Podcast 42 - Michael Blake Returns

Saxophonist Michael Blake seems to change his approach on every album he makes. No matter if that context is avant-garde, electronic, or swing, what shines through is his distinctive saxophone voice and compositional style. Michael’s saxophone playing can be soulful or technical and fully embraces spontaneity and interaction. He is surely one of the most underrated saxophonists on the scene today.

In 2013, he received the Chamber Music America’s New Jazz Works grant and started working on his most straight ahead album to date. Tiddy Boom is a hard swinging tribute to tenor saxophonists Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins. Michael filtered the contrasting styles of each saxophonist through his own voice to compose a suite of brand new music that is both old school and timeless. This is the best example to date of Michael throwing down on the saxophone!

If you like what you hear, please Subscribe in iTunes and give us feedback. That will help us out tremendously. Also, feel free to email me with any suggestions or questions. Thank you for listening!

Office Playlist - Matt Wilson Quartet - Andrew's Ditty

Wildcard - Chris Misch-Bloxdorf

Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp a Butterfly

I’m going to preface this by saying that when I started writing this I had not yet checked out the group Freestyle Fellowship. I will have to say that after listening to the Freestyle Fellowship I felt weird about giving props to any rapper without paying respect to those dudes. If you have any interest in hip-hop…rapped poetics…scatting…or insane rhythm I highly recommend checking out the Freestyle Fellowship.

It is very rare when an album is released that has the potential to affect the course of (popular) music. Kendrick’s major-label sophomore release, although not necessarily redefining hip-hop, has brought the aesthetics of underground hip-hop to a mainstream audience. The album is a genius amalgamation of jazz, hip-hop, soul, and funk that is concisely threaded together by Kendrick’s virtuosic, brimming on the edge of prophetic, rapping. I mean…the dude seriously is a word-smith. The album consists of tons of amazing collaboration including contributions from other redonkulous musicians such as Thundercat, Kamasi Washington, Pharrell, George Clinton, Flying Lotus, Ambrose Akinmusire, Robert “Sput” Searight, Robert Glasper and Bilal just to name a few. Although Kendrick is typically at the forefront of the tracks, there are a lot of great musical segues in which each aforementioned musician displays brief snippets of their individual preeminent musicality. However, the overall composite of the collective of musicians on this album creates a perfect visceral soundscape that only increases the effectiveness of Kendrick’s delivery…which makes total sense given the line-up.

Kendrick delivers fully what I had anticipated…but full disclosure that I am a fan of pretty much everything he does. Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City is still one of the albums I listen to on a weekly basis. To Pimp a Butterfly is not only a response to social and political issues that are relevant on a systemic level, but also remain true to providing a continuation and reflection of Kendrick’s personal narrative that began with GKMC. His content provides masterful metaphors coupled with astounding rhythmic phrasing. At times it seems as if Kendrick is improvising the phrasing around some kind of verbal cadence (check out “For Free?”). Kendrick also does a lot in the realm of voice manipulation sometimes emulating influences such as Tupac, a common theme on this album (“Alright” and “King Kunta”), while at other times executing vocals that sound distraught and even on the verge of tears adding to the overall ethos of the album (“Blacker the Berry” and “u”). The album is progressive in terms of musical definition and social commentary while never reaching the point of being “preachy.” There is a mantra that remains a constant connective tissue for the album that begins, “I remember you was conflicted – Misusing your influence…” This mantra reappears several times over until the full message is revealed at the end of the album with an interview that Kendrick stringed together like Frankenstein’s monster between himself and Tupac Shakur. This final statement just adds to the storybook narrative that Kendrick executes so successfully. My main beef with the album is that it is such a well-constructed album….and by that, I mean that the tracks individually aren’t nearly as strong as the project in its entirety. This is a good problem to have…but I don’t find myself as interested track by track.

THAT’S THAT SHIT I DO LIKE aka if you like Kendrick, you might like these too -- Action Bronson: Mr. Wonderful, Earl Sweatshirt: I Don’t like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside, Roc Marciano: Marci Beaucoup, Freestyle Fellowship: Innercity Griots

Ibeyi: Ibeyi

Ibeyi is a duo comprised of twin sisters Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Diaz. This album provides a great collective of folk music in an authentic context brought into the mainstream and modern vein through the artistry of these two sisters. Their heritage is brought to the forefront in much of their music exploring avenues of the cross-road between traditional Afro-Cuban folk music and modern popular music. Being the daughters of prominent Afro-Cuban musician Anga Diaz, Ibeyi utilizes instruments such as cahon and bata on several of the tracks. The traditional use of bata is emphasized with some electronic bass to give some more body to the tracks…but man when the beat drops on “Oya” I can’t help but groove/vibe out. I tend to dig the first half of this album more than the back half…but it’s still really good throughout. The album has a lot of variety to it in terms of interesting grooves, mood and super beautiful melodies. I think my favorite track on the album is entitled “Ghosts”…it pretty much has all the component that make me love this band: funky groove, cool vocal layering, and awesome traditional Afro-Cuban folk melodies.

GROOVE…FOLK YEAH! aka if you like Ibeyi, you might like these too -- Bon Iver: Itunes Sessions, Meshell Ndegeocello: Comet, Come to Me, James Blake: Overgrown, Bjork: Vulnicura

Nico Muhly: Drones

Nico Muhly has been one of my favorite contemporary classical composers since I first heard his album Mothertongue a couple years back. As a contemporary of Philip Glass and John Corigliano, Muhly is well-versed in minimalist aesthetics while combining interesting timbres and emotionally compelling chordal structures of an enormous variety. He is part of a stream of modern composers that defy genre captivity and recently co-wrote a suite of music with Bryce Dessner and Sufjan Stevens entitled “Planetarium.” Outside of this, he continues to depart from the typical loop structured compositional style of Glass, and many minimalist composers, in order to create some truly amazing thru-composed material that still evokes a trance-like state.

The concept behind Drones is a collection of duos in which Muhly juxtaposes a series of drones against overarching melodic material. This leads to incredible moments of harmonic tension followed by grandeur moments of resounding resolution. When I heard Drones for the first time I could not figure out how the musicians were able to execute the fluidity of the immensely complex rhythmic ideas against the enduring sequence of drones in such an organic manner. So I emailed Nico…which means I emailed the person who handles Muhly’s emails…and “they” were nice enough to send me the scores. Upon studying the notation I realized quickly that much of the material is written in cells, which allows for the musician to essentially improvise much of their interpretation of the performance. This is one of the reasons I like this album so much; a cross between strongly written material and powerfully emotive interpretations. A personal favorite of mine is “Part 1 Material in D” in which the musicality of performers Nadia Sirota and Thomas Bartlett is captured equally through their responsiveness to each other as their use of breathe. I also reeeeally like “Part III (The 8th Tune)” and “Drones in Large Cycle.”

IT’S SO PRETTY aka if you like Nico, you might like these too -- yMusic: Balance Problems, Cecile Ousset: Debussy & Ravel, David Lang: Death Speaks, Igor Stravinsky: Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky

static1.squarespace.com

Ben Wendel: The Seasons

Ben (babe) Wendel is probably one of the most continuously unique voices in the modern jazz community. He is consistently tied to some of the projects I am most excited by…and is really frickin’ good at the saxophone…also… BASSOON! How awesome is that. So recently when a friend sent me a link to his new composition project The Seasons I was pretty amped. The project is a series of 12 duets composed by and featuring Ben, dedicated to 12 musicians released throughout the 12 months of 2015. So thus far there are only three, but they are each super tasty. The first “January” features Taylor Eigsti, the second “February” features Joshua Redman, and the third “March” features Matt Brewer. Each composition seems to be comprised of short melodic fragments tied together by beautifully constructed improvised sections. Two Thumbs UP!! I think my favorite is “March”…that may just be because...bassoon.

KEEP IT UP JAZZ-HOLE aka if you like Ben, you might like these too -- Alan Ferber: March Sublime, Tigran Hamasyan: Mockroot, Happy Apple: Please Refrain From Fronting, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman: John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman, Ike Sturm: Jazz Mass

Chris Misch-Bloxdorf has a hyphenated last name, likes wearing hats, thinks Ample Hills Creamery is the best ice cream around, plays trombone, lives in Brooklyn (but is from WISCONSIN), and composes music. Catch the Chris Misch-Bloxdorf DECTET this Monday, April 13th at 7pm as part of Wing Walker Music Presents: Live at ShapeShifter Lab.

Wildcard - Old Time Musketry

"Drifter" continues 

Old Time Musketry

's pursuit of a distinctly American music that draws on the exuberant spirit of jazz, the poignant melodies and soulful grooves of rock and folk music, and the energy and spontaneity of free improvisation.  The new album is the follow-up to Old Time Musketry's critically acclaimed debut, "Different Times," which received a four-star rating in Downbeat Magazine and inclusion in their year-end "Best Albums" list.

"Drifter" is out March 31st on NCM East Records. The NYC release show is Sunday, April 5th at 8:30pm at Cornelia Street Cafe.

Adam Schneit:

Screen Shot 2015-03-25 at 8.50.47 AM

Dolly Parton / Emmylou Harris / Linda Ronstadt: Trio

I saw Emmylou Harris perform this past summer at Lincoln Center Out of Doors, and it was the best show I've seen in a while. Some people make the claim that Emmylou is a more compelling harmony singer than a lead singer...I don't necessarily agree, but it got me thinking about the magic of vocal harmony when wielded by folks as skillful as the ones on this album: Dolly Parton, Emmylou, and Linda Ronstadt. There is nothing that gives me more of a visceral emotional response than voices so attuned to and supportive of one another that one almost embodies the same space as the others...as if for a moment, one could actually understand in a hyper-empathic way what it is actually like to *be* that other person. A total subsuming of one's ego in support of another.  I've had glimpses of this in my own musical life: playing harmonies behind a great singer and feeling chills and losing myself when that indescribable sense of communion is momentarily reached; or with a band or in a free improvisation, where spontaneously something is arrived at that instantly eliminates the space between separate selves and opens up something that feels limitless. It's the greatest feeling. Granted, there's a bit of cheesy production on this album and not all the songs are my favorites. But the depth and weight of these singers' experiences in combination with another represent something really magical and inspirational...something close to real empathy and compassion in music.

JP Schlegelmilch:

Screen Shot 2015-03-24 at 1.30.49 PM

Franz Schubert 

Winterreise

 - Ian Bostridge and Julius Drake

Every winter I like to spend some quality time staring into the abyss of Schubert's dark song cycle 

Winterreise

. This year my listening was intensified by the brutal winter weather and by discovering the tenor Ian Bostridge's amazing recordings. Bostridge also made a series of music videos to accompany the songs which really capture the desolate, existential angst of the music and poetry.

Max Goldman:

"Street Woman" by Ornette Coleman from The Science Fiction Sessions

I recently found myself out late in Williamsburg (don't judge me) and instead of taking a cab or the train home I decided to make the walk back home in the cold.  I put on the Science Fictions Sessions as I made my way along the still industrial East River waterfront.

The melody has an incredible forward  motion and floats in and out of time with the unbelievably propulsive groove of Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell.  I've always felt there was something other worldly and haunting about this record and it's one that I am always grateful to come back to.

Podcast 41 - JP Schlegelmilch

JP Schlegelmilch plays piano, keyboards, and accordion in a number of projects that draw on jazz, rock, folk, and classical music. In a world of so-called “bands” where members are replaced for every gig, he has had a remarkable streak of playing in truly collaborative, leaderless ensembles. Old Time Musketry just released their second album, Drifter, on NCM East (You can download a track off this album on our second mixtape!) NOOK self released their second album, Recrystallize. He's also a part of a brand new band called Hearing Things that just got back from a tour opening for Will Butler (of Arcade Fire.)

Be sure to check out Old Time Musketry at their record release show Sunday, April 5th at Cornelia Street Cafe.

If you like what you hear, please Subscribe in iTunes and give us feedback. That will help us out tremendously. Also, feel free to email me with any suggestions or questions. Thank you for listening!

Wildcard - TWIN TALK

TWIN TALK is drummer Andrew Green, saxophonist Dustin Laurenzi, and bassist/vocalist Katie Ernst. TWIN TALK is a Chicago-based band that tours frequently throughout the US.  They have been featured at the 2014 Chicago Jazz Festival and the 2014 Hyde Park Jazz Festival.  In Chicago, TWIN TALK has presented music for the ears&eyes series, Gilt Bar’s Trio in Curio, the Jazz Institute of Chicago’s NextGenJazz series, and the Whistler’s RelaxAttack jazz series.

Listen to TWIN TALK's "Skoops" on the Spring 2015 Wing Walker Mixtape!

Katie Ernst:

Laura Mvula - Sing to the Moon

My friend and musical accomplice Stu Mindeman introduced me to Laura Mvula a few months ago, and I have listened to this record eight million times since then.  Note that there are two versions -  the original studio album, and a version featuring the Metropole Orkest.  Both are incredible. Get both.  Laura Mvula is a British singer and composer with so much substance.  The lyrics are wise and well-crafted, the melodies haunting and folksy, and the arrangements are rich and expertly designed.  I've looped the song  "I Don't Know What the Weather Will Be" for days on end. You can dance to "Green Garden" and "That's Alright" and weep openly to "Father Father."  I can't express more praise for this album.

In five words: lush, heartbreaking, orchestral, brilliant, sincere

Betty Carter - Droppin' Things

I was late to the game on Betty Carter, but I'm making up for lost time. This record is pure jazz. Recorded live in 1990, "Droppin Things" swings and mourns, laughs, and whispers.  You can feel the intensity of the rhythm section presence in each current moment, and the music flings forward accordingly.  Betty's voice is elastic and playful and uninhibited. Her version of "Stardust/Memories of You" is a highlight.  Throughout the album, Betty Carter is as much a lyrical storyteller as she is part of the instrumental front line.  I particularly love the poetry of her words in"30 Years" and "Droppin Things."  I'm a big fan of the work of the 1920's poet Dorothy Parker, and Betty's lyrics remind me of the poignant 'punch lines' and cynical wit of a Parker poem.  Treat yourself to this album asap if you haven't heard it yet.

In five words: alive, fearless, malleable, momentum, boundless

Dustin Laurenzi:

Jeff Parker - Bright Light In Winter

I moved to Chicago right around the time Jeff was making the transition to LA, but luckily he’s back fairly frequently. Every time I get to hear or play with him it’s so inspiring, and it’s always a learning experience. This record has such a distinctive vibe, the whole thing really feels like an album, rather than just a collection of songs. Jeff, Chris Lopes, and Chad Taylor are really patient musicians, and part of the beauty of this record is in how they’re able to sort of coast on different grooves and still keep you completely engaged. They’re also super adventurous improvisors, and aren’t afraid to go for something and miss it every once in a while. For me, that’s refreshing to hear in a “modern” jazz recording. This album taught me a lot about simplicity and clarity in composing and improvising, and hopefully some of that comes through in my music.

“Mainz”, “Bright Light Black Site”, and “Good Days (for Lee Anne)” are a few of my favorites.

Tune-Yards - WHOKILL

I have a cassette tape of Merrill Garbus’ first album, Bird-Brains, that I bought after hearing her at a coffee shop in Bloomington, IN probably 5 years ago. I was really amazed by her performance, and listened the tape every once in a while. I liked a lot of the songs and the lo-fi presentation, but eventually I kind of forgot about it. Recently I had been hearing more about Tune-Yards, so I decided to buy WHOKILL. I’m always a fan of combining the familiar and the strange, and this record is full of that. There are catchy melodies all over the place, but they’re usually countered with some jarring samples or displaced rhythms that keep everything from feeling too comfortable (I mean this in a good way). Oh, and her voice is incredible! I think I’ll be coming back to this one for a while.

Some highlights: the vocal sample melody on “Bizness”, the bass line and chaos at the end of “Gangsta”, the groove on “You Yes You”.

Andrew Green:

Tigran Hamasyan - Shadow Theater (2013)

A good friend of mine introduced me to Tigran when we were in college.  I found his music to be highly complex and technically challenging but also quite sensitive and emotional.  With influences ranging from Armenian folk to modern jazz to prog-rock, Tigran’s sound is very exciting and engaging.  While I enjoyed his older albums, Shadow Theater is a more recent outing that seems more mature and focused as a whole record.  I remember reading somewhere that Tigran approached it more as a pop record than a jazz record and the production is intense, but very appropriate throughout, creating a unifying sound palette despite many different styles.  The flow of the album is beautiful, pairing fast and disjunct grooves with slow and lyrical counterparts.  Despite all of the rhythmic complexity, there is a heavy overarching folk vibe to the record.  I suspect this one will stay on my “most-played” list for a long time.

Drummer’s perspective - Tigran’s music is some of the most intense and intricate music that I’ve ever heard.  Nate Wood navigates smoothly through the many meter changes, metric modulations, polyrhythms and hyper-complex beats, matching Tigran’s power note for note.  Check out the 3-note groupings in 5 on “The Poet”, the jagged 5/4 grooves on “Erishta”, whatever is going on in “Drip” and pretty much everything about “The Court Jester”.

Hiatus Kaiyote - Tawk Tomahawk (2013)

This band is blowing up right now!  And for good reason… They have an unique fresh sound and seem to ignore all convention and tradition wherever it would inhibit their ability to freely express themselves.  The album is technically an EP and is only 30 minutes long - just enough time to become completely enraptured before it ends, leaving you wanting more! Nai Palm’s vocals are soulful, floaty, and mysterious and her melodic choices stand out, soaring above the band without leaving it behind.  The futuristic electronic soundscape is often juxtaposed by lo-fi drum and vocal sounds and the production is extensive and innovative without compromising the music.  I could listen to this album anytime.  I cannot recommend it highly enough!  Be on the lookout for their full length new album, Choose Your Weapon, set to be released on May 5th, 2015.

Drummer Perspective - Perrin Moss’ beats are infectious.  They pop into my head all the time.  His playing is confident and yet understated, always serving the song and group vibe.  Check out the slick groove on “Boom Child”, the Dilla-esque “Sphinx Gate”, the crazy hiccuped “Ocelot”, and the 12/8ish grooves on “Lace Skull”.

Mixtape II

<a href="http://musicforwingwalkers.bandcamp.com/album/a-mixtape-volume-2">A MIXTAPE Volume 2 by Wing Walker Music</a> Our second mixtape has finally arrived. Our goal is to highlight some independent music from all across the creative music spectrum that we love. We REALLY want people to hear this music so you can download it for NOTHING. That's right, it's completely free. If you like what you hear, PLEASE go purchase a record or two and share it with all of your friends. All of these musicians want to keep being able to put out albums and the only way for this to happen is if you actually purchase their music. DO IT!

1. Empyrean Atlas - Sycamore

Website | Facebook | Twitter

From the album Inner Circle featuring David Crowell on guitar, Andrew Smiley on guitar, Ryan Ferreira on guitar, Greg Chudzik on electric bass, and Jason Nazary on drums. Composed by David Crowell

2. Little King - Thought I Told You

Website | Facebook

From the album My Friend on Not Art Records featuring Tomas Cruz on vocals, Richard Saunders on vocals, Michael Sachs on bass clarinet, Andrew Halchak on clarinet, and Timothy Norton on bass. Composed by Michael Sachs

3. Marike van Dijk - 22e (to everyone I miss)

Website | Facebook | WWM Podcast | WWM Wildcard

From the album The Stereography Project on Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records featuringMarike van Dijk on alto saxophone, Lucas Pino on clarinet and tenor saxophone, Ben van Gelder on bass clarinet and alto saxophone, Anna Webber on flute and tenor saxophone, Alan Ferber on trombone, Elinor Speirs on violin, Sita Chay on violin, Eric Lemmon on viola, Amanda Gookin on cello, Manuel Schmiedel on piano, Rick Rosato on bass, and Mark Schilders on drums. Composed by Marike van Dijk

4. Michaël Attias - Marina

Website | Facebook | WWM Wildcard

Unreleased. Composed by Michael Attias and then programed in Reason.

5. Old Time Musketry - Kept Close

Website | Facebook | Twitter

From the album Drifter on NCM East Records featuring Adam Schneit on tenor saxophone and clarinet, JP Schlegelmilch on accordion and piano, Phil Rowan on acoustic bass, and Max Goldman on drums. Composed by Adam Schneit

6. Machtelinckx / Jensson / Badenhorst / Wouters - Mr Maurin

Website | Facebook

From the album Flock featuring Ruben Machtelinckx on banjo, Hilmar Jensson  on guitar, Joachim Badenhorst on clarinet, and Nathan Wouters on bass.

7. Twin Talk - Skoops

Website | Facebook | Twitter

From the album Sightline featuring Dustin Laurenzi on tenor saxophone, Katie Ernst on bass and vocals, and Andrew Green on drums. Composed by Katie Ernst

8. Bearthoven - Undertoad (Composed by Brooks Frederickson)

Website | Facebook | Twitter | WWM Podcast | WWM Wildcard

Unreleased featuring Karl Larson on piano, Pat Swoboda on electric bass, and Matt Evans on drums. Composed by Brooks Frederickson

Office Playlist - Saintseneca - NPR Tiny Desk Concert

Wildcard - Michael Sarian

D’Angelo – Black Messiah

As if anyone else hasn’t been listening to this album non-stop, right? I wouldn’t listen to anything else when it came out last December, took a few months off, now it’s back in rotation. When D’Angelo came out with his first two albums, I was a kid in Argentina, so I only heard a few tracks here and there – never got really into him (although I did download Untitled from Napster and listened to that a whole lot). So I wasn’t desperately awaiting this album… but I should have been. It’s incredibly tight and filled with all these nuances and details: like throughout a whole track there’ll be clapping on 2 and 4, but then all of a sudden, just on one bar, for one split second, they won’t clap on 4. That blows my mind – the bass and drums are so together you get into this almost meditative state, and shit like that just snaps you out of it and forces you to pay attention.

Then obviously, once I figured out what D’Angelo was actually saying (thanks to social media and all that), I learned that it’s full of political and social commentary taking it to a whole different level.

Pescado Rabioso – Artaud

Before leaving Argentina for the first time in 2004, I realized that, at 19, I hadn’t really engulfed all that the local rock scene had to offer, so decided to go to as many shows as I could. Among the many, was Luis Alberto Spinetta. I remember being turned off because he yelled at some dude in the audience who was filming him.

Time can change things, and so after 11 years I really don’t care if he chewed some dude out at a show (it didn’t take 11 years, but you get the idea). This guy’s music and voice really defined and changed Argentine music in the past 50 years. I recently took a composition workshop given by Guillermo Klein, and one of the exercises he gave us was writing a melody to a poem that doesn’t rhyme. He then played us Por, by Pescado Rabioso (one of Spinetta’s bands in the 70s), a 1:45min song with Spinetta singing and playing acoustic guitar. The lyrics don’t make sense, but that’s because he apparently took words out of a hat or something, and wrote a melody to those random words. So this is something I’m actually working on: getting sentences/words/poems/lyrics that don’t make sense and writing a melody.

Guillermo Klein – Live At The Village Vanguard

Guillermo has always been one of my favorite composers. I’ve seen him and his band ‘Los Guachos’ countless times. His compositions blur the line between singer-songwriter, jazz, and whatever else you want to call so-called ‘academic music’. Just like with D’Angelo’s tracks, you can get lost in them: the tunes flow, but if you pay attention there are all of these meter changes, metric modulations… moments of brilliance.

I caught a couple of the sets at the Village Vanguard when Guillermo was recording. Some of the guys working at the Vanguard said it was some of the best music they’ve ever heard at the club. Liliana Herrero, an Argentine singer, was with the band for their stay there, and her voice really pierces through your heart. She took it to another level. Guillermo also sings, he always has. It took me a while to really appreciate his singing voice – he’s not your traditional jazz vocalist by a long, very long shot, but you can tell he means what he says, like he’s really telling you something.

There’s nothing like walking around snowy New York City while listening to ‘Eternauta’, the last track.

a0225745600_2

Kenny Warren – Laila and Smitty

Truth be told, I only have about 4 albums on my iPhone. Three of which are D’Angelo’s Black Messiah, Guillermo Klein’s Live At The Village Vanguard, and Kenny Warren’s Laila and Smitty. I downloaded the last one shortly after hearing it on his bandcamp page. Much like Klein, I really dig the story telling and the singer-songwriterish vibe of the songs. Plus Kenny’s singing reminds me of a less pop/corny version of Rod Stewart, in a good way (especially on the track Questions).

I know for a fact Kenny is a ridiculous trumpet player, but he doesn’t really showcase it as much in this album, he puts the compositions in the forefront. His playing throughout the album is really melodic, and not a whole lot of extended improvisation. Plus he’s got that whole Americana thing going on, and he blends his horn perfectly with the slide guitar and rest of the band. The combination of this album and Klein’s (and Pescado Rabioso) is really prompting me to write melodies for lyrics.

Plus there’s this line right here from the track Warm My Soul: “And I want you to be who you are when you’re dreaming. Who you are when you’re drinking, but without all the drinking.”

Michael Sarian is a trumpeter and composer whose work has been heard throughout the United States, South America and Europe. Subtitles, his debut recording as a bandleader, is out now on Pulled Pork Records.