Fresh cut orchestra
The Philadelphia trio of composers Josh Lawrence, Jason Fraticelli, and Anwar Marshall are back with a second project from FRESH CUT ORCHESTRA. Mind Behind Closed Eyes is a collection of pieces from each composer, and delves into new territory with live electronic processing via Ableton and the addition of the cuatro, a Puerto Rican stringed instrument. The roots are solid Philly - as Anwar points out - 'I believe Philly musicians have a rhythmic dialogue that we all understand. That language is very hard swinging, but its timing is laid back and relaxed'.
Release Date: august 26, 2016
We are thrilled to announce that Philly's own Fresh Cut Orchestra will be dropping their debut LP right here at Ropeadope. A ten piece with some heavy hitters - Jason Fraticelli (Matisyahu, Mark Guliana), Josh Lawrence (Erykah Badu), and Anwar Marshall (Kurt Rosenwinkel) - FCO already has Ropeadope alum Christian McBride talking about the release on NPR.
Release Date: february 17, 2015
about fresh cut orchestra
The Fresh Cut Orchestra is a 10-piece jazz ensemble from Philadelphia led by trumpeter Josh Lawrence, bassist Jason Fraticelli, and drummer Anwar Marshall.
The band’s debut release From the Vine, due Feb. 17 on Ropeadope Records, features nine original compositions and has a far-reaching, panoptic quality. The album dips into various soundscapes and grooves, deftly migrating from ephemeral to slicing, which bespeaks the bandleaders’ range of experiences: Lawrence has performed with Erykah Badu, Boyz II Men and Orrin Evans; Fraticelli with Matisyahu, Taylor McFerrin and Mark Guiliana; and Marshall with Evans, Kurt Rosenwinkel and Dave Douglas.
The Fresh Cut Orchestra started with a commission from Lenny Seidman of the fabled Painted Bride Art Center. He brought the three bandleaders together, and gave them funding to produce an original work for large ensemble. Their first show in October 2012 was sold out. Then came a Pew Center for Arts & Heritage grant that brought the band members into the studio, where they recorded the music that’s on From the Vine, plus enough for another full-length. And in 2013, the city’s Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts awarded the band a residency. There the three leaders wrote and performed a formidable array of new works—some involving a vocalist, Joanna Pascale, plus video art projections.
The music of the Fresh Cut Orchestra is an eclectic blend of “straight ahead” jazz, contemporary classical, progressive rock, hip hop, and modern electronica.