THE PLAYERS:
TOM LINK (saxophones) Tom Link is a fixture on the Memphis music scene, in demand as a saxophonist in small and large jazz groups, R&B bands and Broadway musicals. Tom has degrees from Northern Illinois University and the University of Memphis. An instructor at the Stax Academy in Memphis, Tom is also music director at St. Benedict at Auburndale where his students were recently awarded the Best Blues/R&B Group in the 2007 and 2008 Downbeat Student Music Awards.
AMY REMPEL (piano) Amy Rempel is a graduate student and jazz teaching assistant at Indiana University, Bloomington. Winner of a Downbeat Magazine Student Music Award, the Indiana University Jacobs Scholarship, two Manitoba Women of Note jazz soloist competitions, and the Jimmy King Memorial and Asper jazz scholarships, Amy has been invited to the Ravinia Festival Jazz Program in Chicago. Amy has performed with the national tours of several Broadway musicals including Little Shop of Horrors and The King and I and completed her degree in Jazz Piano Performance at the University of Memphis. www.amyrempel.com
SAM SHOUP (bass) A two time winner of NARAS's premier bassist award, Sam Shoup was born and raised in Memphis. He has also received the Best Bassist Award at the Montreux Jazz Festival's Band Competition. Sam completed a degree in Composition at the University of Memphis and spent ten years working for Media General Broadcast Services, where he received several awards for his work. He was a founding member of the band "Dog Police," which won MTV's Basement Tapes Competition. Sam also specializes in Orchestral and Big Band arranging and is currently arranger for world renowned soprano Kallen Esperian. www.samshoup.com
JAMES SEXTON (drums) One of the busiest drummers in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, James Sexton has performed with prominant musicians such as Donald Brown, James Williams, Kirk Whalum and Allen Toussant. James attended the University of Memphis and was a member of the UM jazz Orchestra for five years. James is also an instructor at the world famous Memphis Drum Shop. His current performance groups include Ole Soul, The New Memphis Underground, The Strictly Jazz Quartet, and The New Orleans Jazz Ramblers and James is also the drummer for Peace Baptist Church.
DAVE LISIK (trumpet) Composer and trumpeter, Dave Lisik is Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis. Dave completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Composition with a Jazz Emphasis at the University of Memphis and Master of Music degree in Jazz Pedagogy at the University of Northern Iowa. Dave has written over 200 works for jazz orchestra, small jazz groups, wind ensemble, orchestra, electro-acoustic combinations, various chamber groups, and instrumental and vocal soloists. His music has been performed and/or recorded by Marvin Stamm, Luis Bonilla, Bill Mays, Carl Allen, Kirk Whalum, Paul Hanson, Rick Culver, Gary Valente, Max Seigel, the Ron Paley Big Band, the Memphis Jazz Orchestra, University of Memphis Faculty Jazz Quintet, David Spencer, Winnipeg Brass Quintet, UNI Faculty Brass Quintet, University of Northern Iowa Jazz Band One and the University of Memphis Jazz Orchestra. www.davelisik.com
THE TUNES:
WOLF MY BLITZER evolved from several discussions about the popular Memphis band, Merle Purvis, which shared its name with a local news personality. Names other than “Merle My Purvis” which were under consideration included “Nick My Paranjape,” “Jarvis My Greer,” and “Tom My Prestigiacomo.”
BRASS AND SHAPES is an odd-meter vamp. You'll hear it.
The album features three TRIO IMPROVISATIONS featuring trumpet, keyboard and bass. These short pieces serve as moody interludes between the longer tunes and showcase nicely the strong musicality of Amy and Sam.
Paul Simon’s GRACELAND evolved out of a Keith Jarrett-esque, ECM version of the tune I wrote several years ago for jazz piano trio. This arrangement gives Tom a small amount of space to add some inspired bass clarinet.
COUP d’ETAT is a tune which stages a violent takeover during the blowing sections, in strong contrast to the opening and closing of the tune. Also in contrast is the considerably major tonality during the solos, serving as a brighter eye of the storm.
I LEFT MY SHIV AT HOME was an exclamation by Bennie Wilson, Instructor of piano at LeMoyne-Owen College which became appropriate to revisit after a recent armed-robbery at the college which resulted in several hours of lockdown, including media helicopter coverage picked up nationally by CNN. This track features Tom Link and his prodigious use of loop technology to build a mutiple-personality tenor solo.
HURRICANE OPHELIA (for Jazz Quintet and Electronic Media) was originally premiered by the Quintet at the Imagine II Electro-Acoustic New Music Festival at the University of Memphis. The track begins with a delayed-effected trumpet solo, mildly suggestive of storm sirens and adds the other players improvising over three main sections.
MANHATTAN SUNRISE reminded me of the Michael J. Fox/Keifer Sutherland movie, “Bright Lights, Big City” which ends with a Donald Fagan tune as the sun comes up over the city and Michael J. Fox trades his sunglasses for a loaf of bread. This tune, written by pianist Amy Rempel, captures that same mood and is appropriate recovery music after the storm.
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