Adam Lane Quartet featuring John Tchicai

The band:

Photo by Scott Friedlander

Tchicai and Lane began working together in 1998 in San Francisco. In 1999 Tchicai asked Lane to be a part of his Infinitesimal Flash Quartet (Buzz Records) along with Francis Wong and Mat Marruci. Since then the two have performed often, working as a duo throughout the West Coast, touring Europe twice in Lane's Quartet, and continuing work with the Infinitesimal Flash band. In 2000 when Bob Rusch asked Lane to put together a small group to highlight his bass playing, and express his compositions in a smaller format, Lane knew Tchicai had to be involved.  The project quickly became a vehicle for Lane to work alongside three elder masters who had been enormously influential to him as a young player. Paul Smoker is one of the greatest American trumpet players to ever live. His work with Vinny Golia proved to be a major influence on the development of Lane's small group work. Barry Altschul was just coming out of a temporary retirement at the Quartet's inception. His importance in American jazz can not be underestimated, and it was an enormously welcomed opportunity for Lane to take the rhythm section roll next to the drummer who played on the early Braxton records that were so important to Lane early in his development. Together the Quartet released one cd featuring Lane's compositions (Fo(u)r Being(s), CIMP), toured Europe twice and American once, and won critical praise wherever they performed.

Selected videos