Art comes from a hard swinging West Texas jazz tradition. Born in Amarillo, he is the son of Jazz multi-instrumentalist Joe Fristoe, who was respected and in demand all over the state and southwest region.
He moved to Houston in his early twenties where he developed his style playing in all types of settings with many of the greatest musicians around town. He’s become one of the area’s top players and is helping to groom the next generation of young musicians at The High School for Performing and Visual Arts where he teaches rhythm section students along with guitarist Greg Petito and bassist David Craig.
His playing combines intellect, fiery technique, driving grooves, soulfulness, and tenderness, thoughtful harmonization and hip alternative meters played naturally. He covers styles ranging from the Great American Songbook, Jazz and Brazil to reimagined versions of The Beatles, Radiohead and Nirvana. Art is a deep thinker with a great love of jazz history that can play an ethereal, tender ballad one moment and swing the chandeliers off their mounts the next.
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