Album Notes

"... beautiful instrumental music that peeks over the fence between jazz and global sounds."
- Scott Stevens, SoundRoots.org & Spin The Globe radio (Olympia WA)

The Arboreal Quartet's music draws from folk/roots, jazz, and North Indian Classical music in a style that crosses borders. Some related moods include Ry Cooder & Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Kelly Joe Phelps and Harry Manx. The Arboreal Quartet's debut – a self-titled CD – is an independent release and features art by Carl David Ruttan. It was recorded live in one studio session. The CD launched on Friday March 5th, 2010 at O Patro Vys in Montréal.

AQ was founded by multi-instrumentalist John Wrinch Williams. John's musical background includes formal training in Hindustani music in India and in California, jazz instruction in Toronto, apprenticeships in traditional music in Ontario and Québec, teaching, and much experience in performance and composition for a variety of instruments and ensembles. John plays the sarod, the 25-stringed relative of the sitar, and is the composer/arranger.

On acoustic guitar, Tom Eliosoff is very active in the Montréal jazz scene, performing with the Chet Doxas Quartet and Eric Thibodeau, teaching, and hosting jazz nights at noted Montréal jazz clubs such as Grumpy's and Upstairs. On upright bass, JF Martins, from Schefferville, Québec, is a multi-instrumentalist himself and brings a melodic touch to the instrument. Drummer Fernando Gelso, originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, is also a member of the Franco Proietti Morph-tet along with JF.

"The music is in no hurry, but ebbs and flows, carrying the listener to that rare place of quiet listening, uncovering graceful melodies along the way." - Kirk Albrecht, Minor7th.com

"Montreal's fascinating Arboreal Quartet mixes folk/roots, jazz and North Indian classical ..."
- Robyn Fadden, The Hour (Montreal QC)

“It's unbelievable the different musical influences that [John] manages to make shine in this quartet's music.”
- Laurie Brown - “The Signal” (CBC Radio 2)

#3 – Exclaim! magazine Jazz chart – July 2010 issue
#2 – ChartAttack Jazz/Blues chart – June 12, 2010
#4 – Exclaim! magazine Jazz chart – June 2010 issue
#1 – !earshot Jazz chart – June 8, 2010