Recent Updates

KSO Chamber Series Sun Jan 28th, 3pm

Performing some pieces by Daniel Schnyder and a new piece of mine called Speed of the Game. with pianist Mathew Fries, Jamey Haddad on percussion plus KSO string quartet.

3pm in the Dalton Center Recital Hall.

SPEED OF TIME – Review Roundup

Speed of Time got some great press over the last 6 months. Check it out!

LINKS:

Andrew Rathbun, “The speed of time”

Andrew Rathbun – The Speed of Time

https://www.paris-move.com/reviews/andrew-rathbun-the-speed-of-time/

 

REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS:

After the challenging opening track The Speed of Time follows Could It Be, a ballad with a long, impressionistic piano intro by Gary Versace. And despite the composer’s stated goal of integrating several concurrent metrical ideas into his music, the album remains melodically and rhythmically accessible with well-formulated, controlled and technically beautifully delivered music. A lot of care has been put into the compositions; the themes are surprisingly original, and don’t sound like something that has just been scratched down to frame a lot of soli. Jørgen Nielsen – Jazz Special (Norway)

Upon reflection, this saxophonist brings me the same joy as when I, as an adolescent, discovered the universe of Sonny Rollins. Indeed, we are in that kind of saxophonist, quite radical, uncompromising, on compositions of a very high level. Thierry de Clemensat – Paris Move

Rathbun is a unique voice on saxophone with a style and sound of his own. He has assembled a crack band that complements his stylings perfectly and offers much to the astute listener. Ed Sapiega – Jazz Views

My desire to “understand” the music vanished in the face of this seriously entertaining and eminently listenable release… This is a highly entertaining release and has sent this listener to the composer’s website to begin to hear some of his other work which apparently includes forays into classical realms as well. This release now puts Rathbun on my listener’s radar which will alert me to pay attention to the next project from a truly fine musician/composer. Allan J. Cronin – New Music Buff

What stands out for this listener is that, since his earliest recordings, Andrew Rathbun has been an excellent composer. He certainly can improvise as impressively as his contemporaries but telling a story with his music is just as important… this album is yet another fine example of his musicality and creativity. Richard Kamins – Step Tempest

The titular subject of his latest album helming a quartet, The Secret of Time, is arguably the most universal of inspirations. The topic allows for a set of eight compositions approached with equal parts sobriety, wariness and breezy wonder. Drummer Tom Ranney, bassist John Hebert, and Gary Versace on piano are sometimes free-flowing in their cascades of interaction; elsewhere, the foursome’s combined, pointillistic force registers like Mike Oldfield conjuring a raga in a Western scale. Elsewhere, the combo bops more traditionally, yet always with serious intent. Jamie Lee Rake – Shepherd Express

The songs are lyrical and melodic while navigating intriguing harmonic changes and metric shifts. The title track opens the record and immediately grabs the listener’s attention, simultaneously existing in two metric planes. Two players are in a four beat time while the other two are in a cycle of eleven beats. This unstable duality is utterly compelling from start to finish. David Reed – Belleville Intelligencer

The Speed of Time is an extraordinary album worthy of the highest recommendation…Midwest Book Review

SEMANTICS Nominated for a JUNO AWARD!

So pleased that my latest release Semantics was nominated for a JUNO award. Congrats to all these great nominees, see you in Edmonton!

Old Ballad for Hawk

This track from SEMANTICS seems to have generated some interest!

NEW NODES RECORDING RELEASED

New album INCUBATED DILEMMA MACHINE (KR-8) with NODES.
Andrew Rathbun – saxes & FX, John Hébert – bass, Keith Hall – drums, Christopher Biggs – live electronics & processing
An unprecedented adventure!
“And while THAR (KR-5 / Dec.12- 2021) included a mostly unbridled standard jazz quartet, Nodes goes it more than one step further. With what could be considered a piano-less jazz trio, there’s the vital addition of electronics, transforming everything. It’s another quartet, to be sure, but light-years from anything Rathbun has done before. Let it be known, Nodes is more than sprinkled with that “unfettered experimentation” through all of its 14 tracks of wildly different lengths.”
John Ephland, critic and author

New CD – SEMANTICS

NEW CD Drops TODAY! So excited for this record. Some of my favorite musicians, and special guest Rich Perry, one of my favorite musicians of all time. Such a treat to get to write some music for him and this band.

Dr. Jazz Interview

Had a great time talking to Samo about the latest releases. He really knew a bunch of records from my catalogue, and it was great to talk to someone who knows his stuff! Sam is a great musician whose unbridled love for music really shines through. And his illustration of me is pretty great!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMRbTXGU9DE&t=159s

DB Critics Poll

I feel fortunate to be included again in the critics Poll!

Living With Imperfection

During the recording of Norther Noir, a french filmmaker, Antoine Polin, was making a movie about Ran and his life. Antoine included some footage of us in the studio, and captured a few conversations about the music and of us just hanging. I can’t thank him enough. I can imagine I am going to look back on these moments that he included in his film with great fondness for Ran and the time we shared that week rehearsing, watching his favorite movies, and recording.

https://petitfaucheux.fr/agenda/living-imperfection-dantoine-polin?fbclid=IwAR13gZYwOu_ZCHywg1pGqzLGlEI4pRHWG_MgM7oDNwCqAGkbbq8z5ynMRBI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2cAHaAb6eM

Gilmore International Piano Festival – Robin D.G. Kelley

I have had the distinct pleasure of speaking to Robin D.G. Kelly twice about his incredible Monk biography. This book is simply the greatest jazz biography ever written. It is impeccably researched, so detailed, and very well written. Robin is a brilliant author and historian, and I really had to go to school for our interviews. Looking forward to speaking to him as part of the Gilmore Piano Fest!