Thursday, Sep. 10, 2009
the piano man's path ahead
Rocky Fretz. -Photo by Ross Harrington.
Veteran Grand Strand theater pianist Rocky Fretz looks a bit like Ted Nugent in tails, but plays inspired jazz, classical, show tunes, rock 'n' roll and contemporary ambient new age originals like the experienced showman he is. His skill in both composing and performing has helped him maintain a decades-long career here in Myrtle Beach, the Carolinas and at stops around the globe.
But Fretz will most likely leave his signature white Tuxedo tails at home as he hosts a CD release concert at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Tara Theater within the Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort in the Litchfield/Pawleys Island area. The performance will feature Windham Hill founder and Grammy-winning guitarist Will Ackerman, along with multi-genre bassist Patrick O'Leary (Sawgrass), and Alabama Theater regulars Bobby Gabriele, playing percussion, and Robert Napier on violin.
Fretz is best known for his spirited performances as a fulltime cast member of the Carolina Opry from 1986 - 2003. Though he left fulltime work at the Opry he is a regular guest, especially during the theater's Christmas run in November and December. Lately Fretz has been hanging with some heavy hitters as he enlisted Ackerman to produce his latest CD "The Path Ahead." "When I was getting ready to cut my last record I got to thinking 'Who would I want to produce?'" said Fretz, from his home in Vermont. "I had never had a producer in seven or eight recordings - this time I wanted somebody else to be in charge. I looked up [Will], sent him an e-mail and some demos and he agreed to produce. He helped me hone in a style - I was kind of a bombastic player, bouncing around between all styles and genres - and Will said that he'd like to work with me if I'd let him get to the essence of my music - instead of all the frilly stuff." The result is a seven-track ambient new age recording, which features four bassists, including: O'Leary, Michael Manning, T-Bone Wolk (Hall & Oates, "Saturday Night Live's" house band, Carly Simon) and Dan Greenspan, who was once Pete Seeger's stand-up bassist. Eugene Freedman, another Grammy-winner, plays cello on one of the tracks and Ackerman lends his acoustic guitar wizardry as both a player and producer.
"I call my music 'New Acoustic,'" said Fretz. "The only thing electric on it is the bass guitar." Fretz has submitted the recording, which was released independently in August, for Grammy consideration in the new age category. Ackerman is widely known as the founder of Windham Hill records in 1976, which became the face of new age music in the 1980s with countless best-selling instrumental albums melding acoustic and electronic music with ambient soundtracks. He's credited for discovering and producing George Winston and Michael Hedges along with many others. He sold the label in the mid-1990s and has been producing independent artists, such as Fretz, at his mountaintop studio in the lush, green hills of Vermont.
Fretz and his wife, Kimberly Fretz, first discovered Vermont when traveling there to meet with Ackerman. "Kimberly and I fell in love with Vermont and the people and we've made that our home-base," said Fretz. "We travel quite a bit between Myrtle Beach, Vermont and France. I'll come to Myrtle Beach in November and December if the Opry wants me to work the Christmas shows."
Fretz has a nice collection of YouTube videos featuring selections from his jazz show Piano Grande, which features O'Leary, drummer Greg Ford, guitarist Kid Drew, Napier and others. Gabriele replaced Ford, originally advertised as this upcoming show's percussionist, for unspecified reasons.
"This will be Will's first time in Myrtle Beach," said Fretz, his enthusiasm and anticipation of the show along with his admiration of Ackerman, obvious. "Will's playing is based around different tunings - he'll bring four guitars, and have each ready with a different tuning - so there's no down-time between songs. He's just amazing."
Saturday's show will open with Fretz performing a few solo tunes, then Ackerman performing solo, then a duo with Ackerman and Fretz, and then a performance of "The Path Ahead" from start to finish. A portion of the proceeds will go to The Smith Medical Clinic in Pawleys Island. "Will doesn't perform very often," said Fretz. "This is so great to have him here. It may be a year before he plays another gig."
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., show begins promptly at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $37.50 for adults, $18.75 for kids 11 and younger. You can reserve tickets by sending an e-mail to tickets@theconcerthouse.combefore Saturday. Downloadable selections from "The Path Ahead" are available at www.rockyfretz.com
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