The composers of this material are all geniuses, plain and simple. There is no question all their work is worth checking out. Most of them are from older generations, way before my time. I was very fortunate, however, to be able to correspond with Butch Morris and Roscoe Mitchell about our take on their music. Butch was willing to discuss his composition, "Spooning". He listened to our version in 2007, and mentioned we should try it very slowly, which is what we presented here. Sadly, he never heard this version since he passed away in 2013. I was able to study with Roscoe Mitchell at Mills College. He gave us a chart for "In Walked Buckner" and was encouraging in regard to our arrangement of it.

I started this group in 2004, with Aaron Bennett and John Finkbeiner. Dan Seamans joined the group in 2015, after a few other bass players slipped in and out of the group throughout the years. We focused on playing the music of whom I call "Great American Composers." We mostly played what a good friend of mine called "Blue Collar Gigs". He was referring to gigs that are at pizza places, school fundraisers, French restaurants, random non-profit benefits, company parties, and bars. In the time span of 14 years (2004-2018), we probably did only three actual concerts but managed to do hundreds of blue collar gigs where we focused on this material.

Our goal in playing and recording this music was to contribute our own personal take on it, hopeful adding something worthwhile to the legacy of this creative music. All proceeds from this recording will be donated to the NAACPLDF.

www.naacpldf.org

We hope you enjoy the music.
Vijay

credits
released June 5, 2020

Aaron Bennett - tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
Dan Seamans - bass
John Finkbeiner - guitar
Vijay Anderson - drums