What we're up to.

James Davis, a Chicago trumpeter and music maker, is comfortable in and always exploring a wide array of musical environments.  As an improvisor and composer, Davis is involved in a diverse blend of musical communities in the Chicago area. James’ diverse performance experience includes performances with the The Glenn Miller Orchestra, the UNT One O’Clock Lab Band, Chuchito Valdes, Rob Parton’s Jazz Tech Big Band, Alan Gresik’s Swing Shift Orchestra, the Tomorrow Music Orchestra, the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra, the Texas Wind Symphony, Camerata Winds, and other jazz, classical and Latin music groups.
 
He is currently on faculty at Triton College in River Grove, IL as director of the Jazz Band.  James holds a Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of North Texas and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.  In 2005 James was a touring member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, in which he was frequently featured as a soloist.  James also toured as a member of the University of North Texas One O’clock Lab Band and can be heard as a soloist on Lab 2004.  In the summer of 2004 James was a finalist in the International Trumpet Guild Jazz Improvisation Competition.

Members:
James Davis - trumpet
Caroline Davis - alto sax
Seán McCluskey - keys
Jeff Greene - bass
Jon Deitemyer - drums

"None of the Above" by James Davis Quintet on Angels Of Refraction

From the album 'Jardín de Estrellas' releasing May 28th 2021.

https://nataliosued.bandcamp.com/

"Ángeles" (single) by Natalio Sued, Demian Cabaud, Luís Candeias

releases May 14, 2021 

https://lucianamorelli.bandcamp.com/album/lo-abismal-el-agua-2

Luciana Morelli: vocals and composition 
Philipp Hillebrand: clarinet and bass clarinet 
Mauricio Silva Orendain: piano 
Sebastián de Urquiza: doublebass 
Paulo Almeida: drums 

Recording, Mixing and Mastering: Daniel Dettwiler 
Recorded at Jazzcampus (Oct 2020) 
Mixed and mastered at Idee und Klang Studio, Basel 
Tracking Engineer and 2nd Mixing-Engineer: Alex Beer 

Produced by Luciana Morelli 
Artistic production: Luciana Morelli and Melina Moguilevsky 
Vocal coaching and assistance with the lyrics: Melina Moguilevsky 
Artwork by Jazmín Nogueira 
Graphic design by Ignacio Morelli

"Viaje" (single) from 'Lo Abismal, El Agua' by Luciana Morelli

https://laurenleejazz.bandcamp.com/album/queen-of-cups

releases April 30, 2021 

Lauren Lee - vocals, piano, keyboards 

Recorded and mixed at Wonderpark Studios & Big Orange Sheep by Chris Krasnow & Chris Benham in Brooklyn NY USA 
Mastered by Chris Benham 
Cover art and layout design by Andrea Witting 

www.laurenleejazz.com 

Released on indie label, ears&eyes Records: 
www.earsandeyesrecords.com, earsandeyesrecords.bandcamp.com, twitter.com/earseyesRecords, soundcloud.com/earseyesrecords, facebook.com/earsandeyesrecords, instagram.com/earsandeyesrecords

"Up In The Air" from 'Queen of Cups' by Lauren Lee

https://lucasgoicoechea.bandcamp.com/album/ordendes

The music of "Ordendes" was designed specifically for this quartet, taking into account the timbral possibilities given by each instrument, but mainly taking into account the personal sound of each musician. 

released August 28, 2020 

Lucas Goicoechea - saxofon alto/ alto saxophone 
Nataniel Edelman - piano 
Violeta García - violonchelo/ cello 
Andrés Elstein - bateria/ drums 

Recorded, mixed & mastered by Florencio Justo in Estudio Doctor F., Buenos Aires 

instagram.com/lucas.goicoechea/ 

Salio por ears&eyes Records (EE:20-113) www.earsandeyesrecords.com, earsandeyesrecords.bandcamp.com, twitter.com/earseyesRecords, soundcloud.com/earseyesrecords, facebook.com/earsandeyesrecords, instagram.com/earsandeyesrecords

"Sale El Segundo" from 'Ordenes' by Lucas Goicoechea

https://sergioverdinelli.bandcamp.com/album/no-me-digas-loco

Ernesto Jodos - piano 
Mauricio Dawid - bass 
Sergio Verdinelli - drums/composition 
credits
released May 8, 2020 

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Mariano Otero at Insigno in Buenos Aires, Argentina 

Photo by Federico Colletta 
Layout/design by Matthew Golombisky 

This is a co-release between 'ears&eyes Records' and Twitin' Records (www.twitinrecords.com). 

www.earsandeyesrecords.com, www.earsandeyesrecords.bandcamp.com, twitter.com/earseyesRecords, soundcloud.com/earseyesrecords, facebook.com/earsandeyesrecords, instagram.com/earsandeyesrecords

"No Me Digas Loco" from Sergio Verdinelli

https://camilanebbia.bandcamp.com/album/aura

“Camila Nebbia’s music is strong, and it’s true. Her compositions are carved out of wood, she knows how to lead a band, and when she plays the saxophone you can hear the whole world opening up to greet you. These days a lot of people are looking for something to believe in, looking for knowledge and peace, looking for something real. Camila Nebbia is the real thing. You can believe in her. I do.” - Ben Goldberg (clarinetist/ composer)
credits
released August 14, 2020 

Camila Nebbia - tenor sax & composition 
Valentin Garvie - trumpet 
Ingrid Feniger - bass clarinet & alto sax 
Daniel Ivan Bruno - trombone 
Damian Bolotín - Violin 
Violeta García - Cello 
Juan Bayon - Double bass 
Mariano Sarra - Piano 
Axel Filip - Drums 
Omar Menendez - drums 
Juan Klas - conductor (track 2) 

Recorded by Florencio Justo in Estudio Doctor F., Buenos Aires, Argentina 
Mixed and mastered by Pablo Lopez Ruiz 

In-studio videos and photos by Mariano Asseff 
Live videos concerts by Mariano Asseff 
Live photos by Guillermo Beratarvide 

Album Art: Florencia Rothschild 
Design: Carola Nebbia 

www.camilanebbia.com 

Released on ears&eyes Records: www.earsandeyesrecords.com, earsandeyesrecords.bandcamp.com, twitter.com/earseyesRecords, soundcloud.com/earseyesrecords, facebook.com/earsandeyesrecords, instagram.com/earsandeyesrecords

"Las Manos" from 'Aura' by Camila Nebbia

https://earsandeyesrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sketches

Restroy is the dream project of Christopher Dammann, developed in collaboration with James Davis, Kevin Davis, Mabel Kwan, Paul Giallorenzo and the great Avreeayl Ra. Dammann says, “Avreeayl, James, Mabel, Kevin and Paul are the most inspiring musicians I know and this music is exactly the music I want to make. In the last five plus years of working on this project, I moved mountains to live in the City of Chicago and make music with these people.”

Sketches, Restroy’s 2020 release on ears&eyes Records, was finished during a month-long musical residency at Steep Theatre and recorded over a weekend in September 2019. The first five tracks were recorded at Decade Music Studios and the sixth from a show at Elastic Arts the night before the studio session — where Avreeayl sounded so burning the track refused to not be released. Sketches premieres worldwide on September 25, 2020, with a live stream hosted by Hideout. The premiere will include a video of the band’s day at the recording studio.

In a year where so much has changed, this is music made in constant gratitude to and appreciation of the Chicago musical community — the venues that give sound room to grow, the musicians who are the best at what they do, and all the people who listen.

released September 25, 2020 

Christopher Dammann - bass, synthesizer 
James Davis - trumpet, ring modulator 
Kevin Davis - cello, big muff, ring modulator 
Paul Giallorenzo - synthesizers, Piano 
Mabel Kwan - piano, synthesizers, clavichord 
Avreeayl Ra - drums 


Tracks 1-5 recorded, mixed & mastered by Nick Broste at Decade Music Studios in Chicago IL USA 
Track 6 recorded by David Zuchowski at Elastic Arts, September 19, 2019 
Tracks 1 - 6 composed by Christopher Dammann, © ℗ 2020 Christopher Dammann (Milk Factory Productions/ASCAP) 

Produced by Alexis Dionissopoulos & Mia Magruder 

Cover art & layout by Tim Nickodemus 
Photography & video by Jacob Hand 

www.christopherdammann.com

"No Straight Lines" from 'Sketches' by Restroy

Drummer Jeremy Cunningham has been a staple on the Chicago jazz scene since moving to the city in 2009—he’s played with everyone from Von Freeman to Caroline Davis, and is getting his Masters in Jazz Performance at DePaul—but one thing was always missing: an album under his own name. But that was then. This is now: "re: dawn (from far)" will be released on June 17 from ears&eyes Records. 

"re: dawn (from far)" is Cunningham’s solution to what he used to see as a “missed opportunity” to record something tangible with his closest colleagues and mentors. On the highly collaborative album, he’s joined by guitarist Jeff Parker (Tortoise), Josh Johnson (a 2012 Thelonious Monk Institute fellow), and Matt Ulery (Loom). Years ago, Cunningham and Johnson played a number of times with the renowned Parker, a mentor figure to both of them. The seed of the album was planted when, at one gig, Parker mentioned offhandedly that they should all consider making a record. “We were too scared to take him seriously,” Cunningham laughs, and before long, both Johnson and Parker had moved to Los Angeles. Initially, Cunningham saw this as a wasted chance; soon enough, though, he decided to call them back and make it happen.

There was another, more personal reason that Cunningham felt ready to record his first album, after being featured on the albums of so many of his contemporaries. Back in 2009, Cunningham and his family were stunned by the unexpected death of his brother in their hometown of Cincinnati. “This record is a statement that I’m moving forward,” says Cunningham. “I’m trying to push on with the artistic process, toward the end of creating something that I’m proud of.” As such, re: dawn (from far) is both an poignant homage to the past and an exuberant nod toward the future. Even the title is a tribute: the first six letters are an anagram of his brother’s name, Andrew. 

Cunningham says that the song-writing process was highly collaborative; he himself co-wrote songs with multiple musicians, including Doug McDiarmid of the indie rock band Why?, and the three other members all contributed their own original compositions. The resulting tracks feel nuanced and personal, “informed by the quartet's collective musical experiences,” according to Cunningham, and, as always, deeply indebted to the rich creative tradition of Chicago jazz.

The album’s first single, “Bembé”—a reference to a style of folkloric drumming that appears in the religious ceremonies of Santeria—can be seen as something like a drummer’s homage to both his craft and his scene. Cunningham spent hours listening to the Afro-Cuban grooves of these bembé folk recordings, and wrote the track with multi-instrumentalist McDiarmid. The drumming here is both sensitive and infectious: leading the band, but never overshadowing it, and eventually making way for a fiery guitar solo by Parker. 

Jeremy Cunningham - drums (Caroline Davis, Meridian Trio)
Jeff Parker - guitar (Tortoise)
Matt Ulery - bass (Loom)
Josh Johnson - alto sax (Holophonor, Thelonious Monk Institute)

with special guest: 
Andrew Loombs - Wurlizter

'Bembe' composed by Jeremy Cunningham & Doug McDiarmid (of Why?) 

Recorded by Anthony Gavino at Shirk Studios, Chicago IL USA 
Mixed by John McEntire 
Mastered by Carl Saff 

Photos by Jacob Hand 
Layout and design by Federico Maksimiuk & Magdalena Fumagalli 

earsandeyesrecords.com
earsandeyesrecords.bandcamp.com
jeremy-cunningham.com
jeremycunningham.bandcamp.com

JEREMY CUNNINGHAM - 'Bembé'

Jon Deitemyer - drums/compositions (Matt Ulery’s Loom, Patricia Barber Quartet, Zach Brock, Phil Markowitz, Grazyna Auguscik, Chris Siebold’s Psycles, Matthew Santos) 

Leslie Beukelman - voice (Brite Lite, Miss Remember, The Oh Yeahs, Hey Champ)

Rob Clearfield - piano/Wurlitzer (Fareed Haque, Matt Ulery’s Loom, Grazyna Auguscik, Hood Smoke, Outertown)

Matt Ulery -  acoustic bass (Loom, In Tall Buildings, Zach Brock, Phil Markowitz, Goran Ivanovic, Grazyna Auguscik, Jimmy Chamberlin)

Justin Thomas - vibraphone (Marquis Hill, Dana Hall, Ludacris, Corey Wilkes, Dee Alexander)

Story: In-demand sideman/drummer Jon Deitemyer propels into his own scene with this collection of original music and no one is left disappointed   

How does someone that supports the introspective lyricism of Patricia Barber, the epic whimsy of Matt Ulery, and the modern virtuosity of Zach Brock funnel his musical life into one coherent original album?  Tall Tales is the unique manifestation of drummer/composer Jon Deitemyer's genre wanderlust, and it represents a compact of sorts; an attempt to merge the restless creativity of instrumental jazz with the clarity and sincerity of lyrical song-writing. "I have the good fortune to interpret other people's music so often as a sideman," says Deitemyer, "and the time came for me to prioritize those disparate experiences into something personal; something akin to spinning a yarn for friends."
 
He invited his long-running musical collaborators to create the sympathetic and creative force that drives Tall Tales in the prolific bassist Matt Ulery and the imaginative pianist Rob Clearfield. The trio fuels Matt Ulery's Loom, Grazyna Auguscik's band, and Russ Johnson's quartet, and plays with the uncanny familiarity that emerges only after years of mutual aspiration. Jon continues, “Matt, Rob, and I began playing together about a decade ago, and the appeal for me was immediate. Rob plays with such beautiful vulnerability; he’s never afraid to bare his soul for the sake of the music. And in short, Matt is my musical brother. There is a level of wordless trust between us that I find rare in life, let alone music.”

Tall Tales required more than the aforementioned trio to fulfill its promise, and Leslie Beukelman was the immediate choice as the album’s vocalist. Leslie has long been respected for her gorgeous voice and sublime delivery, whether in Miss Remember, the Oh Yeahs, or her own project Brite Lite.  But on Tall Tales she manages to effortlessly shift between roles: from the patient sensitivity of “Midnight Guide” to the wordless post-bop melodies of “Stretch,” Leslie fully embraces each musical offering. 

Tall Tales Press: 

 “...what a GREAT CD Jon Deitemyer's 'Tall Tales' is! Every track has something to offer... superb… gifted drummer/band leader...doing a really wonderful job... certainly captured my attention... I started listening to one song and before I knew it the whole album was over... it's great to get lost in music like that.. I certainly can't wait to hear what this young man will do next...” - Michael Ambrosino (The Fringe, SoulandJazz.com)

Credits:
Recorded at Transient Sound by Vijay Tellis-Nayak in Chicago, IL USA
Mixed and Mastered by Brian Schwab in Chicago, IL USA
Production and editing assistance by Paul Mutzabaugh
Album artwork and layout by Federico Maksimiuk


"Deep Breath" by Jon Deitemyer (Tall Tales)

Rob Clearfield - piano, electric piano, organ, guitar (Matt Ulery’s Loom, Hood Smoke, Outertown, Grazyna Auguscik, District 97)

Curt Bley - acoustic and electric bass (Hal Russell NRG Ensemble)

Quin Kirchner - drums (Wild Belle, In Tall Buildings, NOMO)

Story: Rob Clearfield Releases First Trio Album, Islands, on ears&eyes Records.

Pianist Rob Clearfield is no stranger to the bandstand, but his newest release marks an intentional step into the spotlight. “I wanted to feature a side of my playing that I hadn’t really recorded before: the way I play in a trio setting,” says Clearfield. The Chicago native has built up an impressive roster of releases and projects during his years on the city’s modern jazz scene—he’s released two other albums under his own name (one quintet and one solo album), he composed all the music for his band Information Superhighway, and you can catch him around town performing with Grazyna Auguscik, Matt Ulery, and Greg Ward, among others—but Islands, on ears&eyes Records, represents a conscious turning point in his career. “There’s a freedom inherent in the trio, where I’m the main melodic player,” he says. “When we were recording, I knew that this project was really going to be about my playing; I was never going to be in the background or blending into the ensemble.” 

Produced by Rob Clearfield and Anthony Gravino
Recorded by Anthony Gravino at Joy Ride Studios and The Drake (Chicago, IL)
Additional recording by Brandon Miller at Transient Sound Inc (Chicago, IL)
Mixed and mastered by Anthony Gravino at The Drake (Chicago, IL)

Layout and design by Jonathan Kreyer
Paintings by Virginia Broersma

www.robclearfield.com
https://twitter.com/robclearfield
www.facebook.com/robclearfieldmusic

Released by Chicago indie label: ears&eyes Records: www.earsandeyesrecords.com, www.twitter.com/earseyesRecords, www.soundcloud.com/earseyesrecords, www.facebook.com/earsandeyesrecords

Islands

With and Without

"With And Without" by Rob Clearfield (Islands)

Matthew Golombisky's Cuentos is an ongoing project of composing, recording and releasing music from the various cities he's lived in and become inspired by and with close music cohorts. With Cuentos, or "short stories" in Spanish, Golombisky composes simple aural "plots" with a couple or few "characters" for each story. The cuentos are meant to humbly encourage that the music comes stays within the realm of a short story format and doesn't develop into full novel, so to speak; they aren't meant to convey visual or physical plots, characters or scenes. Preferring not to interfere with the listener’s own experience of the music, Golombisky did not name the pieces; they are simply numbered in the order composed (six cuentos per group). 

The structures are meant to be simple, and showcase the improvisational precision of each performer on conveying a ​modest concept with fluidity, clarity and focus. What the listener is left with is an​ introspection​ into​ a single objective that comfortably emerges​ over the course of the piece, leaving them with a comprehensible aural encounter. Even the lengths of the pieces represent a briefness, here and gone before a single musician is able to explore every possibility of the story; Golombisky’s intention. Most pieces range in the almost-three minutes to five minutes in length--single ideas presented, explored, and left to the listener for reflection.

So far, he's recorded two volumes; "West Coast (Oakland CA)" with Aram Shelton (alto sax, bass clarinet), Mark Clifford (vibes), Crystal Pascucci (cello)​ and Golombisky (acoustic bass guitar); and "Third Coast (Chicago IL)" with James Davis (trumpet), Bill MacKay (guitar), Jeff Greene (contrabass) and Golombisky (electric bass). 

Double EP containing the first two volumes in limited edition cassette format (includes digital download codes).

Releases on Chicago-based independent label, ears&eyes Records, on September 1st 2017.

Cuento #12

Order the EP now! CD/digital: https://earsandeyesrecords.bandcamp.com/

MATTHÄUS // is a chamber folk band from Chicago and St. Paul USA. The band began when composer Ben Montalbano enlisted his close friends to collaborate on a few simple, yet deeply personal folk songs. As these simple songs blossomed into fully realized and orchestrated compositions, the result was a sound that embraced the colors of contemporary chamber music, with the emotional and structural bedrock of folk and roots music. These first songs and collaborations would eventually culminate in the recording of their first EP, “Effigy”.

"Effigy" is a collection of four songs that span both a musical and emotional arc. The order of these songs yields an intentional narrative that follows a path from reflection on loss to examination, further examination that ultimately leads to catharsis. The EP’s title song and opening track opens by positing a poignant question to the listener: do you even know my name? The ensuing 20 minutes of “Effigy” are an attempt to answer this opening question and the answer doesn’t come until the closing minute of the last song, “Letters”.

Through unique orchestration and songwriting, Matthäus creates an EP that is engaging on multiple levels. At any time during “Effigy”, listeners can expect to hear bass clarinet, vibraphone, and French horn, paired with a standard rock rhythm section. The result is a seamless blending of Reich-inspired chamber music with modern greats like Bon Iver and Sufjan Stevens.

With “Effigy” to be released by ears&eyes Records in May of 2017, Matthäus has expanded to a collective collaboration, allowing further avenues of influence, always venturing closer to their ultimate goal: reflective folk-pop.

Press:

“A lighthearted energy radiated from the entire band... like the skeletons of classical jazz with the dressings of indie folk, similar to artists such as Bon Iver and Neutral Milk Hotel…. lyrics wade into relationships between human and nature, often carrying a sense of solitude and strength while contemplating freedom or celebrating whiskey, bringing their indie folk borderline Southern Rock vibe about. Between their indie folk and Southern rock sounds combined with their classical music and jazz compositional background, it is safe to say that the big band encompasses quite an array of style under the flag of Matthäus. This attribute widens their palpability for audiences across the board.” 
- Jonathon Burkhalter, Hooligan Mag

“To me, I hear notes of Bon Iver, Sigur Ros, Tall Heights, and Patrick Watson. The sound is orchestrated and somber, accessible and captivating. The tonal pallette is unique. ” 
- Austin J. Hill, Smile Politely

Matthäus is: 

Ben Montalbano - Guitar, Banjo, Piano, Keyboards, Voice
Joe Meland - Keyboard, Voice
Justin Peters - Vibraphone, Marimba, Aux Percussion, Voice
Lars-Erik Larson - Drums
Samuel Peters - Bass
Alex Blomarz - Bass Clarinet, Tenor Sax
Hugo Seda - French Horn
Christ Shuttleworth - Trombone

Special guests: 
Steve Shirk - Organ Pump on Effigy
Drew Hansen - Trumpet on Effigy, Lower Goshen Park, Letters

Credits:
Recorded and mixed by Stephen Shirk at SHIRK Studio in Chicago, IL USA
Mastered by Anthony Gravino at The Drake in Chicago, IL USA
Album artwork by Scott Durand

Links: 
Website: www.sanmatthaus.com
BandCamp: www.sanmatthaus.bandcamp.com
FaceBook: facebook.com/sanmatthaus
Instagram: instagram.com/sanmatthaus
Twitter: twitter.com/sanmatthaus
SoundCloud: @sanmatthaus

ears&eyes Records: www.earsandeyesrecords.com, www.earsandeyesrecords.bandcamp.com, twitter.com/earseyesRecords, @earseyesrecords, facebook.com/earsandeyesrecords, instagram.com/earsandeyesrecords

MATTHÄUS - To The Years

Releases on ears&eyes Records April 12th, 2019 on CD/digital. Pre-orders begin, March 15th. 

William Thompson IV / keyboards / electronics / voice
Marcello Benetti / drums / cymbals / whistles / voice
w/
Aurora Nealand / alto saxophone / accordion / effects / voice 
Tim Berne / alto saxophone

Trapper Keaper centers around a unique connection shared by Italian drummer Marcello Benetti and keyboardist William Thompson (aka WATIV), freely improvising sonic textures, with an extended number of music influences steeped in the music and culture of New Orleans, where they call home. Some would describe Trapper Keaper as the wild child between Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew and Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique. As a duo Trapper Keaper operates as a fearlessly funky rhythm section, pairing themselves with one-to-many all-star guest artists for each gripping show. Trapper Keaper exists in a state of change with a revolving cast of guest performer which stoke the fire of the band's musical journey: on the upcoming release, Trapper Keaper ignites with two of the most important current improvising visionaries and friends, Aurora Nealand (tenor sax, accordion, toys & screaming) with her eclectic and always unexpected sonic procurements and Tim Berne, master of alto saxophone, with his precise and now legendary language. The album takes you through sonic soundscapes including the first seconds with yelling, as well as hard-to-pin-what-exactly-that-is moments, with whistles, accordion, sub-bass synth throbs and of course, dazzlingly dramatic solos from both alto and tenor saxophonists. It truly is an aural adventure and with the ability to instantly lose yourself in the sound.

To obtain a Bandcamp download code or any other press/radio inquiries, please get in touch with: matthew (at) thirstyrobotmedia (dot) com

www.trapperkeaper.com
www.earsandeyesrecords.com
www.earsandeyesrecords.bandcamp.com

Trapper Keaper Featuring Tim Berne And Aurora Nealand - Boom

106.7 FM, Buenos Aires, features three pieces from Tomorrow Music Orchestra in their Sunday show, Clasicos en el Camino!!!

If you're interested in hearing the actual tracks of music, they are available here:

Slakeshore: https://tomorrowmusicorchestra.bandcamp.com/track/slakeshore

It's Something To Try. For today, at least.: https://tomorrowmusicorchestra.bandcamp.com/track/its-something-to-try-for-today-at-least

Gustav 29 Hanna Concerto feat. Helen Gillet: https://tomorrowmusicorchestra.bandcamp.com/album/gustav-29-hanna-concerto OR Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/01cbbhRUqu51l5GZTpd0Cm?si=Yho2BnIETyWjQouMWRQN6g

TMO en 106.7 FM Milenium - Buenos Aires

"Meeting In Progress" is the third release by New Orleans trio Nutria, and to date, it is the fullest realization of the band’s compositional and improvisational voice. Band members Byron Asher (tenor saxophone and clarinets), Trey Boudreaux (bass) and Shawn Myers (drums) began playing together in 2014, and over the last five years, they have developed the truly collective aesthetic on display here. While each composition on this album was conceived alone by an individual, the writing is reflective of the members’ long-standing relationships, taking into account musical strengths across the group and pushing and pulling each other towards an ensemble sound. It is evident on this recording that this is, above all, a band project. 

The album title riffs on the relationship between the three members and their close-knit history. Though it is their third release, they feel they have hit their stride with it. These are no longer the infant stages of a project, nor is it the end. It is one of many stops on their progression as a band, each stronger than the last. This recording captures the band as they are as individuals: young professionals with strongly developed aesthetic senses who are still growing and stretching. 

To that end, the first composition on the album, Asher’s title track, is made up of three parts that demonstrate the band’s ability to deftly navigate shared leadership responsibilities. It begins with Asher leading a guided but largely collectively improvised introduction. The rubato incantation serves as an entryway to the collective ethic of the entire album. This elides into a dense, odd-meter melody section driven by a pizzicato bass ostinato from Boudreaux that exploits the natural harmonic capabilities of his instrument. Myers takes the helm with the third section, pushing the band with a dancing high-hat pattern straight out of the club. 

Byron Asher, tenor saxophone, clarinets 
Trey Boudreaux, bass 
Shawn Myers, drums 

Recorded December 29 and 30, 2018 
Marigny Studios, New Orleans, LA 
Engineered and mixed by Rick Nelson 
Mastered by David Farrell 

Original art by Sarah Peterson 
Layout design by Matthew Golombisky 

Tracks 1, 3, 6 and 7 written by Byron Asher (BMI) 
Tracks 2 and 4 written by Trey Boudreaux (BMI) 
Tracks 5 and 8 written by Shawn Myers (ASCAP) 

Releases on indie label, ears&eyes Records

Nutria - Meeting In Progress

Experiential music label releases fresh aural experiments! Chicago born, New Orleans roots, New York, Bay Area & Buenos Aires branches.

ears&eyes Records

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