Album Notes

What the reviewers have said:
" Apparently Loren Pickford has reached a level few alto players in this era have. His creative voice as an improviser is a major event. His playing and composing will continue as a musical power in the new millennium."
Tim Price in Saxophone Journal.
"Though words fall short in trying to get a handle on Pickford's gripping style, it is clear that part of his appeal comes from his daredevil ability to dance at the edge without falling. Pickford pushes his mastery of the idiom (and his horn) to the brink time and time again."
Chuck Berg for The Lawrence-Journal World.

On this new diverse and eclectic CD, completed a week before Hurricane Katrina forced Loren to evacuate his long time home in New Orleans and relocate to Kansas City MO, Loren explores the fusion genre in three original compositions featuring synth master, Steve Hunt of Alan Holdsworth and Stanley Clarke fame, his son Lucas Pickford, a virtuoso 6-string bassist currently with The Headhunters, and drummer Mark Simmons, who has recorded with Al Jarreau, Diane Reeves and James Brown. On "Bridgeport Blues" by Loren and son, Lucas, the great,long-time Prince guitarist and vocalist, Jesse Johnson is featured. On the remaining five tracks Loren has his fine New Orleans based straight ahead jazz quintet of Chuck Chaplin-piano, Todd Duke-guitar, Peter Harris-bass and Julian Garcia-drums playing three more of his original compositions with one standard and a Kenny Dorham tune.
Loren has played and recorded with jazz artists as diverse as Slim Galliard, George Cables, Billy Higgins, Kei Akagi, Frank Rossolino and Brian Blade and with R&B legends, Jackie Wilson, Ray Charles, T Bone Walker and Van Morrison among the many. He is a 42 year veteran and traveler of the jazz scenes of Los Angeles, San Francisco, NYC, Denver, Boston, Miami. Louisville, Amsterdam, Paris, New Orleans and Kansas City, with a few smaller and greyer stops in between. This is his seventh CD release under his own name.
Loren has also worked as a teacher, Broadway stage and film composer, watercolor painter, race horse handler, truck driver, cabbie, fry cook, packing house laborer and New Orleans chef.