Steve Hirsh / Sparks Quartet

Steve Hirsh / Sparks Quartet
 Willow River, MN
Grant amount: $14,950

About the Artist

This group formed for a recording session in Brooklyn in October 2021. Prior to that meeting, the members had played with each other in various combinations, but they had never played all together. The resulting record, Sparks, was critically acclaimed, and the record made it onto several “best of 2022” lists. Following a SRO record release appearance at Bar Lunatico in Brooklyn, the group was invited to perform at the Vision Festival in June 2022. Since then, the group has performed at An Die Musik in Baltimore.

William Parker first came to public attention playing with pianist Cecil Taylor. He played with saxophonist David S. Ware from 1989 until his last concert performance in 2011. He’s led the Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra and In Order to Survive and is a member of the Other Dimensions In Music and many of Peter Brötzmann’s groups. He’s closely associated with the Vision Festival.

Eri Yamamoto has been sharing her uniquely lyrical and evocative music with listeners in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan, Africa, Jamaica, and Australia. "She has a deft sense of harmony and note selection...her virtuosity never gets in the way of playing it straight from the heart." －Daniel A. Brown, DownBeat “My hat’s off to her... already she’s found her own voice.” - Herbie Hancock

Chad Fowler started his music career in Memphis, Tennessee, playing soul music alongside some of the city’s most revered artists, such as Ann Peebles and the Hi Rhythm section, and then in a number of avant-garde jazz groups. He has played and recorded with Alvin Fielder, William Parker, Brian Blade, Reggie Workman, Andrew Cyrille, Matthew Shipp, Douglas Ewart, Kidd Jordan, Christopher Parker, and WC Anderson.

Steve Hirsh plays music on the drumset. Like it was a piano. Or a symphony orchestra. His touch can be light as a caress or as intense as a jack hammer. In his hands (and feet), the drum set is a kaleidoscope of colors, sounds and moods. Steve has been fortunate to play with, among others, Eri Yamamoto, William Parker, Joel Futterman, Matthew Shipp, Luke Stewart, Dave Sewelson, Steve Swell, Mara Rosenbloom, Gabby Fluke-Mogul, Sean Conly, Matt Lavelle, Babatunde Lea, George Cartwright, Christopher Parker, Kelley Hurt, Donald Washington, Chad Fowler, Douglas Ewart, and Zoh Amba. Born and raised in New York City, Steve now makes his home in the woods of northern Minnesota.