New music

After a long hiatus, I am once again working on an unfinished recording by my band Proto-Human—a PDX-based sextet featuring David Valdez (alto sax), Tim Willcox (tenor sax), Ryan Meager (guitar), Andrew Jones (bass), and Todd Bishop (drums) . . . plus me on piano and compositions. 

I really like the music I wrote for this group, but the project was nearly derailed a few years ago when one of the original members (not anyone listed above) did something detestable, and was (rightly) sent to prison for it. I don’t want to get into the specifics, but for a while that experience soured me to the music. 

Now I’m glad we recorded as the above, much-improved lineup—and I’m glad I recently had the presence of mind to get back to the task of mixing the recordings. I hadn’t realized how much I missed being in the studio. Of course, it has been a challenge to overcome the feeling of musical inertia, and to coordinate with my “other life” as a (prose) writer.

For the adventurous, below are two sample tracks—rough mixes both. (For what it's worth, not all of the cuts from the record are this rock-oriented.) 

More to come.