The association of trumpet and drums is as old as civilization itself. Ancient instruments of  both proclamation and celebration, they have evolved together and influenced the development of musical language in tandem. Likewise, throughout the modern history of improvised music, duos of horn players and drummers have stretched the limits of sound and form, and reached for an elemental approach to spontaneous musical conversation. With Language, drummer Matt Mayhall and trumpeter Dan Rosenboom pay homage to this rich tradition championed by many of their respective heroes, and present a stunning duo debut.

Mayhall and Rosenboom have been close collaborators for well over a decade, and through a variety of recording projects and ensembles have developed a refined sense of spontaneous communication, on full display here. Both have been internationally recognized for their individual releases. Indeed, they each released acclaimed albums earlier this year featuring some of the modern jazz world’s premiere performers. Mayhall’s trio album Fanatics features woodwind ace Chris Speed, and guitar legend Jeff Parker, and Rosenboom’s mammoth Absurd In The Anthropocene features a long list of heavyweights, including Vinnie Colaiuta, Tim Lefebvre, David Binney, Gary Novak, Zach Danziger, Jeff Babko, and many more.

On Language, Mayhall and Rosenboom bring their music home, so to speak. The pair first began playing together as a duo in 2007, and through their various exploits have landed on a sound that is utterly personal and distinct. Weaving through both compositions and free improvisations, they achieve a remarkable fluidity through a keen understanding of restraint and dynamism. The album opens with “Overt,” a boldly improvised overture, before launching into the romping Mayhall original, “Longview, TX.” They also weave beautifully between completely acoustic playing and dense electronics. On “Nuclear Lemons,” Rosenboom digs into the swirling and distorted sound world of his pedal effects, only to bring it back to an incredibly delicate and tender acoustic feel on “A Small Good.” “Parallax” is a Rosenboom original from the group’s 2007 inception, where Mayhall’s fiery drums unfold dramatically as Rosenboom spins a lengthy continuous melody. “Nothing Comes On Tuesday” harkens to band’s roots in punk and grunge, with Rosenboom’s pedals blaring through heavy distortion. “Polychrome” serves as a spastic, exciting fanfare that leads seamlessly into the up-tempo Rosenboom burner, “Vortex.” “On The Way” recalls an ancient feel with distant drums, as the band marches forward with relentless creativity, before they close with the enigmatic and pensive ballad, “Plum Child.”

Throughout Language, the listener is keenly aware of a unified sense of purpose and an almost ESP-like connection between Mayhall and Rosenboom. The great horn-and-drums duos of the free jazz canon are present like ghosts, as this pair pushes forward toward their own vision for the idiom. Language is an album for both enjoyment and contemplation — there is a lot to unpack in the concept and presentation, but the flow across this beautiful record is enticing and exciting. Orenda Records is proud to present this powerful recorded debut by this pair of modern trailblazers. 

"Longview, TX" composed by Matt Mayhall

"Parallax," "Nothing Comes On Tuesday," "Vortex," and "Plum Child" composed by Daniel Rosenboom (ASCAP), © Daniel Rosenboom Music (ASCAP), 2020

"Overt," "Nuclear Lemons," "A Small Good," "Polychrome," and "On The Way" co-composed by Matt Mayhall and Daniel Rosenboom

Recorded August 17-18, 2019 at BoomHill Studio
Sound Engineered and Mixed by Dan Rosenboom
Mastered by Sam Minaie at biRDfOOd sound, NYC
Album Artwork by Jamie Breiwick, B Side Graphics
Photographs by Aubre Hill

©℗ Orenda Records, 2020
ORENDA RECORDS 0082

Language

Matt Mayhall & Dan Rosenboom - Language - 03 - Nuclear Lemons

Dan Rosenboom - Trumpet, Nafir
Gavin Templeton - Alto Saxophone
Billy Mohler - Double Bass
Anthony Fung - Drums & Percussion

For trumpeter, composer, producer Dan Rosenboom, being an artist is about seeking connection and shared consciousness while reflecting the times in which we live. From his own musical pursuits to his ever-expanding Orenda Records label, Rosenboom seeks to highlight the interconnectedness of human culture, thought, and spirit in both grounded and imaginative ways. His latest Orenda release, Points on an Infinite Line, presents a suite of seven sketches and an absurdist epilogue performed by a quartet of friends, and asserts that composition, performance, improvisation, and artistic interaction are part of a larger cultural and philosophical continuum, stretching infinitely forward and backward through time.

Recorded January 10, 2020
Produced, Engineered, and Mixed by Dan Rosenboom at BoomHill Studio, Los Angeles, CA
Co-Produced by Billy Mohler
Mastered by Sam Minaie at biRDfOOd Studio, NYC
Artwork and Design by Jamie Breiwick, B Side Graphics

All compositions by Daniel Rosenboom (ASCAP)
© Daniel Rosenboom Music (ASCAP), 2020
All rights reserved.

www.danrosenboom.com 

©℗ ORENDA RECORDS 2020
ORENDA RECORORDS 0083

Dan Rosenboom - Points on an Infinite Line - Fellowship

Dan Rosenboom - Points on an Infinite Line - A Force For Good

Points on an Infinite Line

Dan Rosenboom - Points on an Infinite Line - 01 Momentum

Zane Carney - Guitar, Writer, Arranger, Producer
Jerry Watts Jr. - Bass, Writer, Arranger
Gene Coye - Drums, Writer, Arranger
Katisse Buckingham - Soprano Sax, Tenor Sax, Flute, Alto Flute, Writer, Arranger 

Zane Carney is a West Coast jazz musician, composer and Grammy-nominated guitarist, hailed as a “massive guitar player” by Thundercat and named “the future of electric guitar” by the Huffington Post.

His latest quartet record, Alter Ego, will be released on Orenda Records in spring 2021, and features Katisse Buckingham, Jerry Watts Jr., and Gene Coye.

Carney’s discography includes playing on Thundercat’s Drunk and serving as John Daversa’s guitarist, with appearances on his Big Band and Small Band albums including Kaleidoscope Eyes, Junk Wagon, Artful Joy, and Wobbly Dance Flower featuring Bob Mintzer. Over the years, he has performed with Kamasi Washington, Ronald Bruner Jr., Brandon Coleman, Cameron Graves, Nir Felder, and Sam Gendel, among others.

Most recently, he developed a film scoring partnership with Grammy-nominated pianist Tommy King, releasing a duo record titled Film. Carney’s previous solo record is Amalgam. Prior to that, he served as lead guitarist, arranger and founding member of CARNEY, a critically-acclaimed jazz-infused rock group signed to Interscope Records, and toured with artists including Jonny Lang and John Mayer.

Carney was born in New York City, studied studio/jazz guitar at USC’s Thornton School of Music, and currently resides in Los Angeles.

Alter Ego

Zane Carney Quartet - Brain Freeze

"Orenda Records is a small Southern California label that punches above its weight... Orenda’s offerings are informed by rock, modern classical, and jazz, and combine these genres in a natural, organic fashion... Orenda’s musicians grew up in a post-Braxton era where musical styles are viewed on a continuum rather than as individual silos of expression."
–Avant Music News

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