“The best new jazz quartet that I've heard in recent years,” says KBCS Seattle’s Bud Young of Four Across. Based in New York, the quartet is made up of long-time friends and collaborators Josh Deutsch (trumpet), Carmen Staaf (piano), Matt Aronoff (bass) and Brian Adler (drums). With five tours and a critically acclaimed debut record under their belt, Four Across brings an original take to the jazz conversation, incorporating influences from Thelonious Monk and Danilo Perez to stand-up comics, street food, meandering conversations and bicycle sounds. Band members have performed in Europe, Asia and South America, and received awards from Downbeat and the Kennedy Center. Four Across has performed across the United States, including appearances at the Earshot Jazz Festival and the Outpost Summer Concert series.
Check out some videos from our 2008 summer East Coast tour!
"Four Across" represents what I love most about jazz! This ensemble has vision for the present and future while truly honoring the past. Strong composition along with great solos and inventive interplay makes Four Across a repeat play on my ipod. Five Stars all the way!"
- Ray Vega, New York trumpeter and bandleader
"Four Across is the best new jazz quartet that I've heard in recent
years...about to rank among the premier contemporary jazz groups...fresh,
young, and talented."
- Bud Young, KBCS FM, Bud's Jazz Records and Tapes,
Seattle, WA
"Beautiful playing and compositions"
- Bassist Henry Grimes
Member Bios:
JOSH DEUTSCH - Josh Deutsch is a trumpeter, composer and educator residing in Queens, New York. A native of Seattle, Josh has performed across the United States, as well as in Europe, Japan and Canada. A graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music (BM) and the University of Oregon (MM), Josh has studied with Danilo Pérez, Bob Brookmeyer, John McNeil, Brian McWhorter and Lee Hyla, among others. A composer in multiple genres, Josh has received commissions from the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Music Northwest and From the Top. Josh received the University of Oregon’s Excellence in Teaching Award for his work with large and small ensembles and private students, and has given clinics and masterclasses throughout the state of Oregon. Josh was named the Outstanding College Trumpeter in both 2008 and 2009 at the Reno International Jazz Festival, and won Downbeat Magazine’s 2008 Student Music Award for College Jazz Soloist.
CARMEN STAAF - A native of Seattle, WA, jazz pianist and accordionist Carmen Staaf has performed internationally at the Festa do Jazz do Teatro Sao Luiz in Lisbon, Portugal, the Panama Jazz Festival, the KlezMORE Festival in Vienna, and at the Concurso de Jovenes Jazzistas (Young Jazz Musicians Contest) in Havana, Cuba. As a winner of the 2004 IAJE Sisters in Jazz Competition, she performed at the 2005 IAJE Conference in Long Beach, California and the Kennedy Center Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival. Carmen has worked with Bob Brookmeyer, George Garzone and Stefon Harris, and has shared the stage with other musical greats including Dave Liebman, Rufus Reid and Ernestine Anderson. She leads her own group, which recently recorded, and co-leads the Staaf Quartet, which recorded its eponymous debut in 2004. She recently also recorded with trumpeter Peter Kenagy, and currently performs with the Ayn Inserto Jazz Orchestra, Michael Winograd, and Susan Watts and the Fabulous Shpielkehs. Carmen is a faculty member at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
MATT ARONOFF - Matt Aronoff is a bassist and composer whose musical interests lie in almost any genre, from jazz to classical to world music to rock. A latecomer to music he began studying bass at around 17 and within a year was accepted to study with renowned bassist and educator Anthony Bianco at Carnegie Mellon University. While studying and living in Pittsburgh he performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, The Pittsburgh Opera Company, The Mendelssohn Choir and legendary saxophonist Eric Kloss. After leaving Pittsburgh he was awarded a Scholarship to study at Manhattan School of Music. Since his recent graduation he has had the pleasure of performing, recording or touring with many great artists such as Luciana Souza, The New York Voices, Larry Koonse, Peter Eldridge, Mark Soskin, Clarence Penn, Kendrick Scott, Chris Potter, Audra McDonald, Romero Lubambo, Claudia Acuna and Sandra Bernhard.
BRIAN ADLER- Drummer Brian Adler is well versed in many forms of improvised music including jazz, avant-garde, folk, and Indian music. He is known for his uniquely delicate, earthy sound and sparseness on the drums and his creative compositional style of framing ancient texts. Brian has had the privilege to perform with: Ran Blake, Dave "Fuze" Fiuczynski, Erik Lawrence, Kate McGarry, Stomu Takeishi, and Ray Vega. In 2004, Adler founded Circavision Productions, a record label, production company and music initiative centered on the use of organic improvisation, sacred texts, mixed media, digital relations and worldwide partnerships that are able to stimulate, challenge and enrich the minds of listeners. Brian holds a Bachelor's Degree from the New England Conservatory of Music.
