The Art D’Echo Trio has enough credits for several trios.

They also play in Michael Benedict’s Jazz Vibes and the Latin jazz group Sensemaya. They host “It’s a Jazzy Christmas” at Proctors around the holidays, and support visiting stars such as New Orleans clarinetist Evan Christopher.

The Art D’Echo Trio is the main thing for – from left: bassist Mike Lawrence, pianist David Gleason and drummer Pete Sweeney. Photo supplied

“The trio is inspired by the great jazz piano trios like Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett,” says bassist Lawrence. He met Gleason in the 1990s in the Empire State Youth Orchestra directed by Paul Evoskovich, then Sweeney in the Joey Thomas Big Band in the early 2000s. “All three of us played one summer with the Joey Thomas Big Band,” says Lawrence, “so more than 20 years (together).”

All three played in rock bands before turning to jazz.

Of the three, only Lawrence comes from a music-making family. His mother plays and formerly taught piano and his father plays guitar, while his drummer brother took him often to the Van Dyck to see great artists play there, starting in the late 90s and early 2000s.

Among Gleason’s first gigs was a duo with bassist Lou Smaldone at Mother Earth’s Cafe in 1995. Lawrence played in “EZ Blues” in high school, opening for George Boone once at a Northeast Blues Society gig that Society President Don Wilcock arranged at Best Western Hotel in Troy. Before that, Lawrence’s middle school band played Nirvana and Hendrix at a school dance. As a middle school teacher, he gets to relive that school cafeteria vibe by running a lunch period guitar club.

Asked about his first gigs tickled Sweeney’s funny bone. “My first gig was Dick Spass and the Coachmen at Charities when I was 16,” says the drummer. “I had to wear the band suit that was way too (deleted) large. When I complained, Dick said, ‘You know what they say in Poland? Tough Shitski!’ That was 1981.”

Gleason studied with Lee Shaw; Lawrence studied with Tom Weaver (Smokehouse Prophets) in high school, Rich Syracuse at the College of St. Rose and Luke Baker in the Albany Symphony); Sweeney studied with Joe Morello (the Dave Brubeck Quartet) and Dave Calarco.

All three have extensive formal training and distinguished player credits; all three teach.

Gleason studied music education at the Crane School of Music, earned an M.A. from Tufts University in ethnomusicology and composition and has researched Puerto Rican and Cuban music. He’s played with RumbaNaMa, The Boston Latin Band, Either/Orchestra, Bopitude, The Big Soul Ensemble, and The Empire Jazz Orchestra; and with stars including Lee Konitz, Laurel Masse, Fred Wesley, Gary Smulyan, Danilo Perez, Rufus Reid, Antonio Hart and John Fedchock. His Latin jazz band Sensemayá recorded two albums “Shake It!” (2010) and La Madrugada Habanera/Havana Before Dawn (2011). He has taught in Schenectady public schools, SUNY Schenectady, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 

Lawrence has a BA from the College of St. Rose and an M.A. from Boston University; both in Music Education. Playing credits include the Gary McFarland Legacy Ensemble alongside Joe Locke, Sharel Cassity, Bruce Barth and Michael Benedict including the album “Circulation: The Music of Gary McFarland” (a 2015 NPR Best Jazz Albums pick); also with Gary Smulyan, Harry Allen, Paul Meyers, Dick Oatts, Steve Nelson, Gene Bertoncini, Claire Daly, Bruce Johnstone, Richard Lanham, Mark Vinci, Jerry Weldon, Ray Vega, Wycliffe Gordon, Blue Lou Marini, Sonny Turner’s Platters, Bobby Rydell, Tas Cru, the Charlie Smith Blues Band and others. He also teaches in Schenectady City Schools.

Sweeney teaches at Union College, Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Berkshire Music School, the Troy Music Academy and the Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation, and has written more than 20 instructional books. He has played with Pat Metheny, Larry Coryell, Lee Ritenour, John Abercrombie, Robben Ford, Andy Summers (The Police), Ronnie Earl, Duke Robillard, Ed Mann (Frank Zappa), Frank Gambale, Lorne Lofsky, “Dangerous” Dan Toler, Johnny “Clyde” Copeland, Mick Goodrick, Steve Bailey and more.

The Art D’Echo Trio plays “a fair amount of originals and classic jazz tunes,” says Lawrence, “…originals are usually a little less than half.” They freely rearrange standards and will likely play Gleason’s Oscar Peterson tribute “Oh, Please,” Benny Golson’s “Whisper Not” and Pat Metheny’s “James.”

The Art D’Echo Trio, from left: drummer Pete Sweeney, bassist Mike Lawrence and pianist David Gleason. Photo supplied

“We sometimes go off on an improvisatory tangent and see where it takes things,” says Lawrence, noting they’ve just released their debut album; self-titled and 20 years in the making. “We recently released our album after a couple of studio sessions at Scott Petito’s NRS studio spread over the past couple of years,” says Lawrence. “It features a range of things that the trio does including some great original compositions by Dave Gleason.”

The Art D’Echo Trio also plays the Galway Jazz Festival July 20.

Jazz on Jay continues July 24th with the Linda Brown Jazz Project.

Jazz on Jay free concerts are noon to 1:30 p.m. at Jay Square, the new park space opposite Schenectady City Hall. The rain site is Robb Alley at Proctors, 432 State St., Schenectady. Seating is provided indoors at Robb Alley, but patrons are invited to bring their own seating and refreshments to Jay Square.

Jazz on Jay is presented by the ElectriCity Arts and Entertainment District and sponsored by the New York State Council on the Arts, a Schenectady County Legislature Arts & Culture Grant, Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation, The Schenectady Foundation, Price Chopper/Market 32, MVP Health Care, Schenectady County, Schenectady City Hall, and Proctors Collaborative. This blog is a series media sponsor.