The bass of Jon Flaugher provides the pulse of the group and the record as a whole. Coming equally from jazz and pop sensibilities, and playing acoustic and electric bass, he is able to find unpretentious and solid solutions to any musical situation. Jon was the first person I played gigs with in New York, and I was very happy to document the sound that we have together on this record. His tasteful and understated bass solo on "Halfway" appears exactly halfway through the record.
I inadvertently learned many things about composition from Miguel Zenon when we led a group together for the first few years after we graduated from school. The depth and logic of his writing is phenomenal, and the fire and soul of his playing is always inspiring. Miguel's solo albums have garnered him enough critical praise and adulation to last for years to come. It was great to meet again in the studio after not playing together for a few years and hear what we sounded like, a little bit older. His solos on "Mirror" and "Momentum" show how he can immediately make a tune sound like it was designed for him.
www.miguelzenon.com
I met Dave Binney through Dan Weiss, who has played and recorded with him for several years. His playing is perfectly suited to the way that I imagine I would like my music to sound, simultaneously futuristic and ancient, structured and free. Dave's experience in many different types of music as well as his production instinct were invaluable in making this project come together. Although his constant work as a bandleader in the U.S. and abroad leaves him little time for random projects, he was willing to take on the pile of alto charts I sent him and put the time into perfecting his parts and making suggestions that steered me in the right direction. His solos on "Howl" and "Canon" bring life to these tunes, and his solo on "Mirror II" is the climax of the final section of the record. The wall of horns on "Volcano" was also his idea, when we were trying to come up with something really big to follow the drum solo. Check out Dave's albums:
www.davidbinney.com
For anyone familiar with current jazz artists, Chris Potter needs no introduction. He has been in the forefront of his generation of musicians for many years now, and is known internationally for the mastery that he achieved on his instrument and musical vision. I met Chris at the Thelonious Monk Guitar Competition, where he was hired to play with the contestants, presumably to make them sound a little better (or worse, depending on how you look at it). I asked him to come into the studio and play some standards, and the version of "Countdown" on this record is from that session (on the record it is called "Improvisation," because I took out the melody and tweaked it a bunch of other ways). Of course it was a great honor to get on tape a duet with Chris Potter playing a John Coltrane tune. His records continue to build on and expand the boundaries of the jazz canon: www.chrispottermusic.com
I was very lucky to be able to coordinate these musicians for recording at Systems Two Studios in Brooklyn, New York, which was recommended to me by many people as the best in the city for this type of project. The quality of the sound that engineers Mike and Joe Marciano get in this unique room is just unbelievable, and working there is extremely professional and relaxed. Although this was my first attempt at producing a record, Nancy Marciano helped me get organized and arrange the recording and mixing dates appropriately. They were very generous and patient with me, and I hope to return to this studio again soon.
Jon Flaugher, Christof Knoche, Miles Okazaki, Dan Weiss and Miguel Zenon in Systems Two Studios
Christof Knoche, Dan Weiss, David Binney, Jon Flaugher, and Miles Okazaki at the Tribeca PAC
Miles Okazaki and Chris Potter at the Thelonious Monk Competition
