Album Notes

“Buzz's Fat Tire” is the new CD by Chill 7, four Twin Cities musicians who get filed under “Jazz” in the record store. Their sound is jazz, to be sure, but, like all jazz, the label doesn't tell the whole story. There's the bop sound in there that you might expect, but also funk grooves (shades of the 70s), progressive rock, psychedelia and jam band colors throughout the disc. It's simply the sounds they hear, the music they feel. Perhaps this is why they're as comfortable at venues packed with students in Mankato as they are at the Twin Cities Hot Summer Jazz Festival and the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis.

“ . . . this young band might be one of the best kept secrets and unjustifiably overlooked combos on the scene. . . . They swing, they jam, they rock their
way through live sets with abandon.”
Kevin O'Connor, Music Director KBEM 88.5 FM (Liner notes to “Buzz's Fat Tire”)

Since their debut recording “Little Fish Eat Big Fish” in 2002, Chill 7 has released a few live sides, sort of their own “bootleg series” in the tradition of the tapers. For “Buzz's Fat Tire,”
Chill 7 engaged the recording, mixing and mastering talents of Matthew Zimmerman at Wild Sound Studio. The 12 original tracks go from introspective to aggressive, always with a funked-out blend of styles.

“. . . Chill 7 are releasing a properly bold groove fest with Buzz's Fat Tire.
In the dozen original tracks they blur the lines between jazz, jam band,
and psychedelic rock with soulful sax, trippy wah-wah pedal guitar licks,
slap-happy bass runs, and big, big drums.” Mpls/St. Paul Magazine

Chill 7 is ~ Josh Brinkman, saxophone – originally from the Washington, D.C. area, Josh Brinkman has played with a number of Twin Cities rock, jazz and jam bands. Josh writes a lot of the Chill 7 material. Michael Burand, guitar – when he's not slinging guitar for Chill 7, he's manning the banjo for bluegrass band Pickin' Up Steam. Jason Swanson, bass – Jason is an accomplished classical bassist in addition to his funky jazz sound. He relocated to Minnesota after studying bass in Idaho. Andy Artz, drums – also heard with bands including Steve Clarke's Working Stiffs and the Stan Bann Big Band.

More information is available at chill7.com and myspace.com/chill7.