Uploaded March 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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Frank Proto is an American composer and double bassist, who is well-known for his 30-year collaboration with double bass virtuoso and composer François Rabbath, resulting in 5 different works for double bass and orchestra. Proto says "The Concertino is a three movement work that introduces the youngsters to some of the more modern sounds being heard today in a context that is fairly familiar to them. It also provides a complete change-of-pace from what is usually heard on youth concerts." This recording is from the Symphony Jazz Ensemble's "Eastside Corridor" album, starring the composer himself leading the group.
The text on the back of the album reads:
"Frank Proto recalls the happy informal origins of the Symphony Jazz Ensemble: "The Cincinnati Symphony was on a tour around the world, and a few of us who were playing a little jazz would go into clubs and jam with the local musicians. A reporter who was traveling with us sent a story back that appeared in a home town paper. About a we later we arrived in some place like Okinawa, and the word had spread; they had everything all prepared for us and we wound up playing with a local band. The whole thing began snowballing and by the time we got back home it was easy to start a group, which we called the Symphony Jazz Quintet. The only original players left now are Paul Piller and myself. Bill Platt, the featured soloist on Concertino for Percussion and Strings, is principal percussionist with the Symphony."

COMPOSER: Frank Proto
CONDUCTOR: Frank Proto
PERCUSSION: Bill Platt
ENSEMBLE: Symphony Jazz Ensemble (Cincinnati, OH)

TRACKLIST:
0:00 - I.
3:32 - II.
6:42 - III.