Liner Notes

About the concept of this record.

Lucky for me, I had the forethought years ago to develop a habit for recording myself in nearly every rehearsal, jam session, and performance in voice memos on my phone. This has led to an exhaustive library of recordings which is quite rewarding to pick through and reminisce over. It’s also been deeply humbling as every leg of my evolution as a player has been immortalized in plain detail. The recording never lies!

It is my pleasure to present and make public selections from that collection, representing a range of musical and sonic situations. Across these six recordings, you will listen through three different performances across six months with varying frontlines and rhythm sections,

all recorded from a single position in the room onto my phone. This produces an passable, if suboptimal, quality level of recording. For the original release of this album, I had tweaked the audio from my phone recorder in an effort to bring out a livelier mix, however I returned to this project in January 2024 to release the raw unmolested audio which I feel is far more listenable. In addition, a 'CD re-release exclusive' track has been added to this 'LP' compilation record, that being "Groovin' High".

Now, about the music.

It was only natural to open with an introduction from the always fabulous and relentlessly hilarious William Ward, kicking off a swinging performance of the blues "Centerpiece" before a raucous audience. Even years later, I can feel the energy from the audience flowing straight into our veins, and we into theirs. There really is nothing like playing for a room of rowdy college students. From later in the same set, "So Tired", a steamy groove, features the rhythm section. That year, Will and I would go on to colead a number of different bands, and I am eternally grateful to call him my friend.

Next up, we jump forward a few months and leave behind Brooklyn’s Pizza in Ellensburg to cross the pass to North Bend with an intimate trio date. This instrumentation was something I was explored quite a bit that year, as it was the same instrumentation I chose for my debut EP, "Plus Two". Actually, the recording and release dates for that record are bookended by mere days between the previous Will Ward date and this next one. We begin with the cool, easy "East of the Sun" (and West of Snoqualmie). Nate’s bass playing is groovy and virtuosic, utilizing the whole instrument, which I feel like is only encouraged when unencumbered by a piano. From back in the drum chair, the inimitable Greg Williamson indulges my slapstick proclivities on the staple Fat’s Waller composition "Honeysuckle Rose". Stir it up, stir it up! Dizzy's "Groovin' High" caps off this leg of the journey with the brightest tempo of the album, leading to exciting flights of improvisation on a Bird and Diz classic based on a progressive Paul Whiteman popular song from the 1920s.

To cap it off, we return to the official house of CWU jazz jams, Brooklyn’s, and hop back in time to the beginning of the year with musical moment very special to me that features one of my truly favorite sounding saxophones, that of Kandin Neri playing tenor. It tickles me every time the way in which we fall into conversational counterpoint on the out-head of "Star Eyes" and I can still sing every note of Kandin’s solo.

And with that, the show comes to a close. I’d like to thank you very much for listening.

May you remain ever in the pocket,

NP