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| Mr. Chair's, Better Days ft. special guests Eddie Barbash and Buzz Kemper. Based in Madison and winner of the 2021 Wisconsin Area Music Industry Award for Best Jazz Artist, Mr. Chair brings a truly unique performance to every stage they play. Mr. Chair Better Days Release Date: March 3, 2023 Self-Released The music on Better Days is expansive and varied, toying with fusion, prog rock, jazz, and classical elements, but never settling into a singular musical style. Mr. Chair's dynamic and fresh sound abounds in the nine sweeping journeys that comprise the record. Much of the music was written between January 2020 and February 2021. Original album art from Dequadray White. Better Days features Chicago-based guitarist José Guzmán as a core member of the ensemble. The album features saxophonist Eddie Barbash - well known as a member of Jon Batiste's Stay Human, his performances on the Late Show with Steven Colbert, and for his work with Cory Wong and the Wong Notes. There is also a special appearance from poet/spoken word artist Buzz Kemper. The music was recorded in Madison, WI at Audio for the Arts and DNA Music Lab. Mixed by Mark Whitcomb and Mike Zirkel, and mastered in NY by Roger Lian. Mr. Chair looks like a jazz combo, enchants like a string quartet, and electrifies like a rock band, all while delighting listeners with their fresh and authentic sound. As classically-trained musicians well-versed in jazz, electronics, prog rock, world music and beyond, Mr. Chair is a contemporary fusion ensemble for music fans of all backgrounds. Their sound palette is diverse, and used to tell stories in styles cinematic, surreal, romantic, funky, and whimsical. Their projects are as diverse as their sound. They have been commissioned twice by UW Geoscientist Dr. Stephen Meyers to write music inspired by science concepts and to perform them in his undergraduate lecture course, Geoscience 101. They are working with former UW First-Wave Scholar, activist, and singer Dequadray James White to write an orchestral hip-hop album. A project started in 2016 has yielded a 50-min reimagining of Stravinsky's masterpiece ballet, Pulcinella. Local performances and collaborations have included breweries, dancers, live drawings, spoken word artists, singers, and more. Equally comfortable as educators, the members of Mr. Chair have conducted masterclasses with students from middle school to college on the topics of performance, composition, style, arranging, orchestration, interpretation, and the creative process. Arrangements of their music feature string quartet, string orchestra, additional brass/winds, and symphony orchestra. They have presented this music with KASA Quartet, the Caroga Lake Music Festival, and members of Akron Symphony Orchestra. "The euphonious elements at the heart of Snarky Puppy's appeal are also present in Mr. Chair's debut." (PROG UK) In 2019, Mr. Chair independently released Nebulebula, a sprawling, 2-hour, double-disc CD. Also printed as a triple-vinyl, the album features spoken word, a gospel choir, string quartet, and more. Their latest album, titled Better Days, is set to release Spring 2023. PLAYERS & INSTRUMENT: Ben Ferris: bass José Guzmán: guitar Mark Hetzler: trombone Mike Koszewski (co-chef-ski): drums Jason Kutz (toots like tootsie pop): keyboards Eddie Barbash: alto saxophone Buzz Kemper: spoken word Tracks & Times: 1. March 8:34 (Jason Kutz) 2. Fuchsia, ft. Buzz Kemper 5:56 (Jason Kutz) 3. Better Days 6:56 (Mark Hetzler) 4. Elegy, ft. Eddie Barbash 5:02 (Ben Ferris) 5. Abandoned Cities 4:30 (Mark Hetzler) 6. Appellation Spring 6:20 (Mark Hetzler) 7. Britten's Written Rhythm 8:02 (Jason Kutz) 8. Fuchsia, ft. Eddie Barbash 8:10 (Jason Kutz) 9. Uncanny Valley 9:35 (Mike Koszewski) write your comments about the article :: © 2023 Jazz News :: home page |