Featuring a brilliant 17-piece big band that includes such distinctive soloists as saxophonists John Nastos, Rob Davis, Renato Caranto and Mieke Bruggeman; trumpeters Farnell Newton, Derek Sims and Thomas Barber; trombonists Stan Bock and Jeff Uusitalo; and flutist John Savage, the album was recorded live in the resonant Alberta Abbey, a historic church turned performance space in Weiss’ hometown of Portland, Oregon.

Weiss tries to make sense of a divided world on this stirring and impassioned suite addressed to his young children. It’s a heartbreakingly confessional work that’s both a loving message passed down from father to children as well as a profound and deeply felt plea for togetherness and empathy.

1. Fanfare for a Newborn
2. Dear O. and J.
3. Blues and the Alternative Fact
4. You just started kindergarten
5. José’s Drawing
6. I don’t mean to be a downer
7. Obergefell
8. What now
9. We Limit Not the Truth of God
10. Please Know That I Love You
11. Footprints

Ezra Weiss Big Band
Ezra Weiss, conductor

John Nastos, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet
John Savage, alto saxophone, flute, alto flute
Renato Caranto, tenor saxophone
Rob Davis, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet
Mieke Bruggeman, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet

Greg Garrett, trumpet, flugelhorn
Thomas Barber, trumpet, flugelhorn
Derek Sims, trumpet, flugelhorn
Farnell Newton, trumpet, flugelhorn

Stan Bock, trombone
Jeff Uusitalo, trombone
Denzel Mendoza, trombone
Douglas Peebles, bass trombone

Jasnam Daya Singh, piano
Eric Gruber, bass
Alan Jones, drums
Carlton Jackson, percussion

The Camas High School Choir (9)
Ethan Chessin, director

Listen/Buy

I had the pleasure of scoring “Marjorie,” a film by Kalimah Abioto from the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble’s suite From Maxville to Vanport. Check it out!

1. Oregon Sounds Like Freedom
2. What Do Your Trees Tell You?
3. Woman’s Work
4. Marjorie
5. Stacked-Deck Hand
6. Water
7. Maxville to Vanport

Music by Ezra Weiss
Lyrics by S. Renee Mitchell

Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble
Marilyn Keller – voice
Lee Elderton – soprano sax, clarinet
John Savage – alto sax, flute
Rob Davis – tenor sax, clarinet
Mieke Bruggeman – bari sax, bass clarinet
Douglas Detrick and Farnell Newton – trumpet, flugelhorn
John Moak and Denzel Mendoza – trombone
Ryan Meagher – guitar
Jasnam Daya Singh – piano
Bill Athens – bass
Ken Ollis – drums

Now available at:
Bandcamp

1. Our Path To This Moment
2. Rise and Fall
3. It’s You Or No One
4. Kunlangeta
5. The Promise
6. Jessie’s Song
7. Wayfaring Stranger

Ezra Weiss, composer, arranger, piano (tracks 3, 4, 6)
Greg Gisbert, trumpet (tracks 1, 2, 7)

The Rob Scheps Big Band:
Gary Harris, David Valdez, Rob Scheps, Scott Hall, Robert Crowell —  reeds
Rich Cooper, Paul Mazzio, Greg Garrett, Conte Bennett — trumpets
Stan Bock, Tom Hill, John Moak — trombones
JáTtik Clark — tuba
Ramsey Embick — piano
Tim Gilson — bass
Ward Griffiths — drums
Chaz Mortimer — percussion (tracks 3, 7)

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