SPAGA PLAYS DEAD

“…you’ll be blown away by SPAGA.” LIVE for Live Music

Aron Magner | Piano
Jason Fraticelli | Bass
Matt Scarano | Drums

Jazz/Jam fusion trio SPAGA is the brainchild of Disco Biscuits’ renowned keyboardist Aron Magner. The trio features two prominent jazz artists from Magner’s home city of Philadelphia, Jason Fraticelli on bass and Matt Scarano on drums. SPAGA has cultivated an approach to improvisation that blurs the line between jazz and “jam.” Come see SPAGA apply their jazz-forward approach to the iconic songbook of the Grateful Dead, the first and most influential jam band of all time.

A life-long fan of the Grateful Dead, Magner first saw Jerry Garcia in ’89 at the age of 13,  and attended nearly 50 Dead shows in the next six years. “I have never lost my passion for their music,” Magner says of the legendary band. As a member of the Disco Biscuits, Magner’s welcomed his musical heroes, Grateful Dead drummer’s  Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, to join in live performances on multiple occasions. 

“…bands like Phish and the Disco Biscuits… keep our spirit alive by taking what we created and doing their own thing with it…Music should never be stagnant.” – Bill Kreutzmann

In an interview with Live for Live Music, Magner spoke about applying his jazz-forward approach to the Grateful Dead’s work. “There’s some reharmonization of the chords, some new stylistic ways of playing the songs and, of course, [the challenge of] arranging them instrumentally and without a guitar” As for his own approach, he says, “I’ll listen to different eras when learning a song…I learn something from each of The Dead’s keyboard players…as much as I love their individual styles, my playing is unique to me…when I play Grateful Dead, I want to borrow from the past, but sound like me.” 

About the Artists

Philadelphia-based musician Aron Magner, is best known as the keyboardist and founding member of The Disco Biscuits, known for bringing improvisational, electronic-based music to the music scene and, increasingly, to popular culture. Starting with classical piano, Magner discovered jazz at 13. He is now going back to his roots, organically fusing jazz with his unique style. Upright bassist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, Jason Fraticelli is at the center of the music scenes of Philadelphia and New York. A popular sideman and touring artist, his own groundbreaking ensemble, Fresh Cut Orchestra, has been receiving rave reviews performing at such renowned venues as the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, and the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, DC. Drummer, composer, and educator Matt Scarano has performed throughout the world, sharing the stage with numerous world-class musicians and artists at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall. He is currently performing and touring with numerous groups including Time for Three, Son Step, and his own original ensemble. 

“[SPAGA] will be coming to a jazz club near you soon enough, and when they do, buy a ticket and make sure you’re in attendance.”