Description

Executive Producers: Craig and Diane Martin

Artist Pages: Andrew Boyle | Misha Bigos | JJ Kirkpatrick | Gary Wicks | Sophisticated Lady

Repertoire:

Left Coastin’, Gary Wicks
Flutterby Girl, Gary Wicks
Hello, Gary Wicks
Stumbling, Misha Bigos

Sophisticated Lady jazz quartet pays homage to the Great Tradition of American Jazz but most of their repertoire is written by members of the quartet. Unlike the majority of contemporary jazz recordings, which are carefully and surgically patched together in postproduction, this album remains raw and fresh. These tracks are complete takes, “live to tape,” without editing. The music on this recording is how Sophisticated Lady plays without the help of digital manipulation.

Yarlung makes recordings in concert halls, not studios; our albums capture the sound of our musicians playing in real acoustic spaces. When the members of Sophisticated Lady quartet first played in Cammilleri Hall their eyes lighted up and excitement built. They responded to the beautiful sound in the hall immediately, and the acoustics enabled Yarlung to record this album with our characteristically minimalist approach.

This album proudly bears the seal and endorsement of the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society.  President Mike Wechsberg, Chairman Robert Levi and the society’s multi-year collaboration with Yarlung have enabled joint concerts and recordings to reach larger audiences; indeed many on Yarlung’s technical team and board of directors are members of the Audio Society.  Yarlung musicians join us in expressing our appreciation.

We owe hearty thanks to our magnificent executive producers Diane & Craig Martin, who not only support many of Yarlung’s vinyl and digital releases but have also hosted concerts and patron dinners with our musicians.  Craig also serves as chairman of Yarlung’s board of directors.   Recent releases honored with Craig’s and Diane’s generous support include Lifeline: Music of the Underground Railroad and four volumes of the Yuko Mabuchi jazz LPs that continue to sell out all over the world.  Craig and Diane started with two volumes of Yuko Mabuchi Trio and followed with two LPs named Yuko Mabuchi plays Miles Davis.  Thank you! Your zest for life and music inspire me and our fortunate musicians every day.

Left Coastin’ celebrates bass player and composer Gary Wicks who composed and led improvisations on three of the four tunes on this LP.  Pianist Misha Adair Bigos helps us celebrate a busy day and stumble into a quiet night with the last track.  The quartet rehearsed and performed some of these tunes before our concert and recording but many are the first time through; the quartet discussed the tunes and who would take what solo in which order but without rehearsal.  I wanted the intensity of raw improvisation.  This is possible when superb musicians tackle new material together, listening carefully to each other and playing as a single organism.  Music cannot get fresher than this.  I am always grateful when musicians of this caliber share their talents with us.

Many thanks to Altea Reed, Niazayre Bates and Kaja Grujic for modeling for us on a nearby California beach.  You take us back to the 1950s Cool Jazz Era for sure.  Niazayre came up with the idea with her father, Yarlung’s photographer Cooper Bates.

–Bob Attiyeh, producer

Executive Producers: Craig & Diane Martin
Producer and Recording Engineer: Bob Attiyeh
Mastering Engineers: Steve Hoffman & Bob Attiyeh
Vinyl Mastering: Bernie Grundman
Microphone Preamplification: Elliot Midwood
AKG C24 & C12 microphones: Gearworks Pro Audio
Steinway technician: Robert Koning
Graphic Layout: MikeDesign
Cooper Bates Photography

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