> Subject: Sean Clapis Newsletter (Summer 2019) > > Greetings Humans, > > I hope your summer months have been filled with fun activities, such as storming Area 51 while doing the Naruto run or listening to the latest hit by Billy Elliot, the movie about the little British kid who becomes a dancer who then becomes a 12 year old girl and a pop singer or something. Listen, I know these jokes are terrible but that’s how dad humor works. > > Here are the gigs. > > -Tomorrow, Sunday August 25th, I’ll be heading up to Santander to perform with Javier Moreno and Pier Bruera at Little Bobby as part of the International Records Fair at 9pm. > > there’s a big gap which may or may not be filled with gigs… > > -On Saturday September 21st I’ll be at playing duo at Deia Cafe in the lovely pueblo of Torrelodones with pianist Ruben Andreu at 8pm. > > And I’m very happy to release the new promo for my quartet! Please watch it four or five-thousand times and up vote it so it can then get immediately buried by Fallon and Colbert clips in the trending bar. Here it is! This whole entire paragraph is a hyperlink! Click here! > > Or here, https://youtu.be/KSVg2D4i9Qg > > Thanks and keep it real. > > Sean > > > To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please reply by sending an autographed photo with your social security, bank account and credit card number attached so you can receive your cash prize from the Prince of Nigeria yur prize await you my very friend.
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New Video from Krakow
https://youtu.be/K9LTmhpb2wM
Sean Clapis Newsletter (June 2019)
> From: Sean Clapis [mailto:sclapis@gmail.com] > Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2019 9:57 AM > To: Sean Clapis > Subject: Sean Clapis Newsletter (June 2019) > > Hey all, > > It’s been an eternity and a day since I last accosted your temperaments through the magic of electronic mail. A few notable life changes have occurred in the intervening months; a move to Madrid, a new album, new band and new video all in the works, and fatherhood to name a few. So now, the gigs! > > -On Thursday June 6th I’ll be at Café El Despertar with Anna Kolchina and Javier Moreno at 9pm. > > -Friday the 7th will find me at La Bóveda del Albergue in Zaragoza at 8pm. > > -I’ll be at Club Matador with my trio featuring Naima Acuña on drums and Javier Moreno on bass on June 13th. > > -On June 20th and 27th I’ll be at La Piemontesa in Barajas. > > -And finally I’ll be back at Café El Despertar with Pier Bruera on drums and Javi Moreno on bass on June 30th at 9pm. > > That’s all for now. Stay tuned. > -Sean > > If you would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter, reply in perfect Castilian Spanish to seanclapisbooking@gmail.com
“Almost Free” gets reviewed by jazz journalist and historian Scott Yanow!
Sean Clapis | Almost Free
Sean Clapis is an up-and-coming jazz guitarist with a quietly explorative style that sometimes recalls Jim Hall, not so much in his sound as in his thoughtful approach. Born in Hartford, Connecticut and a graduate of the Hartt School of Music, he has been active in the New York jazz scene since 2011 although he plans a move to Madrid, Spain in the near future. Clapis’ musical experiences include 1920s and ‘30s jazz with the group Carte Blanche, Spanish rock with Tulsa, folk, hip-hop, and more avant-garde music. However Almost Free is different than all of those settings.
For this set, the guitarist is featured in a sparse trio with bassist Alex Tremblay and drummer Itay Morchi, performing ten of his compositions. The musicians engage in close interplay with Clapis in the lead most of the time, and they cover a wide variety of moods without feeling obliged to shout out their feelings excessively.
The opening “Spin” has a conversational melody that is built off of a simple theme. It is a fine introduction to the trio with each of the musicians having an opportunity to solo. “Interlude: Iberian Blues” stays on one chord rather than technically being a blues. With Tremblay keeping the music cooking with his walking bass, Clapis gets to wail while displaying some appealing tonal distortions. “Alternative Fax” utilizes a regularly occurring rhythmic idea that alternates with a melodic passage. The playing gradually becomes more passionate as it evolves.
“Interlude: Ballade” is a brief performance with a drone set by Tremblay. “Main-Tain” is mostly uptempo with each of the musicians getting their say. After the sparse and downbeat “Interlude: Bad End” (which is quite brief), the musicians display introverted but heartfelt feelings on the ballad “Shine Your Own Light.” “Interlude: Question” utilizes a repeated phrase that does sound a bit like a question and serves as the basis for the brooding piece. “Supernatural Disaster” moves a bit with the guitarist wailing over the quiet background. This intriguing program concludes with a fairly simple but effective melody, “Finale: Saitama Skyline.”
Almost Free is filled with tasteful and restrained playing that contains plenty of heat just beneath the surface. It rewards repeated listenings and is well worth exploring, an easily recommended set from the creative guitarist Sean Clapis.
Scott Yanow, jazz journalist/historian, and author of 11 books including The Great Jazz Guitarists.