Resume

Grammy Nominated Gary Hassay (alto , tenor and soprano saxophones) has been performing since 1979 with various groups, both as a leader and a sideman. His large ensemble, "Dr. Vincent Sakeeda's Attack Ensemble", founded in 1979, was a tour de force of free music which drew critical and public attention. Beginning in 1985, interdisciplinary collaborations have become the main interest of Mr. Hassay. Working in partnership with choreographer Karen Carlson has produced more than thirty-seven performance scores (musician/dancer ) in nine years. "The Stubborn Trio" (Gary Hassay/Karen Carlson/action painter Howard Greenberg) performed together for over four years. An inter-active computer environment installation (Scott Sherk, George Shortess, Gary Hassay, Karen Carlson) occurred in 1997. "The New Lounge", is the name of one of Hassay's current musical projects (alto sax, drums and guitar). A solo cd project entitled "A Survivor's Smile" was released on the Dbops Music label in November, 1996. In 1999 "Another Shining Path" was released on Drimala Records and received qualifications for Grammy Awards in four categories. Dbops Music released a limited edition cd (alto sax/violin) entitled "Dbops Pollittics" in June, 2001. In March, 2002 Drimala Records released a duo cd "Blackwater Bridge" featuring harpist Anne LeBaron. Blackwater Bridge made the Grammy ballot in two different jazz instrumental categories, and has almost completely sold out. In late 2004 the new cd titled “Tribute To Paradise” with Gary Hassay and Ellen Christi was released on Drimala Records. “Tribute” is Gary Hassay's debut as a Tibetan style throat singer, and the disc is selling well while receiving great reviews.

Mr. Hassay has performed with musicians from throughout the world including David Liebman, Fred Frith, Andrew Cyrille, Gerry Hemingway, Anne LeBaron, Peter Broetzmann, William Parker, Daniel Carter, Tom Cora, Wadada Leo Smith, George Cartwright, Milford Graves, Paul Rogers, Jin Hi Kim, Toshi Makihara, Wittwulf Malik, Harry Beckett, Ellen Christi, Lenny Seidman, Chris Cochrane, Masahiko Kono, Davey Williams, LaDonna Smith, Rosi Hertlein, Matt Lavelle, Tracy Lisk, Matt Engle, Keshavan Maslak, Michael Lytle, David Moss, Butch Morris, Jim Sauter, Don Dietrich, Donald Miller, Lukas Ligeti, Tatsuya Nakatani, Dan DeCellis, Evan Lipson, Helena Espvall-Santoleri, George Cremaschi, Douglas Ovens, Stanley Schumacher, and Soviet musicians Vyacheslav Gayvoronsky and Vladimir Volkov. Hassay cites among his formative influences Hungarian Gypsy violin music, R&B/soul music, Albert Ayler, Jimi Hendrix, Peter Broetzman and Evan Parker.

Working with choreographers such as Karen Carlson, Sally Silvers, Simone Forti, Elisabetta Vittoni, Hellmut Gottschild, Margarita Guergue, Catherine Pouzet and Ariel Weiss has allowed Mr. Hassay to expand his performance options. Mr. Hassay has also organized many live music/action painting events (starting in 1982) with visual artists Ed Kerns, Michael Kessler, Howard Greenberg, Berrisford Boothe, Greg Weaver and Barnaby Ruhe. Poet Sybil Madrigal was part of a series of projects in 1988. Mr. Hassay worked with Pennsylvania poet Lee Upton in 1990 and with NYC poets Gerald Stern and Bruce Andrews in 1991/92. "Body on the Edge of Crisis"; is the title of a 1993 Butoh (Hijikata) influenced project including Toshi Makihara, Carlson and Hassay. The Butoh Project, commissioned by the PCA, is based on a multi-track three language digital soundtrack created from the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud (Genie). In 1996 sculptor Scott Sherk, Hassay and Carlson produced a installation/ performance project. Mr. Hassay is President and a founding member of improvisationalmusicco., inc. (improvco), a not-for-profit corporation based in Allentown, PA. improvco, inc. receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Meet the Composer and the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation. Since its inception in 1981, improvco has presented over 100 concerts of experimental music and interdisciplinary performance by international artists. Mr. Hassay has received grants from Meet the Composer, the The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (Fellowship and Artist in Education) and the Painted Bride (NEA regional interdisciplinary grant).