Michael Lewis © Bryan Aaker

For the first weekend of summer the Artists' Quarter in St. Paul Minnesota welcomes back Happy Apple, a long-time Artists' Quarter favorite. Happy Apple is a Minnesota grown, improvisational jazz trio with a devoted fan-base in the Twin Cities and a growing following worldwide. Happy Apple bring humor and their eclectic music to the Artists' Quarter for what will certainly be to be an exciting weekend of music Friday, June 26th and Saturday, June 27th. Happy Apple is fronted (from the back, if you will) by drummer Dave King of The Bad Plus fame, propelled by the sonic exploration of Michael Lewis on saxes, and anchored by Erik Fratzke on electric bass.  Happy Apple was formed over a decade ago in Minneapolis and has grown to reveal astounding musical depth as its youthful fan base has grown-up, and has become one of the finest 'free' jazz trios in the country.  All three members compose music for the group which places equal emphasis on improvisation. Happy Apple draws on several other genres; the group's members play in other bands ranging from indie rock and heavy metal to free jazz and electronic.   As Dave acts as the emcee for the group from behind the drum kit he announces the tunes and frequently breaks into what could almost be a stand-up comedy act. But the music is no joke - these are highly skilled musicians who are serious about music, but never take themselves too seriously.

Happy Apple © Howard A. Gitelson

" ... we've been sharpening our sense of dynamics as a band. We've learned to lay back and keep things uncluttered, instead of just pounding your face into the ground the whole time. I don't know how describe it, but we've truly developed our own sound. ... That kind of thing only happens for a group after it's been playing together for a long time, and we're now entering that realm". - Erik Fratzke in an AAJ interview

Erik Fratzke is not only a bassist, he plays guitar in the experimental band, The Gang Font, feat. Interloper with Dave King, Craig Taborn and Greg Norton (founding bassist the punk band, Husker Du). He also plays guitar in the prog-metal band, Zebulon Pike which appeared at the "Best New Bands of 2003" showcase at Minneapolis' famed First Avenue nightclub in early 2004. The band was also named "Best New Band of 2004" by the twin cities news and arts weekly "City Pages" in April 2004.

Michael Lewis © Andrea Canter

David King © Andrea Canter

"There's a small subgenre of bands right now that are making a tricky but inevitable connection: the combustible energy, sardonic attitudes and harsh, crackling timbres of indie rock and the musicianship, improvisational logic and humanism of jazz. ... [ The Peace Between Our Companies (2005)] comes in like a lion with 'Starchild Cranium,' but that full-on clank has nothing to do with the serenity of the winding ballad 'Ella by Nightlight,' near the end. It's nice to hear a band with such radically different dispositions". - New York Times

Happy Apple is a very popular group in town, so if you're picky about your seat, plan to show up early. The Artists' Quarter is located in the historic Hamm Building in Downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, ( 408 St. Peter) near the corner of St. Peter and 7th Place. (651) 292-1359. Visit www.artistsquarter.com for directions and more details.

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