Chris Fitzgerald’s album Sparrow and the Bear, featuring clarinetist Dave Klingman, is sure to deliver a timeless arrangement of original music to your library. The duo performs so eloquently together that I am beginning to wonder why I haven’t heard more about them before?
Chris describes the origins of these recordings:
“These duet sessions with my friend Dave Klingman began in 2008 and have continued ever since, sporadically and frequently interrupted by life. Our purpose in the beginning was simply to get together and play because that’s what we live for. From the beginning, we felt that we had a special connection and decided to roll the tape on each session and then try to forget that it was rolling and just play. After each session, we listen to the results and decide if anything is worth saving. The playlist here represents a few of the cuts that we have liked over the years. We hope to eventually release a small informal CD of the best of these sessions.”
If you are interested in listening to music making in its simplest form, this is the album for you.
Chris adds:
“…I suspect that in some ways this project may represent some of the purest music I will ever have had the opportunity to participate in over the span of my entire life…”
“For better or worse, we humbly submit the music to the listener in the hope that some of it may take them to a better place for a few moments.”
That last bit from Chris about taking the listener to a better place is sure to happen. Each and every track almost told a new chapter in a story, providing an experience while listening that I cannot describe.
Here is a clip of Chris performing at University of Louisville (where he teaches!) with colleague Gabe Evens on piano:
If you are interested in studying with Chris at the University of Louisville:
Bass News Right To Your Inbox!
Subscribe to get our weekly newsletter covering the double bass world.