"easy people to get along with...are constantly adapting to an array of situations."
Spare A Dime ensemble member Jason Fraticelli blends his influences in a variety of musical styles. Fraticelli is playing upright bass in the project's jazz quartet. "The upright bass can be a humble, yet aggressive, instrument that connects with the melodic aspect of music, while being highly rhythmic," he said. "Its main purpose is to support both these melodic and rhythmic elements; at the same time the player's personality and 'voice' merges with the music at its foundation. Musical commitment can easily be achieved through the upright bass as it's a very physical instrument that utilizes a large range of the player's body." Fraticelli offered a musical analogy to the lessons learned from the Great Depression, "Bass players tend to be easy people to get along with, maybe because they are constantly adapting to an array of situations musically. They learn to navigate through these situations while giving their best and adding a uniqueness that speaks to their musical personality."
Fraticelli exists in many different facets of the music community. As an upright bassist, he has played with many different musicians, including Skerik (Les Claypool) and Billy Martin (MMW), and has performed and toured in groups such as The Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Melody Gardot, and Cyro Baptista’s Banquet of the Spirits. He also records with several different bands in the Philadelphia and New York area. Fraticelli's musical ventures with the electric bass include playing and touring as part of rap and reggae star Matisyahu’s band. In this group, Jason played alongside longtime friend and peer Aaron Dugan, whom was the guitarist for Matis, and with whom he was able to explore his bass playing through reggae and dub music for the very first time. During years prior, Fraticelli had been experimenting with avant garde/jazz/punk rock, with Dugan, in a band called Astro-Cusion. He has also frequented the New York scene, on electric bass, in the groups Aaron Dugan’s Theory of Everything, Taylor McFerrin’s The Cell Theory, and Mark Guiliana’s Beat Music. Fraticelli began his musical career as a drummer, and his work as a percussionist is heard on recordings with groups Senor Salty Balls, Shadowdance, and Sinking Ship. Fraticelli is also a composer, with work ranging from a 10 piece ensemble commission from the Painted Bride Art Center, to work as singer and songwriter with his own band, Jason Fraticelli & The Wet Dreams. He has two records in the works, a new album with his band, entitled Under the Influence of 'Hearing' and a recording of his Painted Bride commission, The Mother’s Suite, inspired by the love, respect, and loss of a mother. Fraticelli studied performance and composition at Bucks County Community College and at New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City.
Learn more and listen to Fraticelli on his website www.jasonfraticelli.com
Click here to get your tickets to Spare A Dime!
Fraticelli exists in many different facets of the music community. As an upright bassist, he has played with many different musicians, including Skerik (Les Claypool) and Billy Martin (MMW), and has performed and toured in groups such as The Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Melody Gardot, and Cyro Baptista’s Banquet of the Spirits. He also records with several different bands in the Philadelphia and New York area. Fraticelli's musical ventures with the electric bass include playing and touring as part of rap and reggae star Matisyahu’s band. In this group, Jason played alongside longtime friend and peer Aaron Dugan, whom was the guitarist for Matis, and with whom he was able to explore his bass playing through reggae and dub music for the very first time. During years prior, Fraticelli had been experimenting with avant garde/jazz/punk rock, with Dugan, in a band called Astro-Cusion. He has also frequented the New York scene, on electric bass, in the groups Aaron Dugan’s Theory of Everything, Taylor McFerrin’s The Cell Theory, and Mark Guiliana’s Beat Music. Fraticelli began his musical career as a drummer, and his work as a percussionist is heard on recordings with groups Senor Salty Balls, Shadowdance, and Sinking Ship. Fraticelli is also a composer, with work ranging from a 10 piece ensemble commission from the Painted Bride Art Center, to work as singer and songwriter with his own band, Jason Fraticelli & The Wet Dreams. He has two records in the works, a new album with his band, entitled Under the Influence of 'Hearing' and a recording of his Painted Bride commission, The Mother’s Suite, inspired by the love, respect, and loss of a mother. Fraticelli studied performance and composition at Bucks County Community College and at New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City.
Learn more and listen to Fraticelli on his website www.jasonfraticelli.com
Click here to get your tickets to Spare A Dime!