the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orchestra featuring Sean Jones and John Faddis, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra with Ken Peplowski, the Malmo Big Band with Katie Thiroux, and the New Generation Festival with Orchestra Senzaspine and Dominick Farinacci. He is the recipient of the 2020 David Baker Prize in composition from the Ravinia Festival and serves as musical director for the Tony Award Winning actor and singer Santino Fontana.

His writing work also branches into film and television, where Feifke’s compositions and orchestrations have been prominently featured on such hit TV shows as Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee on Netflix, Impractical Jokers on TruTV, Animaniacs on Hulu, and the 2016 award-winning animated short Solo. His 2020 big band album “KINETIC” on Outside in Music marks Feifke’s studio big band debut, featuring an 18-piece ensemble made up of players from the frontline of the contemporary jazz scene like Ulysses Owens Jr, Veronica Swift, and Lucas Pino.

A respected educator, Feifke sits on faculty at The New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, and has appeared as a guest lecturer and guest artist at educational institutions around the US like New York University, Yale University, Williams College, Moravian College, Northern Illinois University, and more. Additionally, he has been a dedicated participant of educational programs like Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz for Young People, the Catskill Jazz Factory, and Rockport Jazz Workshop. Feifke is the Co-Founder of A Step Ahead Jazz, an online music education platform offering comprehensive programs and tailored instruction to musicians of all ages and abilities, alongside alto saxophonist Alexa Tarantino. Feifke holds a Bachelor's Degree from New York University and a Master’s Degree from the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with true luminaries of composition and orchestration, Gil Goldstein and Jim McNeely.

This album contains no booklet.