Fareed Haque and Friends [Rebroadcast]

November 30, 2020, 8:00 pm

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Originally broadcast April 29, 2019.

Fareed Haque, guitar
AnDrea James, soprano
Quartet Risata
Violin – Hanna Bingham
Violin – Michael McGuan
Viola – David Lee
Cello – Kayla Steger

Fareed Haque is a modern guitar virtuoso. Steeped in classical and jazz traditions, his unique command of the guitar and different musical styles inspire his musical ventures with tradition and fearless innovation.

Since 2011, Haque has returned to his first loves, jazz guitar and classical guitar. He has been busy performing and recording with his trio featuring legendary B3 virtuoso Tony Monaco, his own trio and jazz quartet, as well as his larger world music group the Flat Earth Ensemble.

Recent releases include the critically acclaimed Out of Nowhere featuring drummer Billy Hart and bassist George Mraz, The Flat Earth Ensemble’s latest release Trance Hypothesis, and The Tony Monaco/Fareed Haque release Furry Slippers that reached the top 10 in Jazz Radio Airplay.

IN addition, Fareed has performed at the Chicago, Detroit, and Java Jazz festivals and was featured as part of the Made in Chicago Series performing with his numerous groups at Millenium Park’s Pritzker Pavillion in Chicago. He also performed and arranged numerous classical programs as 2013 artist-in-residence for The Chicago Latin Music Festival, was featured on WBEZ, as well as WFMT’s Fiesta! radio programs, and has recorded his arrangement of Piazzolla’s 5 Tango Sensations, El Alevin by Eduardo Angulo Leo Brouwer’s Quintet for Guitar and String Quartet with the critically acclaimed Kaia String Quartet. Haque continues to tour and record extensively along with documenting his unique teaching methods in a series of best selling interactive video courses through TrueFire.

IN 2016, Haque was invited to perform at the Indianapolis Jazz Festival Tribute to Wes Montgomeryalong with Peter Bernstein, Bobby Broom, Henry Johnson, Will Mathews, Russell Malone, Pat Martino, and Dave Stryker. He was also a visiting scholar at Western Michigan University. Recent projects include artistic directorship of numerous jazz festivals, performances with Tony Monaco, Paquito D’Rivera, Vijay Iyer, pundit Vikku Vinacrayam, long-anticipated reunion concerts with Garaj Mahal, concerts in India, a return to Java Jazz, and concerts and teaching in China. In 2017, Mr. Haque released The Bridge with virtuoso Chilean bassist Christian Galvez and renowned Indian percussionist Selva Ganesh. Haque has also rekindled his duo with Goran Ivanovic. Performances include Canadian Guitar Festival, Winters Jazz Fest NYC, Lotus Music Fest, and many others. Upcoming tours in China and Europe are slated for 2018. Haque has joined drum legend Billy Cobham as a member of his Crosswinds Ensemble featuring Haque on guitars, Randy Brecker on Trumpet, and Paul Hansen on sax and bassoon. Extensive touring and recording are slated for 2019. Haque’s most recent release NEW LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC FOR GUITAR AND STRING QUARTET was picked by Howard Reich of the Chicago Tribune as one of the top releases of 2018. In addition, the release was chosen as Downbeat Magazine Editor’s Pick in 2018. 2019 portends to be a busy year, as Haque has retired from 30 years at Northern Illinois University to accommodate extended tours with Cobham, Goran Ivanovic, and his own groups. Highlights to include The Montreux Jazz Festival with Cobham, and appearances with his own groups at The Bluenote Beijing, Louisville, and Minneapolis Guitar Festivals among others. New recordings with his own group and with Goran Ivanovic are scheduled for 2019, under the legendary Delmark Label.

Born in 1963 to a Pakistani father and Chilean mother, Fareed’s extensive travels and especially long stays in Spain, France, Iran, Pakistan, and Chile exposed Haque to different kinds of music from a very early age. While this natural eclecticism has become a hallmark of Haque’s music, it was repeated visits to Von Freeman’s Chicago jam sessions that gave Haque a grounding in the Chicago blues and jazz traditions. The 1981 recipient of North Texas State University’s Jazz Guitar Scholarship, Haque spent a year studying with renowned jazz guitarist and pedagogue Jack Peterson. Fareed’s growing interest in the classical guitar led him to transfer to Northwestern University, where he completed his studies in classical guitar under David Buch, John Holmquist, and Anne Waller.

Soon after his transfer to NU, Haque came to the attention of multi-instrumentalist Howard Levy and joined his latin-fusion group Chevere. Thru Levy, Haque was introduced to Paquito D’Rivera and began a long and fruitful relationship with the Cuban NEA Jazz Master. Numerous world tours and recordings including Manhattan Burn, Celebration, Havana Cafe, Tico Tico, Live at the MCG were to follow. Especially notable is the classic and award winning Reunion featuring Haque along with Arturo Sandoval, Danilo Perez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Mark Walker, and David Fink.

Thru D’Rivera, Haque was brought to the attention of Sting, who had just begun his record label Pangaea. Sting invited Haque to join the label and he released 2 critically acclaimed recordings, Voices Rising and Manresa. Haque toured briefly with Sting, including notable appearances at The Montreux Jazz Festival, as well as NBC’s Michelob Presents Sunday Night with David Sanborn, but his own career demands led Haque in other directions.

Haque has been featured on WTTW’s ArtBeat and Chicago Tonight, Ben Sidran’s New Visions, Michelob Presents Sunday Night with David Sanborn on NBC, his own Lonesome Pines special for PBS, and on BET cable jazz channel. Fareed has twice been selected as Talent Deserving Wider Recognition in Downbeat Magazine. In 1989, Haque also joined the faculty at Northern Illinois University as professor of jazz and classical guitar. He continues to teach at NIU to this day.

After a short stint at Warner Bros. recording Majestad (unreleased and featuring John Patitucci, Michael Landau, Russel Ferrante, Grazinha, Lenny Castro, and Carlos Vega!), Bruce Lundvall signed Haque to the legendary Bluenote Records. While at Bluenote, Haque recorded three albums as a leader: Sacred Addiction, Opaque, and Déjà vu. Haque toured and recorded extensively with other artists, including tours and 3 CDs with Javon Jackson: A Look within, For One Who Knows, and Good People. In addition, sideman credits include tours and recordings with Joe Henderson, Herbie Mann, Bob James, Richie Cole, Joey Calderazzo, Kahil El Zabar and the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, and numerous Bluenote recordings for producer/arranger Bob Belden alongside Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Joe Lovano, Paul Motian, and many others. Numerous classical recitals, as well as appearances with the Vermeer Quartet and many symphonies across the US and abroad, added to an incredible diversity of performances during this period.

Thru Belden, Haque was invited to join forces with Joe Zawinul as part of his Zawinul Syndicate. The group proved to be one of Joe’s best and most eclectic. Included were percussionist and vocalist Arto Tuncboyacian, drummer Paco Sery, bassist Mathew Garrison, along with Haque on Guitar and Electric Guitar. A year of extensive touring brought Haque closer to his Jazz/Rock roots.

In 2001, Haque’s interest in jam bands and the jam scene led him to co-found the jam super-group Garaj Mahal featuring Kai Eckhardt, Eric Levy, and Alan Hertz. This began 10 years of extensive touring across the US, performing in excess of 200 shows per year. Haque also joined George Brooks’ group Summit, featuring Zakir Hussain and Steve Smith. Haque was voted ‘Most Valuable Player’ at the 2002 High Sierra Music Festival. Haque and Garaj Mahal released 3 Live CDs as well as 5 studio CDs: Mondo Garaj, Blueberry Cave, w00t, More Mr. Nice Guy, and Discovery, which featured Haque’s debut of the Moog Guitar.

In 2004, Fareed premiered his Lahara Double Concerto for Sitar/Guitar and Tabla with The Chicago Sinfonietta at Symphony Center in Chicago, under the baton of maestro Paul Freeman, featuring tabla virtuoso Ustad Zakir Hussain, to whom the work is dedicated.

In 2006, Fareed was commissioned to compose a classical guitar concerto for the Fulcrum Point Ensemble. His Gamelan Concerto was premiered in May of ’06 at The Harris theatre in Millenium Park.

In 2007, Garaj Mahal won an Independent Music Award.

In 2009 Haque was voted ‘Best World Guitarist’ by Guitar Player Magazine’s Readers’ poll. His acclaimed 2009 release Flat Planet was twice #1 on the World Jazz Radio charts.

After 10 years of over 2000 dates with Garaj Mahal, Haque’s interest in electronic music and the Moog Guitar spurred him to leave Garaj Mahal and form Fareed Haque’s MathGames, featuring bassist Alex Austin and drummer Greg Fundis.

Notable events during this time include Haque performing and assistant directing the first Jazz Festival en la Patagonia in Frutillar, Chile under his mentor and friend Paquito D’Rivera, and appearances with his own groups at Java Jazz, The Chicago Jazz Festival, The Twents Guitar Festival, The Indy Jazz Fest, Coleman Hawkins Jazz Fest, Jazz in June, The Lafayette and South Bend Jazz Festivals, Sophia Jazz Fest, Bulgaria and many others around the world. Haque also performed at both the Aranjuez and Villa-Lobos guitar concertos (in one concert!) with The Chicago Philharmonic, under the baton of Lucia Matos at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall.

Biography courtesy of the artist’s website.

AnDrea James currently resides in St. Charles, Illinois, where she is a wife, mother, private voice and piano instructor, and professional singer.

AnDrea recently completed her Masters Degree in Vocal Performance at Northern Illinois University, where she received the Outstanding Graduate Student award (2014-15), and was a winner of the NIU Philharmonic Concerto Competition (2015).

She currently teaches at Hix Bros. Music in Batavia and St. Charles East High School, and is adjunct voice faculty at Waubonsee Community College. She also sings with the St. Charles Singers who recently toured England and whose recordings can often be heard on WFMT and Siruis XM Radio.

AnDréa graduated from Augustana College (Rock Island) in 2004 with her BA in Vocal Performance and German. From 2005-2007, she was a member of the voice faculty at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Connecticut where she established an opera program. Since 2000, her operatic roles include Adina (L’Elisir D’Amore), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Edith, (Pirates of Penzance), Suor Genevieve (Suor Angelica) and numerous operatic scenes as well as many oratorio solos.

AnDrea spent 2002-2003 studying at the Üniversität Passau, in Passau, Germany, where she also sang in the Südostbayerisches Theater as a chorus member in Madama Butterfly, Die Lustige Witwe, and Der Rosenkavalier. While in Germany, she was a soloist with the Passauer Domchor.

Over the past ten years AnDrea has held many different teaching, accompanying, conducting and directing positions at churches and schools. For a complete CV, please email [email protected].

Biography courtesy of the artist’s website.

Playlist

Bolero, by Juilian Arcas 

Three Seguidillas, Fernando Sor
Mis descuidados ojos
Prepárame la tumba
Las Mujeres y cuerdas

Quintet for Strings and Guitar, Fareed Haque (9:35)
Allegro
Adagio

From Five Tango Sensations, Astor Piazzolla
Arr. Fareed Haque
Loving

Three Pieces by, Frantz Casseus
Simbi
Serenade Lointaine
Dance of the Hounsies

Four Songs by, Enrique Granados
arr. Gregg Nestor rev. Fareed Haque
El Majo Timido
Amor y Odio
El Majo Olvidado
El Tra La La el Punteado

Five Songs by, Fernando Obradors
arr. Fareed Haque
Al Amor
Corazón, Porqué paisáis…?
Del Cabello Más Sutil
Con Amores, la mi Madre
Chiquitita la Novia


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