With Fossek, Friends Become Colleagues

Normally, classical musicians who end up collaborating might meet in a conservatory or perhaps sharing a seminar or the stage at a summer program. Maybe they’re introduced by colleagues or are drawn in by listening to each other’s recording. Not so much with SB native flamenco-influenced guitarist Chris Fossek and Paul Merkelo, the principal trumpet of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra who is also on the faculty of the Music Academy of the West.

“We ran into each other hanging on Hendry’s Beach a couple of summers ago, and just started talking,” Fossek explained. “We had no idea the other one was a musician. We were friends first. When he heard my music, he thought we might be able to collaborate.”

At first, the concept of combining nylon string classical guitar with trumpet gave Fossek pause because, he said, “The difference in volume levels alone can be a challenge. But I figured, let’s give it a shot and see what happens.”

It worked out quite nicely, and the pair have performed a couple of times together as a duo and made a few videos together. “What we do is somewhere between classical, Mediterranean, and Spanish – a vibe that goes quite well with my music in general,” Fossek said. “It’s amazing that I write out his parts, and he just plays whatever I write.”

This weekend, the guitarist and trumpeter will be joining forces with two of Fossek’s previous partners, improvising specialist Peter Slocombe on tenor saxophone whose credits include Jimmy Kimmel Live, Lorde, Gwen Stefani, Lord Huron, plus pop percussionist Nate Keezer. While Slocombe’s instrument might also seem far afield for classical/Spanish guitar, it turns out that’s because bumping into a new buddy on the beach is not such a strange path to playing music for Fossek.

“I don’t care about the instrument they play,” he said. “I’m looking for a type of musician who are also friends, great to be around and inspiring as people. That’s what motivates both the collaboration and the music. Peter could have played pretty much anything and we would have wanted to try it out. What matters is a shared desire to explore new things and take on challenges. I’m very inspired by both Paul and Peter but in totally different ways. What pushes you helps you grow as a musician. It’s hard, but it’s really fun.”

Slocombe and Keezer appeared on Fossek’s debut album, Camino Cielo, inspired by and named after the rural road at the top of San Marcos Pass. This Friday, August 10, the foursome is performing in concert at the New Vic theater under the moniker Chris Fossek & Friends, which for once doesn’t come off as a cliché. The concert will feature much of Fossek’s own compositions, along with pieces by Paco de Lucia and Miroslav Tadic, the latter of whom was Fossek’s mentor during his time at Cal Arts (which is also where he first met Slocombe).

“He’s definitely the one who most inspired my music and the way I play guitar,” Fossek said. “He takes traditional tunes from the Balkans, arranges them, and then improvises with the themes, adding in elements of classical, Flamenco, Eastern European, and Northern Indian music. It all comes together in a fascinating way, similar to a jazz song where the melody could be very simple, but there’s no limit to how complicated you can be with what you can do with it. That approach to music very much influenced me.”

The performance will also serve as a showcase for State Street Ballet principal dancers Leila Drake, who is also Fossek’s wife, and James Folsom, her frequent former partner at the company until she retired last year. The couple will dance a reprise of “Green Reflections”, a duet excerpted from William Soleau’s Canvas, for which Fossek appeared on stage at the Granada, playing solo guitar for the dancers. Folsom is also creating a new work for the couple that will be accompanied by guitar, sax, and percussion, while Drake will be dancing a solo choreographed by SSB colleague Autumn Eckman, accompanied by guitar and percussion.

The audience is invited to engage in conversation with all of the artists at the post-performance reception in the outdoor courtyard of The New Vic. Then it’s back to the Biltmore Resort, where Fossek has been playing solo acoustic guitar at the Ty Lounge from 5 to 8 pm every Wednesday and Saturday for more than five years. Local residents and tourists have made it a popular place for the guitarist to get his music heard by the public. “I love playing there, not in the least because it’s great these days to have a regular gig, something I can count on. And it’s a terrific place for me to practice, work out the kinks of improvisations, and just to meet people.”

You never know: one of them might turn out to be his next best friend – and musical partner.

(Chris Fossek & Friends perform at 8 pm Friday, August 10, at The New Vic theater, 33 W. Victoria St. Tickets cost $30. Call (805) 965-5400 or visit (www.newvictheater.com/rental-shows/chris_fossek_friends)