"Balance Of The Three" has a long and very personal history. In late 2016 we were asked to open the local independent radio station's WRIR annual fundraising shindig at a swanky downtown hotel. I felt the need to come up with some kind of over the top special performance for this but I agonized for awhile about what exactly to do. I for awhile had wanted to do sort of a tribute to John Zorn's seminal "Spy Vs. Spy" album which itself is a tribute to the music of Ornette Coleman. What I was attracted to was Zorn's instrumentation for that album. 2 drummers, 2 saxophonists and a bass player. I wanted to do a performance with 3 drummers, 3 saxophonists and 2 bass players, one upping Zorn's ensemble, not in talent but at least instrumentation. Over time that project sort of got put on hold but in devising "Balance Of The Three" I did keep the 3 drummers idea and the 3 saxophonists. At the time I was trying to balance the three main aspects of my life, personal, professional and musical so I broke the song up into three suites the first a free jazz blowout, the second part a almost danceable groove and then an ambient ending. The studio version recorded in October featured mostly the same players but also some new faces on the track like Rei Alvarez, John Priestley and Laura Marina. This structured improv was recorded on the first take with no overdubbing. Also the song title is a nod to Trey Spruance who has been a major influence in my life.
from
Multiplicity,
released January 11, 2019
Produced by Samuel Goff
Mixed By Richard Schellenberg at Etching Tin Studios
October 2017
Samuel Goff - Drums, Percussion
Erik Schroeder - Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Percussion
Laura Marina - Drums, Percussion
Sam Byrd - Drums, Percussion
Tim Harding - Bass
Jimmy Ghaphery - Sopranino Saxophone, Flute
Tristan Brennis - Tenor Saxophone
John Priestley - Guitar
Jacob Courington - Acoustic Bass
Rei Alvarez - Percussion
Dedicated to Trey Spruance