Album Notes

Nine original jazz compositions--five with Brazilian overtones--performed by an ensemble of guitar, bass, drums, and violin, augmented with viola, Brazilian percussion instruments, and vocals. Throughout the history of jazz there have been notable ensembles with a front line of guitar and violin, such as Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti, Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, John McLaughlin and Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra), and Steve Morse and Mark O'Connor (Dixie Dregs). In his CD "Dyad," Ken Hatfield has expanded upon this tradition by composing music which employs contrapuntal compositional devices and Brazilian rhythms such as Baiao, Samba, and Bossa Nova in a jazz context featuring a front line of classical guitar and violin. On "Dyad," guitarist Hatfield is joined by Valentin Gregor on violin/viola, Hans Glawischnig on bass, Duduka da Fonseca on drums/ percussion, and the vocals of Maucha Adnet.

Critically-acclaimed composer/guitarist Ken Hatfield has performed extensively as a solo artist and with his ensemble at such prestigious venues as The JVC Jazz Festival, The Knitting Factory, The Classic American Guitar Show, and The North Wales International Jazz Guitar Festival. He has also performed and/or recorded with Charlie Byrd, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Grady Tate, Bob Cranshaw, Harold Maeburn, Marcus Miller, Kenny Kirkland, Dom Salvador, Marlena Shaw, Joao Donato, Lew Tabakin, Charles Aznavour, Maurice Hines, and many others. Ken's broad compositional experience includes ballet scores for Judith Jamison, The Washington Ballet, and Maurice Bejart's Ballet of the 20th Century, as well as TV and film scores, including Eugene Richards' award-winning documentary "but, the day came," and numerous jazz compositions, chamber pieces, and works for classical guitar.