Recordings

“My first dream goal in life was to play First Base for the Cleveland Indians. My second was to write and record my own music and lead killer bands.

As far as I can tell, Josh Naylor has First Base locked up for the Guardians, so with the release of my debut album, “Hues", I’ll settle for the realization of the second dream.

The title of the album comes from where I was fortunate enough to make lots of music with the three musicians on this record, “Hughes Hall”, the …. weathered …. music building at Ohio State University.

Lucas Holmes (piano), Adam DeAscentis (bass), and Maxwell Button (drums) all brought wonderful energy and creativity to this music. I hadn’t seen any of them for quite a few years once I had moved away from Columbus, so it was a great treat to get all of us into a room to record at The Beat Farm in Youngstown, Ohio with the one-and-only Billy LaGuardia, who I’ll be forever indebted to for providing the venue, the sound, Cocca’s, and the confidence that we got the takes.”

THE MUSIC

1. “Almost Like Being in Love” (Lerner/Loewe)

   I think standards are a great way for artists and listeners to break the ice. It’s like speed-dating for jazz musicians: I don’t know you. You don’t know me. But we both know this song!

2. “Sleepwalker” (Graziosi)

   Here’s a contrafact on “You Stepped Out of a Dream.” I was trying this idea on composition from Lee Konitz where you write a contrafact, then reharmonize it, then write another new melody over your new reharm and continue ad nausem. I believe this was only one level deep each before I was happy with it. Could you imagine what would’ve come out of nine-layers of reharms and new melodies?

3. “The Mable Street Fable” (Graziosi)

   I was starting to check out a lot of Cedar Walton and Woody Shaw at the time that this was written. My idea was to write a tune like “Ugetsu (Fantasy in D)” or “Bolivia”, but combine that with the fire that Shaw often brought to his tunes. Maxwell Button coming in hot on the drum solo!

4. “Sospiro” (Graziosi)

   This piece is what the title implies: a musical sigh. I have a big heart, but I tend to have a very hard time verbally expressing how it feels. This Branford/ECM-inspired piece helped me say the words I couldn’t find.

5. “Bittersweet” (Jones)

   This is such a fun blues written by legendary bassist, Sam Jones. The A-sections are a snaky bebop melody, and then he opens it all up with the chromatic B-section. Thanks to Lucas for putting up with the left-hand part coming out of the bass solo. You’re a wiz!

6. “I Gotta Fly!” (Graziosi)

   I wrote this while going through a particularly rough period in my life. I remember getting a phone call one morning asking if I could fly to New Orleans to cover a gig. I was so excited to get myself going again that I jumped on the piano and started improvising over this groove and making up lyrics. (Thank god no one was home.) Thus, “I Gotta Fly!” was written in about 10 minutes. The lyrics were lost many years ago, so don’t ask. :D

CREDITS

Joe Graziosi - Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax

Lucas Holmes - Piano

Adam DeAscentis - Bass

Maxwell Button - Drums

Billy LaGuardia - Recording Engineer

Joe Graziosi - Mixing Engineer

Jamie Vitullo - Mastering Engineer

Produced by Joe Graziosi ©2024

SIDEMAN DISCOGRAPHY

Norbert Leo Butz - The Angel Band Project: A Night with Norbert Leo Butz (2014)

Isabela Moner - Stopping Time (2015)

Vaughn Weister’s Famous Jazz Orchestra - Jazz Tempo (2010)

Vaughn Weister’s Famous Jazz Orchestra - Dreams Come True (2009)

The Zou - Kills, Pt. 2 (2015)

Mimi Bessette - Lullabies of Broadway: Act II (2018)

Ross Kratter Quartet - It's Time (2018)

When I Grow Up: Broadway’s Next Generation Live at 54 Below (2013)

Darryl Alexander, Sr. - Transitons