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| The Debut Release from the Wee Trio The Wee Trio Announces The Release of Their Debut Recording Capitol Diner Vol. 1 (Available on September 8, 2008 on Bionic Records), and a national tour in support of the new recording Out of the uber-fertile creative music scene of Brooklyn, NY, The Wee Trio, featuring James Westfall from Houston, TX (vibes), Dan Loomis from St. Louis, MO (bass) and Jared Schonig from Los Angeles, CA (drums), joined forces for a one time tour (and a university artist residency), that quickly mushroomed into a brilliant collaborative musical exploration. Like many of the most revered ensembles in jazz that have thrilled audiences and critics over the years, The Wee Trio came together simply to work, yet emerged from this time together with an instantly identifiable sound, and a prodigious rapport. On their debut recording, Capitol Diner Vol. 1 (in stores and online on September 8, 2008), their superb original compositions, and “standards" by composers Kurt Cobain, Sufjan Stevens, and Thelonious Monk, are brought to life with an ingenious combination of jazz, rock, fusion, post-punk, and references to other genres thrown in for good measure. The best part is, it all “swings" like nobody's business. This is a band born and raised in Brooklyn, with their first recording brilliantly embodying the borough's energy, eclecticism and excellence. The album you hold in your hands, Capitol Diner Vol. 1, came together in a very special place over some very special placemats. That's right, placemats. Loomis sets the scene of The Wee Trio's first gig in Harrisburg, PA.; “we stayed on the outskirts of town in a dodgy Travelodge run by Rimsha. He gave us a great deal on our room (not really, “55 dollars, last offer!!!"). Up the street was a beautiful looking place called Capitol Diner. Their placemats kept us entertained for a while before we played our first gig, as all the state capitols were left blank. After several hours of making cold calls to our friends and relatives for help, we finally had the whole map filled in. We've kept the tradition alive and now know not only all of the capitols, but also the state mottos, and some state birds. More than anything, it was a very unifying experience for us as a band." This promising first gig resulted in the band getting short shrift to the tune of $1000, on drummer Jared Schonig's birthday no less. Loomis explains the aftermath of that somewhat shaky start, “despite being screwed out of money, the gig was unbelievably great and the music we made on that first tour inspired us greatly to keep the group going. There was an immediate personal and musical camaraderie between the three of us. The minute we were back in Brooklyn from the tour we recorded the album in about 4 hours!" The Wee Trio is unlike any other band around, simply, but not completely, based on what each member brings to the table and how that blends with the other two. The group's attitude (that reveals itself in the music) is unique in that they use a trio of approaches to music that are native to specific regions of the U.S. Bassist Dan Loomis explains, “the cool thing about this group is how it uses the New Orleans aesthetic of just going to the gig and hitting . . . listening and making it work on a 'street' level, i.e. connecting right to the audience, which is also a Midwest/St. Louis aesthetic too; and then combining that with the more New-York/Brooklyn aesthetic of getting in the music on an intellectual/artistic level and moving things forward." Vibraphonist James Westfall has since moved back to New Orleans after living in Los Angeles while attending the Monk Institute (becoming the first vibraphonist to have ever been accepted), and a productive spell living in Brooklyn, NY (during this time he released his debut CD Independent on Bionic Records and of course recorded and toured with The Wee Trio). For Westfall, New Orleans is where he feels most at home, and most needed, in terms of being a part of the rebuilding of the cultural vibrancy of the city, and being part of a strong community. “New Orleans people are my people. I feel that I wanted to help rebuild the community I was a part of," said Westfall. He added, “My fiance is from here and we both want our kids to be raised in a community environment of looking out for one another. We learned about how Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis developed 90 homes surrounding a Performing Arts Center specifically for Musicians, we applied and were accepted and that helped seal the deal for us." Westfall will now be a home owner in the Habitat for Humanity's Musicians Village, living amongst the many immensely talented artists helping to bring New Orleans back to life. He will be meeting his Wee Trio bandmates at their many national tour destinations. Shortly after recording the music for Capitol Diner Vol. 1, the trio headed back into the studio to record new music for Capitol Diner Vol.2, slated for release in the near future. This is a band that plays music and operates its business as if there's no tomorrow, creating music that is vigorous and sublime. CD Release Performances/Celebrations For Capitol Diner Vol. 1: Los Angeles, CA: Tues, Sept 9 - Concert at The Jazz Bakery - 8pm Wed, Sept 10 - Workshop at The Musicians Institute in Hollywood - 5pm Thurs, Sept 11 - Concert at Tangier in Los Angeles - 8pm Fri, Sept 12 - Workshop at Hamilton Music Academy -9am Sun, Sept 14 - Concert at Spazio in Sherman Oaks - 8pm, San Francisco/Bay Area, CA: Tues, Sept 16 - Concert at West Valley College, Saratoga - 8pm, Wed, Sept 17 - Concert at Anna's Jazz Island, Berkeley - 8pm New Orleans, LA: Fri, Sept 26 - Concert at The Jazz Park - 12pm, Sun, Sept. 28 - Concert at Snug Harbor - 8pm New York, NY: Thurs, Oct. 16 - Concert at The Cornelia St. Cafe - 8:30pm Boston, MA: Fri, Oct. 17 - Concert at The Lily Pad - 7pm, (local Boston band Lake Street Drive opening up for The Wee Trio!) Philadelphia, PA: Mon, Oct. 20 - Chris's Jazz Cafe - 8pm More info on The Wee Trio James Westfall (vibes, composer) - Born in Houston, Texas, Westfall began his musical journey taking up the violin at age 6. At 14 and after several years studying classical piano and percussion, his grandfather restored an old vibraphone as a present to his grandson. It was then that he began to embark a lifelong goal of making music. While attending a specialized fine arts high school, he was able perform for such great artists as Dr. Billy Taylor and Wynton Marsalis. In addition to his jazz performances, he also experienced performing in other genres of music with artists such as Shania Twain and the Houston Symphony. Westfall soon became the recipient of numerous composition and performance scholarship awards from around the country, and decided to further his career in New Orleans, accepting a full scholarship to the University of New Orleans. Since his arrival, Westfall studied under Terence Blanchard and Ellis Marsalis. Soon after, he was called to play with New Orleans finest such as Harold Battiste and David Torkanowsky along side with many others. This sideman experience soon pushed him to lead his own band which gave him the recognition to perform with Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead at the Kennedy Center. Today Westfall, a Monk Institute Graduate, lives back home in New Orleans where he will be a home owner of the Habitat for Humanity's Musicians Village (sponsered by Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis.) He continues to perform all over the Country with the Wee Trio as they release their debut CD Capitol Diner Vol. 1. Dan Loomis (bass, composer) - Bassist Dan Loomis, originally from St. Louis, MO, and currently based in Brooklyn, holds degrees from Southern Illinois University, and a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance (plus the Schirmer Award, Eastman's highest honor for a jazz student), from the prestigious Eastman School of Music where he had the privilege to study with Jeff Campbell, Harold Danko, Bill Dobbins, Walt Weiskopf, and Clay Jenkins. While at Eastman Loomis' VeryTall Band received the DownBeat Magazine award for best collegiate small group performance in 2004. In the winter of that year Loomis was selected to appear as a featured artist in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra's Young Stars of Tomorrow Concert. Loomis' first recording as a leader is Tondos (featuring fellow Wee Trio member Schonig on drums). In 2005 while on a two week tour of the Midwest in support of the recording the quartet went into the studio for a day to record their next album, I Love Paris (released in April 2007 & also featuring Schonig on drums). Noted journalist Scott Yanow called I Love Paris “one of top new jazz releases of 2007". Daniel Loomis moved to NYC in 2004 and has since been very busy as a sideman. His freelance work has also taken him on the road and in the studio with Benny Reid (Concord recording artist). Loomis is also a member of the Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance (led by Arturo O'Farrill), teaching in under-priveleged Brooklyn schools. Jared Schonig (drums, composer) - Drummer and composer Jared Schonig was born in Los Angeles on August 12, 1983. His parents, both professional musicians, encouraged him at an early age to take up the piano. After studying classical piano for 11 years he switched to the drums (his fathers instrument) during his first year of high school. Jared attended the prestigious Hamilton Academy of Music in Los Angeles, CA, where he was the recipient of no less than four DownBeat Student Music Awards, including a “Best Soloist" honor his senior year, in 2001. After receiving scholarships to attend a number of different universities, Schonig decided it was best to head to the East Coast and enroll at the Eastman School of Music where he performed with a number of Eastman groups including the Bionic Bones with Fred Wesley and Ste write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Jazz News :: home page |