Album Notes

From Presidential galas to celebrations for foreign dignitaries, Miles Stiebel is one of the most requested performers in the special events industry. But don't let this distract you from this band leader's progressive musicality.

In his second release, Miles Stiebel has created an Excellent Distraction for the sophisticated jazz listener with a collection of originals and covers from one of the East Coast's hottest working bands. The radio report date is January 12 and the retail release date is January 19, 2009 for Excellent Distraction.

What makes Excellent Distraction different than many of the other recordings available on the market is that this CD was recorded by real musicians playing real instruments with a unified goal to capture the essence of a seasoned, live band. (The only synthesizer you will hear is one used as a secondary instrument on one song.)

As you intently listen to each track, you will hear each distinctive musical personality interact with a familiarity that only comes from years of service on the bandstand. The collective result is a sound that is powerful and emotionally charged. From Stiebel's violin to the hard driving horn section, Excellent Distraction is a musically rich tapestry of distinctive quality.

The first single to go for radio adds on contemporary jazz radio will be "Sir Duke." For this particular arrangement, bringing the same excitement the band feels from a live performance to the studio was a task that Stiebel gave great care. "Whenever we perform our version of “Sir Duke,” it is very well received by our audience. It is a great feeling to see people move to our music and really groove when we play this tune. I feel that our dynamic arrangement is unique and that it gives the song a different life," said Stiebel.

A violin in the world of contemporary jazz may be an unusual choice. However, like any great bandleader, Stiebel is fearless in his desire to let all the instrumentation shine. "People often tell us how much they like the way we blend the sound of the violin and saxophone or the violin and guitar, so you will hear some nice conversations between these instruments in my music," said Stiebel.

Produced by Bob Dawson (who has been on numerous Grammy nominated projects) and mastered by Ted Jensen (a Grammy-winning engineer with Norah Jones), great attention has been given to the quality of the arrangements in Excellent Distraction. "When I write music, I want to create an inviting and hummable melody, and set it to a catchy, and hopefully infectious, beat. I want the music to make you feel good so that you will enjoy the moment even more," said Stiebel.

For more information on this project, please visit:
www.milesstiebel.com www.myspace.com/milesstiebel