{{Short description|American jazz musician and composer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Jason Anick | image = | landscape = Yes | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1985|10|3}} | birth_place = Framingham, Massachusetts United States | death_date = | genre = Jazz, World music | occupation = Musician, composer, educator | instrument = Violin, mandolin | website = [http://www.jasonanick.com/ Official website] | Notable instruments = }} '''Jason Anick''' (born October 3, 1985, Framingham, Massachusetts) is an American jazz violinist, mandolin player and composer. He currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts, and teaches at the Berklee College of Music.
==Early life== Anick started classical violin lessons at age six but it was the summers spent learning fiddle tunes from his father that trained his ear and liberated him early on from the printed page.<ref>Born to play jazz violin. By Mary Wenzel, Marlboro Enterprise, January 25, 2007 [http://www.wickedlocal.com/marlborough/news/x1015797406] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20131011235549/http://www.wickedlocal.com/marlborough/news/x1015797406 |date=October 11, 2013 }}</ref><ref>Marlborough's Jason Anick is jazzin' up Gypsy music, Ed Symkus, Metrowest Daily News, December 6, 2012. [https://archive.today/20131011235606/http://www.wickedlocal.com/marlborough/fun/entertainment/music/x719502618/Marlboroughs-Jason-Anick-is-jazzin-up-Gypsy-music%23ixzz2hHkWB3fJ ]</ref> He was eleven when he met Stephane Grappelli and twelve when he fiddled for President and Mrs. Clinton when they showed up at a fiddle showcase on Martha's Vineyard.<ref>Jazzing up the Gypsies: Young musician puts a new twist on playing violin. By Susan Spencer, Worcester Telegram, August 26, 2007 [http://www.telegram.com/article/20070826/NEWS/708260765/1005]</ref> In junior high school, he took a detour and started a rock band on guitar, but videos of European Gypsy jazz players piqued a renewed fascination with the violin – and a passion for jazz. He entered the unique "acoustics and music" program at the University of Hartford, combining an engineering degree with music performance studies at the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz, part of the Hartt School.<ref>Gypsy jazz done right. Christian Howes, Creative Strings Academy, February 23, 2011 [http://christianhowes.com/2011/02/23/jason-anick-gypsy-jazz-violin-done-right/]</ref> There he worked with the likes of trombonist Steve Davis and bassist Nat Reeves to hone his straight-ahead and bebop chops. He was still attending college when guitarist John Jorgenson invited him to join his Quintet, having seen a YouTube video of Anick playing at the Montreal Jazz Festival with the Robin Nolan Trio.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.powerpresskits.com/PPKs/print.aspx?PPK=9056 |title=Jason Anick, Jazz Violin & Mandolin press kit |access-date=October 10, 2013 |archive-date=May 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519131202/http://www.powerpresskits.com/PPKs/print.aspx?PPK=9056 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Anick managed to complete school while touring with Jorgenson, beginning a professional relationship that has lasted for six years. The apprenticeship allowed him to hone his improvisational skills and stage presence while earning him a reputation as one of the top Gypsy jazz/world music violinists on the scene today.<ref>[http://www.jasonanick.com/press.html Jason Anick official website; Press]</ref> He has recorded one CD with the John Jorgenson Quintet, One Stolen Night.
==Career==
In 2011, Anick released his first solo CD, Sleepless.<ref>Gypsy jazz done right. Christian Howes, Creative Strings Academy, February 23, 2011 [http://christianhowes.com/2011/02/23/jason-anick-gypsy-jazz-violin-done-right/]</ref> A modern take on the Gypsy jazz genre, it mixed new arrangements of classic Hot Club tunes with a half dozen original compositions which reflected Jason's penchant for creating musical "short stories". Jason's melodic approach to improvising and his facility for blending traditional and modern jazz sensibilities caught the ear of Berklee College of Music's string department, who hired him as one of the youngest members of the Boston faculty.<ref>[http://www.berklee.edu/people/jason-anick Berklee College of Music]</ref><ref>Jason Anick – A Mandolin Force to be Reckoned With. David McCarty, Mandolin Magazine, Summer 2013 [http://mandolinmagazine.com ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029103013/http://www.mandolinmagazine.com/ |date=October 29, 2013 }}</ref> He currently teaches jazz violin and mandolin, history of jazz violin, and "Django ensemble" while maintaining a busy schedule performing as guest artist and band leader in a range of projects. These include the modern jazz ensemble "Jason Anick Quartet", "Rhythm Future Quartet", a progressive Gypsy jazz ensemble featuring guitarists Olli Soikkeli and Vinny Raniolo (of Frank Vignola Trio), and the "New Hot Club of America" an homage to the original Hot Club of France with guitarist Gonzalo Bergara and fellow violinists Ben Powell and Leah Zeger. He also continues to tour with the John Jorgenson Quintet.<ref>[http://www.jasonanick.com/projects.html Jason Anick Official website: Projects]</ref> In 2014, Anick released his second CD as band leader, Tipping Point<ref>[http://www.downbeat.com/digitaledition/2014/DB1403/single_page_view/26.html Jason Anick: Improv with Strings. Downbeat Magazine, March 2014]</ref> Backed up by piano, sax, bass and drums, this presents Anick in a modern jazz context as violin/mandolin player, composer and arranger.
==Discography== *2011 ''Sleepless'' (Jason Anick) *2012 ''One Stolen Night'' (John Jorgenson Quintet) *2013 ''The New Hot Club of America'' (with Gonzalo Bergara) *2014 ''Tipping Point'' (Jason Anick)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.jasonanick.com/ Official website] *[http://www.johnjorgenson.com/ John Jorgenson Quintet] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20130924014104/http://thenewhotclubofamerica.com/ The New Hot Club of America]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Anick, Jason}} Category:1985 births Category:Living people American American Category:Berklee College of Music faculty Category:21st-century American violinists Category:21st-century American male musicians Category:American male jazz musicians