The composers of this material are all geniuses, plain and simple. There is no question all their work is worth checking out. Most of them are from older generations, way before my time. I was very fortunate, however, to be able to correspond with Butch Morris and Roscoe Mitchell about our take on their music. Butch was willing to discuss his composition, "Spooning". He listened to our version in 2007, and mentioned we should try it very slowly, which is what we presented here. Sadly, he never heard this version since he passed away in 2013. I was able to study with Roscoe Mitchell at Mills College. He gave us a chart for "In Walked Buckner" and was encouraging in regard to our arrangement of it.
I started this group in 2004, with Aaron Bennett and John Finkbeiner. Dan Seamans joined the group in 2015, after a few other bass players slipped in and out of the group throughout the years. We focused on playing the music of whom I call "Great American Composers." We mostly played what a good friend of mine called "Blue Collar Gigs". He was referring to gigs that are at pizza places, school fundraisers, French restaurants, random non-profit benefits, company parties, and bars. In the time span of 14 years (2004-2018), we probably did only three actual concerts but managed to do hundreds of blue collar gigs where we focused on this material.
Our goal in playing and recording this music was to contribute our own personal take on it, hopeful adding something worthwhile to the legacy of this creative music.
We hope you enjoy the music.
Vijay
released June 5, 2020
All proceeds from this recording go directly to the NAACPLDF.
www.naacpldf.org
Aaron Bennett - tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
Dan Seamans - bass
John Finkbeiner - guitar
Vijay Anderson - drums
Tracks 1-5, 7-10 Recorded in May 2018, (track 6 recorded in 2017) all by John Finkbeiner at New Improved Recording. Oakland CA
Mixed by John Finkbeiner
Mastered by Myles Boisen
Cover Photo by Mike Anderson
Layout by Carol Liebowitz
Produced by Vijay Anderson, Aaron Bennett, John Finkbeiner, Dan Seamans
Thanks to Roscoe Mitchell, Butch Morris, Frank LeCLerc, The staff at Cafe Claude and The Comstock Saloon, Carol Liebowitz, Mike Anderson.
East Coasting, Nouroog - Charles Mingus
(Spirit One Music o/b/o Jazz Workshop Inc)
Gallop's Gallop, Hornin' In - Thelonious Monk
(Ultra Empire Music o/b/o Thelonious Music Corp.)
Spooning - Lawrence D. Morris
(Songtrust Blvd o/b/o Advance Systems Pub Co)
I'm Afraid - Duke Ellington and Don George
(Music Sales Corporation o/b/o Tempo Music Inc.)
La Placita - Marion Brown
(Marion Brown Publishing)
We Diddit - Mal Waldron
(Tru-Sound Music)
In Walked Buckner - Roscoe Mitchell
(Art Ensemble of Chicago Publishing)