UPCOMING LIVE APPEARANCES
Wednesday, September 29th 8pm
Pearring Sound
Appearing
at
636 Dean St
Brooklyn, NY 11238
Pearring Sound
Jeff Pearring, alto sax
Ron Horton, trumpet
Russ Lossing, piano
Adam Lane, bass
Billy Mintz, drums
This event can also be live-streamed up to 72 hours after the performance.
During the last part of the COVID era, altoist Jeff Pearring offers a set of duets that, while socially distanced, feature close communication with a variety of fellow greats
Musicians Names + Instruments: Billy Mintz, drums 1,2, Cameron Brown, bass 5,6, Claire de Brunner, bassoon 3, Daniel Carter, soprano saxophone 7, Francisco Mela, drums 8, Ken Filiano, bass 4, Jeff Pearring, alto saxophone all tracks
2020 was an extremely difficult year for all musicians but some took advantage of the extreme limitations to express themselves in unique ways. Alto-saxophonist Jeff Pearring, who under the group name of “Pearring Sound” normally leads units ranging from trios to a quintet, wanted to interact with other inventive musicians but in a safe manner. He decided to play duets with six diverse but very talented musical partners, resulting in the eight selections that comprise Pearring Sound Socially Distanced Duos.
“Twisting Pavement,” the first of two duets with Billy Mintz (leader of the ten-piece Two Bass Band and a drummer who has had important associations with the likes of Mike Garson, Vinny Golia, Bill Mays, Charles Lloyd, and Alan Broadbent among countless others), begins with Mintz setting the mood before Pearring constructs a melodic and rhythmic improvisation. They also team up together on “Time In Isolation,” a relaxed jazz waltz that serves as a showcase for the altoist.
Alto-bassoon duets are not exactly common, but there are few improvising bassoonists with the abilities of Claire de Brunner who studied with Lee Konitz and Connie Crothers and has worked with some of the most adventurous musicians in the New York area. On “Shapeshifter,” she is very much an equal partner with Pearring as they inspire each other during their passionate encounter. Ken Filiano has been an important bassist since the 1980s, working with Vinny Golia, Anthony Braxton and the who’s who of the avant-garde, appearing on over 150 albums. He pushes Pearring throughout “A Continuous Conversation Renewed,” coming up with a nonstop flow of creative ideas while swinging throughout. Bassist Cameron Brown worked extensively with Sheila Jordan, the Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet, Archie Shepp. and Dewey Redman. He performs Miles Davis’ “Solar” and the playful “No, We Don’t” with Pearring, playing subtle and inventive lines. Saxophonist Daniel Carter, who has had important associations with William Parker and Matthew Shipp and has led at least 50 albums of his own, plays soprano-sax on “Present Value Impact, the Gift,” a pretty ballad that features the two horns spontaneously harmonizing with each other. Francisco Mela has played drums with an endless number of top artists from the jazz and Latin music worlds including Joe Lovano, McCoy Tyner, and Chucho Valdes. He teams up with Jeff Pearring on the set’s final duet, “Extempore Arquitectura,” an episodic musical adventure that begins with quite a bit of fire before becoming lyrical and wistful.
Jeff Pearring was born in Colorado, started on the alto saxophone when he was ten, and had a career in economics before switching to music. He worked early on in classical music, ska and reggae, but turned towards jazz, studying with the late pianist-educator Connie Crothers, one of his mentors. With his constantly evolving Pearring Sound, the altoist recorded What Had Happened in 2016 (featuring electric bassist Adam Lane and drummer Flin van Hemmen), 2018’s True Story (Connie Crothers’ last recording which also includes Ken Filiano and drummer Carlo Costa), and Nothing But Time (2019) with bassist Lane and drummer Tim Ford.
Socially Distanced Duos is the most unusual of the Pearring Sound recordings but is quite timely and features Jeff Pearring in top form as the COVID era finally begins to end.
1. Twisting Pavement 6:45
2. Time in Isolation 8:45
3. Shapeshifter 4:42
4. A Continuous Conversation Renewed 5:32
5. Solar 3:12 (Miles Davis)
6. No, We Don’t 3:11
7. Present Value Impact, the Gift 3:55
8. Extempore Arquitectura 5:49
All tracks composed by Pearring Sound except where noted
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