The sounds of birds, deer, hikers, roaring rivers, slackliners, helicopters, motorcycles and semi-trucks.
The atmosphere morphing form the calmest, most picturesque day to torrential wind and hailstorms.
The peaceful meditation found from the utter chaos that led to this album.
My family escaped COVID-stricken New York City in March 2020, retreating to the in-laws' place in South Dakota. I started looking for a practice space away from Zoom conference calls and neighbors accustomed to a quiet life. I discovered Falling Rock-- a secluded canyon on the outskirts of town that offered peace, solitude, fresh air and an opportunity to work on innumerable musical ideas-- all with varying kinds of reverb as a backdrop, depending on where I chose to open the saxophone case that day. Our weeklong stay extended into a month, then eight. Thankfully, this ravine became my home away from home away from home, with unbound inspiration for composition, exploration, study and introspection to be-- in hindsight-- thankful for.
You have in your hands just one of the outcomes from these isolated experiments-- a work that would not have been made otherwise. Charlie Parker's centennial birthday came and went during my time at Falling Rock; his music, ideas and meaning were consistently bubbling up to the surface of my thoughts and practice. This album represents a fight against nature, both viral and atmospheric. Recording this album was my attempt to grow and learn while the world went haywire and lost its damn mind. Thank you for taking this journey with me, six feet away.
Jon Irabagon
1. Anthropology 01:32
2. Sippin' at Bells 03:27
3. Bebop 05:11
4. Ornithology 03:56
5. Now's the Time 04:03
6. Donna Lee 02:45
7. Hot House 04:23
8. B. Schwifty 05:29
9. Mohawk 03:11
10. KC Blues 03:10
11. Get Schwifty 01:36
12. Segment 03:22
13. Moose the Mooche 02:25
14. Blues for Alice 03:31
15. Quasimodo 05:42
Recorded in different locations in Falling Rock, South Dakota, at the edge of the Black Hills National Forest, over the late summer/early fall of 2020.
Produced, recorded and edited by Jon Irabagon
Mixed by Ben Rubin at House of Cha Cha, Brooklyn
All tracks by Charlie Parker (Atlantic Music Corp) except
Sippin' at Bells by Miles Davis (Screen Gems-- EMI Music Inc.),
Bebop by Dizzy Gillespie (Universal-- MCA Music Publishing),
Anthropology by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie (Atlantic Music Corp/Music Sales Corp),
Ornithology by Charlie Parker and Benny Harris (Atlantic Music Corp),
Hot House by Tadd Dameron (WB Music Corp) and
B. Schwifty and Get Schwifty by Jon Irabagon (F Magellan Music, ASCAP)
