Friday, July 7, 2017

John McLean & Clark Sommers Band - Parts Unknown (ORIGIN RECORDS 2017)



" ...(McLean has) a sweeping, gorgeous, day-glo tone from his guitar that grabs the ear even in a crowd; once he has your attention, he holds on to it with quick, hard stories perched between street-talk and Olympian pronouncement."
NEIL TESSER

Each important members of Chicago's jazz scene for two decades, guitarist McLean and bassist Sommers further solidified their musical rapport through touring and recording with vocalist Kurt Elling over the last several years. The seeds of "Parts Unknown" were planted after a Chicago performance of the duo with the dynamic New York vibist Joe Locke. Enlisting Chicago drummer Xavier Breaker, the group ended up recording this set of original, slippery, joyous and eclectic modern jazz gems. 

"...Clark Sommers plays with a rock-bottom, infectious groove...securely steeped in the jazz tradition." - JAZZ.COM

1 Blondie Roundabout 8:23 (Joe Locke)
2 Labor Day 5:31 (John McLean)
3 Time Window 8:43 (Clark Sommers)
4 Parts Unknown 5:30 (John McLean)
5 Safe and Sound (At the Edge of the Milky Way) 6:18 (Joe Locke)
6 All Alone 7:35 (Mal Waldron , arr. Clark Sommers)
7 Farther From That 6:35 (Clark Sommers)
8 Last Call 5:49 (John McLean

John McLean: guitar
Clark Sommers: bass
Joe Locke: vibraphone
Xavier Breaker: drums

Produced by John McLean & Clark Sommers
Recorded & mixed by Vijay Tellis Nayak
at Transient Studios, Chicago, IL
Mastered by Brian Schwab, Chicago, IL
Cover photo courtesy Focus Images
Band photograph by Chad McCullough
Cover design by John Bishop