Jason Fraticelli band

About Jason Fraticelli band

Jason Fraticelli is primarily an upright bassist, and has been immersed in the Philadelphia and New York jazz and original music scene since the early 2000’s. He has been performing as a at a concert, show, or some kind of gig on average of five nights a week for about the last 15 to 20 years. Jason was musically raised by his dad and his uncle, twin singers born in Puerto Rico, and their record collection. He began playing drums at the age of 5, and at 13 years old he was playing in a trio with his dad and uncle called Elyisum playing original music and opening up for artists such as Jimmy Cliff. Jason was always encouraged by his family to pursue his talents through education, and the instrument of choice that he used as his musical vehicle became the upright bass. The upright bass was a natural fit for the rhythmic and percussive nature of Jason’s musicality and it also allowed him to enter into the Philadelphia jazz scene where he was shown the art of jazz harmony and improvisation. Eventually Jason went to the New School University in NYC to study performance and composition, and shortly after, Jason started touring and recording with an array of musicians and artists such as Matisyahu, Melody Gardot, Cyro Baptista, Billy Martin, Marco Bennevento, G Love, Taylor McFerrin, and Mark Guiliana. Matisyahu and Melody Gardot were the most extensive running tours that went nationally and internationally. Years later in 2012, Jason co­founded the Fresh Cut Orchestra which is a 10 piece electronic jazz group and this became his outlet for more of a compositional approach to his writing. Fresh Cut Orchestra was called the “jazz of tomorrow” by Downbeat magazine, it has been recognized by the Pew Foundation and the American Composers Association, and it performs regularly in respected Arts Centers such as the Kimmel Center of Performing Arts, the Kennedy Center of DC, and Lincoln Center in New York City.

Back in the mid 2000’s, after coming off of the road with Matisyahu, Jason decided to create an outlet for his song writing that was a bit more lyrically based, and that utilized all of his musical attributes as being a composer, multi instrumentalist, song writer, and even at times a bit of a comedian. He started recording Dream Diaries and this became a collection of Jason’s songs that he would write over the next several years and shows great influences from the likes of Frank Zappa, Ween, Bowie and the Beatles. On Dream Diaries, Jason is at times doing a Stevie Wonder approach by playing several of the instruments on each track. There is a layered vocal element that is inspired from his Dad and his uncle who were twins and singing together since they were 5 years old. This layered effect mimics Jason almost having a twin of his own to sing with. You will also hear some of the first music to ever feature Jason on the cuatro, a 10 string puerto rican guitar that was handed down to him from his grandfather. While living in Puerto Rico as a kid, his grandfather taught him the tradition of the instrument, and in the years that followed Jason began using it in his music with a more jazz and experimental rock like approach and treating it like a guitar. The Jason Fraticelli Band is combining every influence that Jason has had growing up from his musical upbringing with his family, to his jazz education through the american school system, to his experience playing alongside some of the best jazz musicians and artists that he has had the fortune of playing with.