David “Knife” Fabris
guitarist educator

Official Website of guitarist and educator David Fabris

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Knife news

KNIFE NEWS - WINTER 2022

Well, I have not updated my site in a while because, due to the Pandemic, there hasn't been much new to report...Till now!

The long awaited new CD from the David Sanford Big Band, A Prayer For Lester Bowie, was released late last year on Greenleaf Records and I am so proud of how incredible the performances and the great sound quality lets David's music shine. I have been a member of this band (formerly called the Pittsburgh Collective) since it's inception 17 years ago. The music is so rich and challenging and I get to play with some of the most talented muscians in the country (many traveling from CA and CO because they believe in this music that much!). I feel like I am finally able to play this challenging music and add my own voice to this incredible band and, what's nice, is the critics are also catching on - this CD has earned mentions in several best of 2021 releases incuding #7 in the JazzTimes!

If you want to hear and see more, the label has produced some nice videos for us here!

In other news closer to (my) home - I am honored to be added to the board of the New Rochelle (NY) Council on the Arts. I have been producing the music for the town ArtsFest (October) for several years and am so happy to help create a wonderful supportive environment for the Arts to thrive in my home town!

...and some other reviews from my CD, Lettuce Prey:

Dusted In Exile: "...a recording that deserves wide attention. It’s creative, unpredictable, and winningly heart-on-sleeve." - Jason Bivins (read the full review here).

NYC Jazz Record: "Lettuce Prey is many things but above all it is terrific music." (full review here - scroll down to page 30)

Sea of Tranquility: "There's more than enough to entice the average Jazz fan to lend an ear, oodles of craziness which will invite the more avant-garde aboard, and a smattering of earth shattering smacks which will cause the more adventurous of the Rock brigade to prick up their ears..." (full review here)

 
Have a salad - Lettuce Prey is here!! 
Lettuce Prey (Great Winds/Musea 3169) is music that is supported equally by the three legs of Rock, Jazz and Classical. It has the guts and glory of rock heroes like Jimi Hendrix (whose tune, Angel, is featured as a guitar solo on this CD). It possesses the surprise and intrigue of Jazz improvisation (like Ornette Coleman's Sadness - presented here in a jazz quintet format). Lastly, it exudes the intricacy and depth of contemporary Classical music - Ives, Prokofiev, and Khatchaturian are among the composers presented here. But the intent is for the styles to coalesce...that the heavy guitar bass and drum treatment of Ginastera's String Quartet No. 2, for example, maintains the sublimation of the original while making the listener pump their fist in the air!

Hear some samples of the CD.  See more info and purchase a copy.

Also available in download version through iTunes and amazon.

Thanks for visiting and remember, riffage is good for the diet!

Dave

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Biography

The music of guitarist David Fabris has been steeped deeply in an eclectic pool of influences.
These influences are evident in the variety of performances and ensembles to his credit. His newest CD, Lettuce Prey, seamlessly travels between the worlds of Jazz, Rock, and Contemporary Classical music. He has recorded four records (Hatology, Soulnote, NoBusiness) and toured internationally with his mentor, third stream pianist Ran Blake, to great acclaim. He is also currently a member of the experimental big band, the Pittsburgh Collective, and the punk-cabaret trio IMPetus.
"The Knife" also performed (on banjo) with his traditional jazz band, Mudsole, for both of President Clinton’s inaugurals.
He was a reserve guitarist for Bernie Worrell, a founder of the seminal funk band Parliament. Mr. Fabris is also the founder of the Fabulous School of Music in Beverly MA and an adjunct professor at St. Thomas Aquinas and Passaic County Community College.

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David Knife Fabris - official website