Frank Macchia
Born and raised in San Francisco, CA., Frank started on the clarinet at the age of ten years old. Soon afterward he began studies on bassoon, saxophone and flute. By the age of fourteen he began studying composition, writing jazz and classical pieces for his high school band and orchestra and for jazz ensembles that rehearsed at the local union hall, including trumpeter Mike Vax's Big Band.
In 1975-76 Frank wrote jazz/classical hybrid works that were performed by the San Francisco Symphony and local professional jazz musicians at the Summer Music Workshop Programs, and he composed and conducted an orchestral overture for his high school graduation ceremony. During this time period he also performed and arranged music for contemporary dance bands in the Bay Area.
In 1976 Frank attended Berklee College of Music, studying woodwinds with Joseph Viola, Joe Allard, Steve Grossman and composition/arranging with Herb Pomeroy, Phil Wilson, Greg Hopkins, Tony Texiera, and Ken Pullig. From 1976-80 he performed and composed for the top student ensembles as well as performing with his own ensembles. He received a National Endowment Grant for the Arts to compose a 90 minute continuous jazz/ classical suite for large ensemble. He also won Down Beat magazine's DB award for original big band composition in 1979.
After graduating with a degree in traditional composition, Frank taught at Berklee at the tender age of 20, as well as performed throughout the New England area with his 8-piece fusion group, 'Booga-Booga'. In 1981 Frank moved back to the San Francisco area where he continued working as a musician and composer/arranger over the next ten years, performing concerts with such artists as Ella Fitzgerald, Rita Moreno, Tony Bennett, Jack Jones, Clare Fischer, Chuck Mangione, and the Temptations, to name a few. He performed with local groups such as The Bay Area Jazz Composers Orchestra, Mike Vax's Great American Jazz Band, Royal Street, the Dick Bright Orchestra and the Melotones. He also led his own original groups, including The Gleets, Desperate Character and The Frankie Maximum Band. In 1989 he recorded Introducing Frankie Maximum, an eclectic CD that showcased original material in a variety of styles, from new wave to polka. He followed that with the CD Frankie Maximum Goes Way-er Out West, a wild romp through traditional cowboy folksongs, done with new treatments (Ringo as a hip-hop jazz tune!?). This 1991 album received much critical praise including being named one of the top ten albums of the year by the Oakland Tribune
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Album Review
- Rhythm Abstraction: Ruby by Dan McClenaghan
- Rhythm Abstraction: Gold by Dan McClenaghan
- Rhythm Abstraction: Azure by Dan McClenaghan
- Rhythm Kaleidoscope by Troy Dostert
- Grease Mechanix by Jack Bowers
- Frank Macchia's Swamp Thang by Dan McClenaghan
- Son Of Folk Songs For Jazzers by Edward Blanco
- Son Of Folk Songs For Jazzers by Dan McClenaghan
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Read more articlesFebruary 28, 2011
Frank Macchia's Booga Booga Celebrates 30th Anniversary
January 10, 2011
Frank Macchia Grammy Nominated For Third Time and New CD!
July 01, 2010
Frank Macchia: Folk Songs for Jazzers Band Show! July 5th!
February 18, 2010
Announcing the Winners of the "Frank Macchia - Folk Songs for Jazzers"...
January 15, 2010
Enter the "Frank Macchia - Folk Songs for Jazzers" Giveaway Contest
January 04, 2010
Frank Macchia Releases "Folk Songs for Jazzers" - Download Five Free...
December 06, 2008
Frank Macchia's "Landscapes" Nominated for 51st Grammy Awards
October 24, 2008
Frank Macchia Releases New CD "Saxolollapalooza"
January 14, 2008
Frank Macchia Releases "Landscapes" with Prague Orchestra
December 12, 2007
Review by Michael Jackson
March, 2013
This is the sophomore outing for California saxophonist Frank Macchia's Swamp Thang sextet, and artist Guy Vasilovich has created another terrifying cover painting, satisfying Macchia's macabre sense of humor (he produced a series of audio horror stories titled Little Evil Things back in the late '90s). Thumpety Thump Thump is a terror that awaits many of us since it refers to a heart complaint brought on by indulgent eating, as Macchia half apologetically recounts from personal experience. It fits the gumbo theme of New Orleans with funk and second line fl avors ostensible on Zig Zag (a nod to Zigaboo Modeliste?), a slow cooked feature for guitarist Ken Rosser, and Jiggle Wiggle, which boasts more whipcrack playing from drummer Frank Briggs
Primary Instrument
Composer/conductor
Willing to teach
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Credentials/Background
Professor at Berklee College of Music 1980-1981- taught arranging and harmony Will teach arranging, composition, orchestration @ $100 per hour lesson in Los Angeles Area - private instruction focused on students' needs and desires. Analysis of Duke Ellington, Gil Evans, Thad Jones, as well as Stravinsky, Bartok, orchestration techniques.

saxophone

saxophone, tenor

piano

composer/conductor

band/orchestra

trumpet

band/orchestra

guitar

guitar
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