Tone Forest
Tone Forest | with Marty Jaffe, Jason Ennis and Miro Sprague
Saturday, September 27
3:30 to 4:45 PM
Edwards Church
297 Main Street
FREE
Heralded by Marlbank as "Totally Hypnotic" and "as clean and refreshing as the most unsullied mountain stream," Tone Forest is a groundbreaking contemporary jazz ensemble that has captivated audiences across the United States for six years. This innovative trio—featuring Miro Sprague (piano), Jason Ennis (guitar), and Marty Jaffe (bass), represents decades of musical collaboration between three world-class musicians who met through western Massachusetts's vibrant music scene in the early 2000s.
Their genre-defying sound fuses jazz, world music, and free improvisation, creating music that is simultaneously adventurous, meditative, and deeply grooved. As an acoustic ensemble without drums, Tone Forest explores spacious, atmospheric textures through compositions celebrating their shared home's natural beauty,pieces like "A Wave Away," "Quiet Lake," and "The Mother Tree" create meditative atmospheres honoring earth's vital ecosystems.
Their debut self-titled album, released August 30, 2024 on Outside In Music, features six original compositions that showcase their cinematic journey through diverse textures, dynamics, and rhythms from swing to samba to funk.
Miro Sprague
Miro Sprague is a Los Angeles-based pianist, composer, bandleader, and educator known for his inspiring creativity and dynamic performance style. He leads his own trio and quintet while performing as a solo artist. Throughout his career, he has recorded extensively and worked with notable artists including Karrin Allyson, Ingrid Jensen, Greg Osby, and Jeff Parker.
A graduate of Manhattan School of Music and the Herbie Hancock Institute, Miro studied with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Billy Childs. He currently teaches at Occidental College.
Jason Ennis
Guitarist Jason Ennis is an exciting voice in jazz guitar, known for his unique sound, deep groove, and sensitive feel. His diverse background spans jazz, blues, Brazilian, and classical music, making him highly sought after as a soloist, sideman, and bandleader.
A graduate of Middlebury College, Jason studied at Berklee and San Francisco Conservatory. Currently based in Pittsfield, MA, he teaches at Dartmouth College and Williams College. He released his debut album Jota Sete in 2022 and co-leads the world jazz trio La Voz de Tres.
Marty Jaffe
Marty Jaffe is one of New York City's most versatile and sought-after bassists, performing with world-renowned artists including Wynton Marsalis, Samara Joy, Marcus Roberts, Catherine Russell, and Karrin Allyson. He tours extensively throughout the US and internationally with these collaborators.
Born into a musical family in Conway, Massachusetts, Marty studied at Columbia and Juilliard under Ron Carter, Wynton Marsalis, and Ray Drummond. A 2012 Presidential Scholar in the Arts, he has presented original music at Kennedy Center and Jazz at Lincoln Center. He co-leads the innovative trio Tone Forest.