Album Notes

This is it, the legendary "lost album" by the award-winning Rob Levit Group recorded in the wake of 9/11 and suppressed by Rob until now -- for the time being, a digital release only featuring the magnificent sax of Chris Cheek, bassist Matt Penman and drummer John Mettam.

Perceptual depths was recorded 2 weeks after 9/11 and was then performed on a tour of Maryland and Virginia.
Perceptual Depths centers around two concepts: 1) writing pieces that address a particular aspect on how
music is perceived by listener, performer, and composer. Toward that end, I viewed each composition as a
sort of puzzle that would create unconventional improvisational material and thus, unique listening
experience for an audience, and 2) writing parts that specifically challenged the performers but also
appealed to their strengths at the same time.
Summary of the Pieces
Arc: Bossa Nova in 7/4 meter. Challenge of improvising over conventional chord structure with shifting
meters. Leonardo’s Studio: Sparse bass ostinato used for interactive solos and opening with melody three
way counterpoint. Such is Time: Begins with notated drum solo with room for interpretation then head cycles
thorough odd meters and form length. Group improvisation. Little Piece of Sky: Short melodic statement with
dense interval material for open improvisation. Safe Returns: Folk-oriented and simple tune designed to
create a texture rather than a jazz piece per se. Seyir: Rock-oriented piece with improvisation based on
Turkish concept of seyir or pathway in improvisation. Violet: Romantic ballad in the Ellington tradition with
odd number of bars for improvisation and unique sounding textural shifts.”