Tales from the Jazz Side with Sean Conly episode #9

Tales is coming to you with bassist/composer/arranger Sean Conly.

Sean Conly is another notable musician with an impressive multiple musical language background. He has played with such legendary greats as Andrew Hill, Russ Lossing, Ray Barretto, Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton, Randy Brecker, Howard Alden and Lew Tabackin to name a few. I had the pleasure of meeting him while working with the Michael Franks’s band. Besides the road life we share, he and I also perform at local gigs in and around New York City. He is the principal bassist on my tribute CD “The Art of Michael Franks”.

On May 30 & 31 I have the honor and gratification to play with Sean at the upcoming Eric Dolphy: Freedom of Sound. A two day festival being held at Montclair State University Auditorium in Montclair, NJ. This event is the first of many produced by Seed Artists, Inc.

When I first met Sean I must admit that I was a little intimidated by him. He had an intensity of focus that made me reluctant to engage in idle conversation. But that was an error in my perception, because as our friendship and musical relationship developed, I experienced another side to him; which to this very day inspired me to never ignore the direction the heart tells you to go when broadening your musical horizons. It takes courage to stand on something you believe in, but most of all it takes love to do what you love. And when you that happens, you find that all roads lead to your mission in life.

Creativity – Art should help us meditate. Communion with reality. Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh stated, “A creative person brings something from the unknown into the world of the known.” Our mission as artists is to remove the veil that hides the miraculous spirit of deep contact.

Sean Conly’s reverent and embolden approach to his performances, highlight his multifarious musical background and from the listener’s perspective one feels privy to a very intimate and special relationship between the player, his instrument and the music.

Using his extensive repertoire, which consists of all of the diverse languages of music, Sean impressively speaks while he subtly builds a bridge between the unknown and the known. Isn’t that what being truly creative is really all about?

About Sean Conly

Conly grew up in the Kansas City area, and first attended the Conservatory of the University of Missouri-Kansas City from which he occasionally played with the local variables Ahmad Alaadeen , Jay McShann and Claude “Fiddler” Williams. In 1992 he continued his studies on the bass with Rufus Reid and Todd Coolman continued at the William Paterson University. In 1994 he moved to New York City [1] and began his career with Russ Lossing, Andrew Hill, Ray Barretto and Freddie Hubbard.  [2] With Cedar Walton, Randy Brecker, Howard Alden and Lew Tabackin he toured in 2000 as the Newport Millennium Celebration. [1] He produced two albums under his own name before, Re: Action ( Clean Feed Records , 2008) with Michaël Attias, Tony Malaby and Pheeroan akLaff and Attias with the duo album Think Shadow. In 2012, he worked in the formation Grass Roots (with Alex Harding,  Darius Jones, Chad Taylor , titled album in AUM Fidelity), in 2013 he joined with Ingrid foliage Rocks band Anti-House on. [3] In the field of jazz Conly appeared between 1994 and 2012 at 40 recording sessions, [4] and in a Mark Buselli, Anthony Coleman (Lapidation), Yoron Israel, Gregory Tardy (Abundance , 2001) and Joel Harrison (Free Country, 2003).  [5] He lives in New York City, where he worked as a musician, composer and arranger operates.

Taken from Sean Conly Life and Work wikipedia.