http://www.ericperson.com
A landmark recording, Thoughts on God, is the most recent release from prolific saxophonist and composer Eric Person. His ninth disc as a leader, the fifth on his own Distinction Records label and first funded through the Kickstarter program, an online funding platform for creative projects. Having fronted several different units including Meta-Four and Metamorphosis, as well as the cooperative TrioKinesis the veteran horn man is heard here leading his own jazz orchestra for the very first time. Person is an alumnus of the forward looking big bands of McCoy Tyner, David Murray and John Hicks, and is best known for his wide-ranging sideman work with Dave Holland, Chico Hamilton, and World Saxophone Quartet. On Thoughts on God, Person exhibits the fruits of lessons learned during his quarter of a century of diversified experience. The pieces composed for this twelve part suite are inspired by his powerful abiding faith in the positive force of the Creator.
The music here, performed by a thirteen piece ensemble featuring some of New York City’s most accomplished players, finds its inspiration in Person’s own spiritual nature. “When I wrote this music I had certain ideas in my mind and certain thoughts and feelings that I wanted to have come through the music,” Person proclaims. “The thing that separates this project from my other music is that when I sat down to write this music I tried to visualize all the great things, the blessings that we have here on Earth. So I tried to think positive thoughts, to think about the Creator, about all the wonderful things that he’s given us. I feel that this positivity came through the music. It came through in my writing and it also came through the performance in the recording studio.”
Here's the Thoughts on God personnel:
Eric Person-alto, soprano saxophones, flute
Craig Bailey-alto sax, flute
Patience Higgins-tenor sax, clarinet
Sly Scott-tenor sax, flute
Scott Robinson-baritone sax
Duane Eubanks-trumpet, flugelhorn
James Zollar-trumpet, flugelhorn
Curtis Hasslebring-trombone
Isrea Butler, bass trombone, trombone
Bryan Carrott-vibraphone
Adam Klipple-piano
Adam Armstrong bass
Shinnosuke Takahashi-drums
Person says of the date’s mission, “Thoughts Of God is my humble gift to the Creator, but it’s also a gift to the world. My belief is that by making music of creativity and power I’m doing my part in helping make this world a better place to live.”
"Person's fifth release on his Distinction Records label, and his first orchestral work, this is probably his greatest achievement to date..."
Scott Albin, Jazztimes
