Born: December 16, 1954 Primary Instrument: Bass
Joe Fonda is a composer, bassist, recording artist, interdisciplinary performer, and producer.
An accomplished international Jazz artist, Fonda has performed with his own ensembles throughout the United States and Europe, and as a side man with Archie Shepp, Ken McIntyre, Lou Donaldson, Bill and Kenny Barron, Leo Smith, Perry Robinson, Dave Douglas, Curtis Fuller, Mark Whitecage, Marion Brown, and Bill Dixon.
Fonda was the bassist with the renowned Anthony Braxton sextet, octet, tentet, from 1984 through 1999. Fonda also sat on the Board of Directors from 1994 to 1999, and was the President from 1997 to 1999 of the newly formed Tri-Centric Foundation. He has also performed with the 38-piece Tri-Centric orchestra under the direction of Anthony Braxton, and was the bassist for the premiere performance of Anthony Braxton’s opera, “Shalla Fears for the Poor,” performed at the John Jay Theater in New York, New York, October 1996.
As a composer, Fonda has been the recipient of numerous grants and commissions and has released eight recordings under his own name. (Reviews and recordings available). Fonda was also a member of The Creative Musicians Improvisors Forum directed by Leo Smith, and was the bassist with the American Tap Dance Orchestra in New York City, directed by world renowned tap dancer, Brenda Bufalino.
In 1989, Fonda performed with Fred Ho's Jazz and Peking opera in its world premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. From 1982 to 1986 Fonda was the bassist and dancer with the Sonomama Dance Company. An independent producer since 1978, Fonda is the founding director of Kaleidoscope Arts and interdisciplinary performance ensemble.
Currently Fonda has been recording and touring extensively with the Fonda-Stevens Group. They have released five CDs and have had seven European tours since 1997, with performances at the Bim huis in Amsterdam, Holland, the Prague Jazz Festival, Czech Republic, the Jazz Halo Festival, Belgium, and Jazz Festival Thurinsen, Weimer, Germany.
Three of Fonda’s most recent projects are From the Source, Conference Call and the FAB Trio.
From the Source is a group that incorporates the tap dancing and poetry of Brenda Bufalino and the healing arts of Vicki Dodd, and four jazz musicians. The group has released their first CD entitled, Joe Fonda and From the Source, on Konnex Records.
Conference Call is a quartet, featuring drummers, Han Benik and Matt Wilson, with pianist Michael Stevens, and bass Joe Fonda. Conference Call has released two CDs, one of Soul Note, Final Answer and one on Leo Records Variations on a Master Plan.
The FAB Trio, featuring Joe Fonda, Barry Altschul, and Billy Bang, has just released its first CD, Transforming the Space,, on CIMP Records. “The FAB Trio serenades us with their maturity, their honesty and longevity found in their many years of individual performances,” describes Kunle Mwanga, “They continue to be fresh and in the avant-garde of the music scene.”
Angelini ~ Fonda ~ López
Bassoon In The Wild Quartet (led by Michael Rabinowitz)
Bottoms Out (led by Joe Fonda)
Conference Call (collective)
Eastern Boundary Quartet (collective)
FAB Trio (collective)
Fonda/Stevens Group (co-led by Joe Fonda & Michael Jefry Stevens)
From The Source (led by Joe Fonda)
Judith Insell ~ Joe Fonda Duo
Katie Bull ~ Joe Fonda Duo
Morena ~ Fonda ~ Hirshfield
Michael Musillami Trio
Nu Band (collective)
Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze (led by Wally Greaney)
Volcano (led by Yavuz Akyazici)
Xu Fengxia ~ Joe Fonda Duo
ZMF Trio (collective)
Recordings with Anthony Braxton
Recordings with Katie Bull
Recordings with Tyrone Henderson
Miscellaneous
Angelini ~ Fonda ~ López
Bruno Angelini: piano; Joe Fonda: bass; Ramón López: drums;
2006: Silent Cascade, Konnex
2007: New York City Session, Sans Bruit
Bassoon in the Wild Quartet Quartet
Michael Rabinowitz: leader, bassoon; Diana Herold: vibes; Joe Fonda: bass; Grisha Alexiev: drums;
2000: Bassoon in Orbit, Vanderbilt
2004: Ocean Eyes, self released
Bottoms Out
Claire Daly: baritone saxophone; Gebhard Ullmann: bass clarinet; Michael Rabinowitz: bassoon; Joe Daley: tuba; Joe Fonda: leader, bass; Gerry Hemingway: drums;
2006: Loaded Basses, Konnex
2007: Live at the Gulbenkian Jazz Em Agosto Festival, self released
Conference Call
Gebhard Ullmann: reeds; Michael Jefry Stevens: piano; Joe Fonda: bass; Matt Wilson°: drums; Han Bennink¹: drums; Gerry Hemingway²: drums; George Schuller³: drums;
2002: Final Answer, Soul Note °
2003: Variations On A Master Plan, Leo Records ¹
2003: Live at the Outpost, 482 Music ²
2004: Spirals - The Berlin Concert, 482 Music ³
2005/6: Poetry In Motion, Clean Feed ³
Eastern Boundary Quartet
Mihály Borbély - saxophone; Michael Jefry Stevens: piano; Joe Fonda: bass; Balázs Bágyi: drums;
2007: Eastern Boundary, self-released
FAB Trio
Billy Bang: violin; Joe Fonda: bass; Barry Altschul: drums;
2003: Transforming the Space, CIMP
2005: Live at Iron Works, Vancouver, BC, Konnex
2008: A Night in Paris, Live at the Sunset, Marge
2008: Live in Amsterdam, Porter
Fonda/Stevens Group
Herb Robertson: trumpet; Michael Jefry Stevens: piano; Joe Fonda: bass; Harvey Sorgen: drums;
1996: The Wish, Music & Arts
1997: Parallel Lines, Music & Arts
1997: Live From Brugge, De Werf
1998: Evolution, Leo Records
2002: Live at the Bunker, Leo Records
2002: The Healing, Leo Records
2004: Twelve Improvisations, Leo Records
2005: Live at Alte Paketpost, FSG Productions
2005: Forever Real, 482 Music
2007: Trio, Not Two Records
From the Source
Anthony Braxton: reeds; Herb Robertson: trumpet; Brenda Bufalino: tap dance; Vicki Dodd: voice; Joe Fonda: bass; Grisha Alexiev: percussion;
1996: From the Source, Konnex
Judith Insell ~ Joe Fonda Duo
Judith Insell: viola; Joe Fonda: bass;
2008: Dark Wood Explorations, Insell Music
Katie Bull ~ Joe Fonda Duo
Katie Bull: vocals; Joe Fonda: bass;
2005: Cup of Joe, No Bull, Corn Hill Indie
Morena ~ Fonda ~ Hirshfield
Carlo Morena: piano; Joe Fonda: bass; Jeff Hirshfield: drums;
1996: What We're Hearing, De Werf
2000: Step-In, De Werf
Michael Musillami Trio
Michael Musillami: guitar; Joe Fonda: bass; George Schuller: drums;
2003: Beijing, Playscape Recordings
2005: Dachau, Playscape Recordings
2007: The Treatment, Playscape Recordings
Michael Musillami Trio + 3
Marty Ehrlich: alto saxophone; Ralph Alessi: trumpet; Matt Moran: vibes; Michael Musillami: guitar; Joe Fonda: bass; George Schuller: drums;
2009: From Seeds, Playscape Recordings
Nu Band
Roy Campbell Jr.: trumpet; Mark Whitecage: alto ssaxophone; Joe Fonda: bass; Lou Grassi: drums;
2001: Live at the Bop Shop, Rochester, NY, Clean Feed Records
2004: The Nu Band Live, Konnex
2007: The Dope and The Ghost (Live in Vienna), Not Two Records
2008: The Lower East Side Blues, Porter Records
Sweet Daddy Cool Breeze
Wally "Sweet Daddy" Greaney: leader, harp, saxophone, vocals; Uwe Herr: guitar; Joe Fonda: bass guitar, vocals; Peter Perfido: drums;
1997: Live in France, Kaleidoscope Records
Volcano
Yavuz Akyazici: guitar; Eric Person: saxophone; Joe Fonda: bass; Matt Wilson: drums;
2005: Gamzelim, self-released
Xu Fengxia ~ Joe Fonda Duo
Xu Fengxia: guzheng, voice; Joe Fonda: bass, voice;
2000: Distance, Leo Records
ZMF Trio
Jesse Zubot: violin; Joe Fonda: bass; Jean Martin: drums;
2007: Circle the Path, Drip Audio
Recordings with Anthony Braxton
1993: Charlie Parker Project, Hat Hut Records (re-issue in 2005)
1994: Piano Quartet - Yoshi's 1994, Music & Arts
1994: Composition 173, Black Saint
1994: Small Ensemble Music (Wesleyan) 1994, Splasc(h) Records
1994: Knitting Factory (piano / Quartet) 1994, Vol.1, Leo Records
1994: Knitting Factory (piano / Quartet) 1994, Vol.2, Leo Records
1995: Sextet (Istanbul) 1996, Braxton House
1995: Four Compositions (Quartet) 1995, Braxton House
1995: Octet (New York) 1995, Braxton House
1995: Ensemble (New York) 1995, Braxton House
1996: Tentet (New York) 1996, Braxton House
1996: 10 Compositions (Duet) 1995, Konnex, reissued 2007 by Clean Feed
1996: Trillium R: Shala Fears For The Poor, Braxton House
1997: Ninetet (Yoshi's) 1997, Vol. 1, Leo Records
1997: Ninetet (Yoshi's) 1997, Vol. 2, Leo Records
1997: Ninetet (Yoshi's) 1997, Vol. 3, Leo Records
1998: Four Compositions (Washington, D.C.) 1998, Braxton House
Recordings with Katie Bull
2003: Conversations With the Jokers, Corn Hill Indie
2004: Love Spook, Corn Hill Indie
2007: The Story, So Far, Corn Hill Indie
Recordings with Tyrone Henderson
1993: Strawman Dance, Konnex Records
1997: No Comment, Atonal Records
2003: Not So Unusual Blues, Konnex
Miscellaneous Recordings
1980: Joe Fonda Ensemble: Looking for the Lake, Alacra Records
1981: Creative Improvisers Orchestra: The Sky Cries The Blues, CMIF Records
1983: Bobby Naughton: Zoar, OTIC Records
1983: Wadada Leo Smith: Procession of the Great Ancestry, Chief Records, OOP
1986: Purrone|Fonda|McCraven: Up From The Sky, Kaleidoscope
1988-1990: Mosaic Sextet: Mosaic Sextet, GM Recordings
1990: Mark Whitecage: Mark Whitecage & Liquid Time, Acoustics
1992: Agnes Zsigmondi: Water Woman, Agnes Zsigmondi
1994: Brandon Evans Youth Quartet: Live at Wesleyan 1994, Parallactic
1995: Roland Dahinden: Naima, Mode Records
1995: Didrik Ingvaldsen: Rede For Hugg, Dada Records
1995/1996: Walter Thompson Orchestra: The Colonel - Compositions & Sound Paintings, Nine Winds Records
1997: David Bindman Trio: Imaginings, CIMP Records
1997-2000: Heffley|Fonda|AkLaff: Songs of Nature and Love, Heffley Records
1998: Heffley|Fonda|Hartigan: Re:Guarding 1:, Heffley Records
1998: Kevin Norton Ensemble featuring Anthony Braxton: “For Guy Debord” (In Nine Events), Barking Hoop Records
1998: Mark Whitecage's Other Quartet: Consensual Tension, CIMP Records
1998: Kevin Norton Ensemble: Knots, Music & Arts
1999: Joe Fonda Solo: When It's Time, Jazz'halo
1999: Joe Fonda Quintet: Full Circle Suite, CIMP
1999: Scott Miller & Joe Fonda: Bottoms Out, Cadence Jazz Records
2001: Joe Fonda & Gilbert Isbin: Blisters, Jazz'halo
2001: Nicole Metzger: ...at any other time
2002: Fonda|McPhee|White|Karetnick: Heat Suite, Konnex
2002: Williams|Stevens|Fonda|Robertson|Sorgen: When the Lost Becomes Found, Kali Records
2003: Brenda Bufalino: DANCING MY DANCE in another person's dream, Woodpecker
2004: Goudbeek|Fengxia|Fonda: Separate Realities, De Werf
2005: Julien Petit Quartet: Here we are, self-released
2007: Archie Shepp: Phat Jam in Milano, Archieball
2007: musiConspiracy: Do I the In?, Not Two Records
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