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Michael Formanek; Bass, Joe Lovano Us5 Quintet

Michael Formanek may have one of the most diverse biographies in contemporary improvised music. At first glance his list of musical affiliations is both intriguing and confusing. In addition to playing the Acoustic Bass, composition plays a very large part in Formanek's total musical picture. His first three recordings for the Enja label, Wide Open Spaces, Extended Animation, and Low Profile, were received with wide critical approval. If early responses to his 1997 release, Nature of the Beast are any indication, it will be no exception. All of these recordings feature his compositions exclusively, performed by musicians such as Greg Osby, Tim Berne, Mark Feldman, Dave Douglas, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Ku-umba Frank Lacy, Marty Ehrlich, Wayne Krantz, and Jim Black. In addition, Formanek's 1992 collaboration with Tim Berne and Jeff Hirshfield, Loose Cannon (Soul Note), continues to show up in many a serious collectors archives.

In the past ten years Formanek has performed his music many times with a wide range of ensembles. His band, Wide Open Spaces, played at the Leverkusener Jazztage, in Leverkusen, Germany. The Espoo Festival in Finland. Lincoln Center Out-Of-Doors, in New York City, as well as many clubs and concert halls in the United States and Europe. Ongoing projects include Tim Berne's bloodcount, "Relativity", a new cooperative trio with Peter Erskine and Marty Ehrlich, and the Tim Berne/Michael Formanek duo. Upcoming projects of special interest include a solo bass recording for Berne's label, Screwgun.