Happy Apple

Happy Apple is an American jazz trio.

Formed in 1996 in Minneapolis, members of the band are David King (drums), Michael Lewis (saxophones) and Erik Fratzke (electric bass).

All three members compose music for the group; which places equal emphasis on improvisation. Happy Apple plays a brand of jazz music, drawing on several other genres; the group's members play in other bands ranging from indie rock and heavy metal to free jazz and electronic. The best known of these is The Bad Plus, in which King also plays drums.

Their name comes from a Fisher-Price toy from the seventies, which King often uses as an auxiliary percussion instrument.

Discography

*"Blown Shockwaves & Crash Flow" (1997) with Cully Swansen on upright bass and Anton Denner on saxophone and flute
*"Part of the Solutionproblem" (1998) with Bill Carrothers on Rhodes piano and Greg Lewis on pocket trumpet
*"Body Popping Moon Walking Top Rocking" (1999)
*"Jazzercise with the Elders", "E=What I Says It Does", "God Bless Certain Portions Of The USA" (Limited Edition Live Compilations) (2000)
*"Please Refrain From Fronting" (2001)
*"Youth Oriented" (2003)
*"The Peace Between Our Companies" (2005)
*"Happy Apple Back on Top" (2007)

Happy Apple Back on Top (2007)

During an interview with David King's father at the release party concert (Artist's Quarter), Pops King, as he is called, revealed that the pink points at the bottom of the album art are mountains drawn by David King's daughter. He also revealed that the man surrounded by wings in the background is a self-portrait by Matt Friesen from the band Halloween, Alaska.

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/happyapplejerks Happy Apple MySpace]
* [http://www.happyapplemusic.net Happy Apple web site]