Frank Macchia
His composition and arranging teachers included Herb Pomeroy, Phil Wilson, Tony Texiera, Ken Pullig, and Greg Hopkins.
From 1981 to 1992, Macchia lived in the San Francisco Bay Area where he continued composing and performing with his own ensembles; The Gleets, Desperate Character, and The Frankie Maximum Band.
Voting Frankie Maximum Goes Way-er Out West one of the Top Ten Records of the Year in 1991 Larry Kelp of the Oakland Tribune said: "A cult masterpiece.
After touring Europe with productions of West Side Story and 42nd Street, Macchia moved to Burbank, California and began composing and orchestrating for television and film.
Original stories in the style of 1950’s horror comic books, were performed by actors including Dave Florek, Jim McDonnell, and Susan Hull, with artwork created by Guy Vasilovich.
[4] The record features Macchia (woodwinds and synthesizers), Billy Childs (piano) Valarie King (flutes), Beverly Dahlke-Smith (bassoon) Grant Geissman (guitar), Alex Iles, Ken Kugler, and Bruce Fowler, (trombones).
Macchia blends complex polyrhythms and intricately layered ensemble passages with open solo sections, relaxed grooves, and splashes of musical humor.
This recording also revisits Macchia’s recurring interest in American folk music with arrangements of "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" and "The Lonesome Road".
The record continues Macchia’s work with traditional American folk songs with arrangements of "Down by the Riverside", "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", and "Shortening Bread".
", "Polly Wolly Doodle", "Tom Dooley", "The Arkansas Traveller", "Amazing Grace", "The Erie Canal", "Hush Little Baby", "The Blue Tail Fly", "Kumbaya", and "On Top of Old Smokey".
In addition to the unique choice of material, this recording showcases Macchia’s interest in unusual instrumental combinations and the use of high and low register members of the brass and woodwind families not typically utilized in big band music.
"The versatile saxophonist takes a trip into a sonic landscape of bayou boogie, blues, funk, and New Orleans second-line with joyful and freewheeling attitude, letting the good times roll wild and crazy.
[9] In late 2013, Macchia recorded a new large ensemble record for January 2014 release entitled Grease Mechanix, featuring Eric Marienthal, Brandon Fields, Bob Sheppard, Macchia, Sal Lozano, Jay Mason on reeds, Wayne Bergeron, Dan Fornero, Walt Fowler on trumpets, Alex Iles, Kevin Porter, Craig Gosnell on trombones, Bill Reichenbach on tuba, Ken Rosser on electric guitar, Peter Erskine on drums and Brad Dutz on percussion.
Brock created improvised drum solos that Macchia then took and composed music for, utilizing up to 40 woodwinds and added sampled orchestra in addition to guest soloists Stefanie Fife on cello, Alex Iles on trombone and Eric Jensen on electric guitar.
