Album Notes

The Schumacher / Sanford Sound Assembly is a 17-piece collective of New York's finest players featuring the original compositions of David Schumacher and JC Sanford. Schumacher and Sanford strive for organic structures, extended forms, and motivic development through a colorful palette of orchestration. They intertwine improvised and composed elements in their work to create a natural, seamless evolution of material. It is a combination full of excitement and intrigue that will fulfill the most critical and demanding jazz audience.

Sound Assembly members, including drummer John Hollenbeck, pianist Deanna Witkowski, trumpeter John Bailey, trombonists Mark Patterson and Alan Ferber, and reedmen Chris Bacas, Ben Kono, and Dan Willis, bring a vast range of experience to the group. The talents of these members showcase the unmistakable sound, style, and nuance of co-leaders Schumacher and Sanford.

World renowned composer, pianist, and bandleader Jim McNeely says, "These guys are carving out their own territory in the realm of the modern jazz orchestra. The music is full of lights and shadows, twists and turns, and affords plenty of surprises. Definitely worth checking out!"

Branford Marsalis proclaims, "The orchestration is on point. Sounds great!"

“an intriguing, varied and demanding package, to which this orchestra responds, in typical New York fashion, with awesome fire and precision” - Irish Times

“The music that the Schumacher/Sanford Sound Assembly creates is intelligent, vital, very well-played and most assuredly good for your mind and soul” - Hartford Courant

“...pushes the envelope, finding yet more new places where big band jazz can go...nothing short of fascinating. This is very cerebral music. Yet it's also breathtakingly beautiful in places for many, many reasons...” - Lucid Culture

“The record is thick, exciting, haunting, and frequently audacious...the Sound Assembly has forged a brave set of numbers with Edge of the Mind, the next step in the journey of the eight-year-old cooperative effort...this outfit has created something special.” - Blogcritics Magazine

“This large ensemble produces an exciting modern jazz sound propelled by intelligent charts
and flawless execution by a first-rate cast of musicians.” - Ejazz News

“All around, this is one of the richest albums I've listened to in 2009, & gets a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED from me. I expect (& you should too) to hear a lot more from these folks... they're ON IT!” - Dick Metcalf aka Rotcod
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