October Heat

Been off the ol' Blogger for a bit, sorry to be elusive. A quick update of happened and happening:

I got to help out my good friend and Michael Mull Octet bandmate Tim Fischer on a DMA lecture recital as he completes his Doctorate at USC. Luckily, for me that translated to playing great tunes with an even greater band that included Octet bassist Emilio Terranova and the illustrious Joe LaBarbera on drums! Tim's lecture focused on the music of Miles Davis's first great quintet, styles in which Joe is an expert, not to mention being "two degrees of separation" from Miles himself --- it's hard to describe, but playing with a tight group like that is so "easy"!

Beginning at the end of August, I am fortunate to be teaching Jazz Arranging and coach "combo class" at Cal State University Northridge this semester, and it has been a rewarding experience so far. This is my first time teaching in a full classroom setting, so I'm really trying to do it right and give the students a good balance of structure and freedom.

Continuing the higher education trend, the Michael Mull Octet had the pleasure of doing a masterclass at CalArts, where I did my graduate work. This was an excellent experience all around, playing some new and older music and fielding thoughtful questions from both students and faculty. It was especially interesting for me to answer some of their questions, thinking and trying to describe aspects of my music and writing process for the Octet that I had never really sat down and considered, recognizing some of the reasons for my musical choices. Thank you to David Roitstein and Larry Koonse for hookin' it up, and to the students for being fantastic - hope to see you at a show soon!

SPEAKING OF OCTET SHOWS WHATSTHATYOUSAY? Yes, the Michael Mull Octet is going to de-blubber the Blue Whale once again on Friday, October 25th, this time with the help of NYC-based trio KROM. They play some remarkable and fresh music, so this is a date to make if at all possible! Mark them calendars and cave walls, more details to come. In the near October future:

Fri 10/18 - River Song and Walsh Set Trio @ ArtistShare LA (I'm not in this but GO SEE IT and thank me later) 8pm https://www.facebook.com/events/367428453387824/

Sat 10/19 - Orkestar MEZE @ 4th Annual CalArts Wild Beast Concert Series: In other words, a FREE dance party...https://www.facebook.com/events/515180121898672/ 6:00pm

Thurs 10/24 - Mahadev @ The Crest Bar in La Crescenta: also featuring Fumosonic and Bubbeleh, 8pm (Mahadev around 10pm)

Fri 10/25 - Michael Mull Octet and KROM @ Blue Whale: 9pm, 21+ and only $10 for both sets, no minimum. Check back here soon or on facebook for more details.

Mike Keneally Retrospect

What a month of music for me, definitely a lot to be thankful for! After an incredible "Peasant Funk" CD release party with Orkestar MEZE, it was straight to a week of grueling rehearsals for guitarist/keyboardist Mike Keneally's "The Universe Will Provide". This 50-minute piece for a rock power trio-plus-an-orchestra was set for its US premier on Friday, November 18th at the REDCAT theater downtown, and everyone in the group but Mike was a CalArts student or alumni.  I had my fair share of musical challenges; my part covered alto sax, soprano sax, clarinet, flute, and my first forays into the bass saxophone. A feat in itself, full rehearsals were run Monday through Thursday, and the result was an incredible performance those involved won't soon forget. You can read a lot about the piece and its conception here. The performance was recorded and documented by multiple cameras, so I'm hoping I can direct you to a stream or DVD in the near future. Until then, suffice to say that I am honored to have been included in this performance and am proud of my fellow CalArts denizens for really pulling as much life, blood, and jumps-for-joy out of that music as possible!

Coming soon: my octet, take two. People are on board, music is being written and arranged (including some Placebo and 38 Special), and we'll see an inaugural performance early 2012. Two woodwinds, two trombones, two guitars, bass, drums...here we go!

Mixing and Orkestar MÉZÉ

Hello everyone! Keeping cool? .....me neither.

I've begun mixing for my debut trio album (to feature Ben Shepherd and Cameron Hicks) with engineer John Aspinall, and I'm pleased with the results so far. I've picked takes, and we've got a great rough mix on "Dirty Sugar". Tonight we will apply that general mix to some other tracks and start picking through the details and nuances of each song. This is my first top-to-bottom, self-produced, full-length (and other hyphenated phrases) project, and I am already having a blast putting it together. Make sure to check back here for updates on the album.

For about six months, I have been a part of an incredibly fun band, Orkestar MÉZÉ. Headed by pianist/keyboardist/composer Milen Kirov, Orkestar MÉZÉ is LA's only Balkan Brass Gypsy Funk Band, delivering infectiously groovy tunes from Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia and Romania with a healthy dose of funk. We had a great gig a few weeks ago at the Bootleg Theater, the crowd was digging it, and some video was captured...check these out!

Orkestar MÉZÉ at the Bootleg Theater 1

Orkestar MÉZÉ at the Bootleg Theater 2

Orkestar MÉZÉ at the Bootleg Theater 3 (yes, that's Ben Shepherd on the electric bass)

One more video of the band at CalArts this Spring:

Orkestar MÉZÉ playing "Sandokan" at the Wild Beast

There is a recording being planned for Orkestar MÉZÉ; more details as I get them. Until then, I'll post any gigs we have here. Bring out your inner peasant!

Master!

Well, that's it.

I received my Master of Fine Arts Degree from Calarts yesterday, and school's out for the summer...and then some. I had an incredible time these past two years, meeting some of the most inspiring musicians and people, getting to play with them, talk to them, share ideas and experiences. I formed my trio, soon to put out my debut album as a leader, with fellow students at Calarts. I played with and learned from musical legends like Charlie Haden, Wadada Leo Smith, Joe LaBarbera, Darek Oles, Swapan Chaudhuri and Morton Subotnick. While perhaps not as notorious as the aforementioned musicians, every faculty member at Calarts with whom I interacted had a distinct and positive impact on me, something I am sure very few schools could have accomplished. If you have an opportunity to spend some time at Calarts, please do so; it is a haven for the arts and there really is no other place like it.

I'm ready for a bit of rest and recovery after a harrowing but productive two years, but also excited to get to work immediately and dive into my career with complete focus. I began to realize today how much I have been waiting for this time, when I can push forward and dedicate all of my energy to my art, life, and career.

Thank you to all who have helped me up to this point, whether you know it or not. And, especially thank you to my wonderful wife Ami and my truly supportive family.

Well, that's it - for this chapter. Forward, onward, upward and all the other -wards that I can get my hands on. Good night.

Debut Album in the Works!

Greetings friends,

I settled in for a long night in the Roy O. Disney Hall at CalArts on Monday to record what will soon become my debut album. It will feature all original compositions by yours truly and be brought to life by my fantastic trio buddies, Ben Shepherd on bass and Cameron Hicks on drums. The session went smoothly and with the help of engineer John Aspinall, we were able to lay down nine tunes in the space of about five-and-a-half hours. We've been playing much of this material for half a year or more, and Ben and Cameron catch on so quickly that eyelids weren't even batted at the newer tunes. There was a great energy throughout the night (despite the fact that we finished up around 4:30 am), and I feel confident that once I get back into the studio to start picking takes and mixing, I'll be hearing some beautiful moments.

I am also excited to announce that my long-time friend and artistic/musical co-conspirator Derek Schultz will be working on the album artwork! Derek is an incredible artist in every sense of the word, excelling in painting, drawing, multi-media, music and poetry as well as a host of other mind-numbing skills, and I have been continually inspired by his work since our elementary school days of drawing comic books together. Please check out his website, www.staralchemy.org, to get a small taste of what Derek is about.

On a side note, I had the unique opportunity and pleasure to have lunch with Wadada Leo Smith and Billy Childs today, two incomparable artists who are also warm, welcoming people. I was invited to tag along with a few other students after Billy Childs gave a brief but decidedly inspiring lecture at CalArts, and experience more of these artists in a different context. As Wadada put it, what happens at the lectures is "only part of it; the rest of it happens right here." If you are unfamiliar with the work of either of these men, I urge you to do a little listening and looking and you will undoubtedly find something new.

That's it for now; I've got to get some sleep! Still reeling from the session that lasted into the wee small hours. Please keep an eye on my blog to stay updated on the creation of my debut album, and get excited about music (or, stay excited about music)! There is so much beauty out there.