Album Notes

Matt Lavelle – trumpet, bass clarinet, cuica
Matthew Heyner – basses
Ryan Sawyer – drums

Birthed in New York City from disparate influences, Eye Contact is a collective which is forging new ground in the field of improvisation. Drawing on backgrounds in jazz, punk, metal and Latin American music, the result is unlike anything else you’ve heard. Previous releases were on Utech Records.

Matt Lavelle currently plays in New York City, gigging with William Parker, Sabir Mateen, Daniel Carter, Steve Swell, Jemeel Moondoc and a host of other free jazz legends. He leads a straight ahead quintet and his Latin group Morcilla as well. His personal quest to continue the tradition of the bass clarinet is remarkable and WAR RUG provides the perfect setting.

Matthew Heyner is the bassist and founding member of improv/freak out leaders No-Neck Blues Band, and has also worked extensively with Thurston Moore (of Sonic Youth fame), legendary free jazz collective TEST, Steve Swell, Sabir Mateen and black metal group Malkuth.

Ryan Sawyer cut his teeth in the Texas punk scene, playing in the earliest incarnations of At The Drive-In. He has since moved to New York, where he is a member of rock trio Tall Firs, with whom he has just completed two national tours. He also is one of the leaders of Stars Like Fleas, an improvising big band which also includes Lavelle. His work as a sideman has included gigs with Tony Malaby, Daniel Carter and many more.