9th April 2013: BIG NEWS: Patrick Cornelius to release his second album ‘Infinite Blue’ July 30 + April pre-launch tour starting next week
We’re delighted to announce the new album and pre-launch UK tour (April 15 – 23) from one of the preeminent saxophonists of his generation:
Patrick Cornelius
Infinite Blue
Release Date:
July 30, 2013 Worldwide
Featuring:
(From L to R) Patrick Cornelius – Compositions & Alto Saxophone | Nick Vayenas – Trombone
Frank Kimbrough – Piano | Mike Rodriguez – Trumpet | Michael Janisch – Double Bass | Jeff Ballard – Drums
Fans of NYC-based alto saxophonist Patrick Cornelius will be happy to hear that his next album will be officially released on July 30th of this year with a pre launch tour of the UK taking place in under a week from April 15 to the 23rd, where advance copies of the album will be available for sale. Patrick and his band will start the tour with 2 nights at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho and continue on around the UK. Full performance schedule can be found on our Events page.
Infinite Blue is the follow up WWR album from Patrick Cornelius (who released the critically acclaimed Fierce with us in 2010) and with one listen you’ll hear its a mighty step forward in his development as an award-winning composer and saxophonist. The album features a mix of Cornelius’ favorite musicians (both contemporary as well as established veterans) and we’ll have much more on this release soon, including a dedicated album page with sound samples, but for now we like to go straight to the source and let Patrick tell you about the album in his own words:
“Infinite Blue is a refinement of the quest for melody and mood within the jazz tradition that I began with my last album Maybe Steps. The main difference is my compositional efforts have reflected a new interest in counterpoint: in making the compositions themselves more conversational between various members of the ensemble. Another difference is that all of my records up until this one have featured sidemen from my age group or generation. For Sky Blue, I specifically wanted to enlist the talents of a few older, more experienced musicians, and mix them together with some other talents from my age group.
Pianist Frank Kimbrough has played with everyone from Dewey Redman to Ron Carter, but is most musically recognizable as the “sound” of the Maria Schneider Orchestra. I knew that Frank would bring a creative, sensitive, and swinging approach to this music, particularly fleshing out the moodier pieces in on the album. Jeff Ballard has a similarly broad spectrum of musical experience, from Ray Charles to Chick Corea. Not only does he bring unique orchestration sensibilities to every project he’s involved with, he’s incredibly professional, swinging, and easy to vibe with on any type of tune. It was an honor to have him play my music, and I think his performance brings a palpable joyfulness to the program.
Michael Janisch, impresario of Whirlwind Recordings and bassist extraordinaire, and I have been working together musically since 2006, when we started the Anglo-European ensemble The TransAtlantic Collective together. Michael shares all of my musical values, from swing to spontaneity, and can get inside my artistic brain pretty effortlessly, making him my first choice rhythm section musician for any project. I was fortunately able to bring him over to New York from London in order to help spearhead this project from start to finish. Trombonist Nick Vayenas is another close partner in crime. He and I have recorded together on 9 different albums over the years, and his trombone has been the lower-end front-line foil for my alto for 3 out of my 4 solo albums. His playing has a bite: a rough but nimble swagger that I find infectious to listen to and play alongside. Rounding out the ensemble is trumpeter Mike Rodriguez, who has become one of my generation’s most recognizable brass front linesmen. His playing, in contrast to Nick’s, has a sweet, refined classiness to it, and he plays with a mellow, honeyed tone that simmers just underneath the surface.
Each of the songs on Infinite Blue has a story behind it, and was written to evoke a specific mood. The title track was written when I was on an airplane, flying to Texas to visit my mother. As I was looking out the window, I came up with this idea for a soaring melody line with different harmonic plateaus. Regent Street is a swaggering, confident duet of melodies that reflects how great it feels to step out in a new suit and fancy shoes. My Green Tara is a breezy melody commissioned by the Rubin Museum of Tibetan Art in New York, inspired by a jade statue of the Green Tara, a female deity in Tibetan Buddhism that represents the spirit of enlightened activity. I’ll leave the rest for your imagination”
Patrick Cornelius, NYC, March 2013
Check back soon for the Infinite Blue album page with sound previews, as always thanks for stopping by!