An East Coast all-star ensemble,
the Nuttree Quartet convened in 2007 to record a CD and tour a bit, hopefully not the only time these great musicians play modern progressive and contemporary jazz together. The group has roots in both Boston, MA, and New York City, where the bandmembers came up in the ranks, were schooled, or live. Electric guitarist
John Abercrombie is widely regarded as one of the leading artists on his instrument since the early jazz-rock fusion days of the '70s, when the Berklee College of Music distinguished alumnus played with
Dreams and
Billy Cobham, recorded extensively for the ECM label, and was involved in the co-op trio
Gateway. Tenor saxophonist
Jerry Bergonzi is one of the many post-
John Coltrane cum
Michael Brecker school of neo-boppers, growing up in Boston, working on the Two Generations of Brubeck LP and with
the Dave Brubeck Quartet, and carving his own path as a leader. Drummer
Adam Nussbaum has played with a veritable who's who of modern jazz masters after attending the Davis Center and the City College of New York. His most prominent associations have been with
David Liebman,
Michael Brecker, and
John Scofield before joining
Nuttree. Organist
Gary Versace is the youngest member; he grew up in Connecticut, studied at the Eastman School, and is a prominent member of Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts band in addition to his solo projects. The Nuttree Quartet adopted their moniker via a translation of
Nussbaum's surname from German to English. Their 2008 debut recording on the Kind of Blue label,
Standards, features interpretations of music composed in the American popular song tradition and written by the
Gershwin brothers,
Duke Ellington,
Thelonious Monk,
John Coltrane, and
Wayne Shorter. ~ Michael G. Nastos