Likened to a “Rimbaud hipster” (The Rest is Jazz), New York-based alto saxophonist and composer Randal Despommier’s music is a genre- and centuries-spanning amalgam of jazz, blues, and western classical idioms, resulting in a distinct twenty first-century compositional voice. In 2018, he released a “compelling new album” (Boston Globe) with kindred-spirit keyboardist Jason Yeager, All At Onceness, which they toured in both the U.S. and China. Now, Despommier, a native of New Orleans, has encapsulated his many-faceted musical world with his debut album as a leader, Dio C’è. Co-produced by the altoist alongside famed Yellow Jackets bassist Jimmy Haslip, Dio C’è showcases lyrical, transporting original compositions as well as an improv-laced re-imagining of the Stone Temple Pilots grunge hit “Big Empty,” which features fiery guest guitar by Ben Monder – the renowned avant-jazz figure who played on David Bowie’s final album, Blackstar. The album’s title – “God exists” in Italian – refers to graffiti that Despommier kept seeing during his time in Italy. At first, he thought it was an uplifting religious message, but an Italian friend explained that it was actually a sly reference that heroin was available for sale nearby. In a recent interview with writer and music critic Bradley Bambarger, Despommier remarked, “Sometimes artists get too close to the flame, I know I have at times, and ‘Dio C’è’ reminded me there was a higher truth I had been searching for.” Dio C’è will be released via CD, download, and streaming by Outside in Music on February 5, 2021. For a behind-the-scenes preview of the making of the album, you can watch the EPK....
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Likened to a “Rimbaud hipster” (The Rest is Jazz), New York-based alto saxophonist and composer Randal Despommier’s music is a genre- and centuries-spanning amalgam of jazz, blues, and western classical idioms, resulting in a distinct twenty first-century compositional voice. In 2018, he released a “compelling new album” (Boston Globe) with kindred-spirit keyboardist Jason Yeager, All At Onceness, which they toured in both the U.S. and China. Now, Despommier, a native of New Orleans, has encapsulated his many-faceted musical world with his debut album as a leader, Dio C’è. Co-produced by the altoist alongside famed Yellow Jackets bassist Jimmy Haslip, Dio C’è showcases lyrical, transporting original compositions as well as an improv-laced re-imagining of the Stone Temple Pilots grunge hit “Big Empty,” which features fiery guest guitar by Ben Monder – the renowned avant-jazz figure who played on David Bowie’s final album, Blackstar. The album’s title – “God exists” in Italian – refers to graffiti that Despommier kept seeing during his time in Italy. At first, he thought it was an uplifting religious message, but an Italian friend explained that it was actually a sly reference that heroin was available for sale nearby. In a recent interview with writer and music critic Bradley Bambarger, Despommier remarked, “Sometimes artists get too close to the flame, I know I have at times, and ‘Dio C’è’ reminded me there was a higher truth I had been searching for.” Dio C’è will be released via CD, download, and streaming by Outside in Music on February 5, 2021. For a behind-the-scenes preview of the making of the album, you can watch the EPK.
Supporting Musicians:
Joining Despommier at the Soapbox Gallery are the following musicians, all of whom perform on the new album:New York-based pianist and composer Jason Yeager creates music that is deeply expressive and multi-faceted, defying convention while reveling in the traditions of jazz, blues, 20th century classical music, and Latin American folk rhythms. An adroit and sensitive accompanist as well as an imaginative bandleader, Yeager has released five albums of original music, including All At Onceness, with musical polymath Randal Despommier; and New Songs of Resistance, featuring reimagined nueva canción songs from Latin America and original compositions. A committed educator, Yeager also teaches piano at Berklee College of Music and the New York Jazz Academy. www.jasonyeager.com
Aaron Holthus is a bassist and musician in Brooklyn, NY. He is co-leader of Oak Trio and founder of Tasting Notes, a project bringing together musicians and culinary artists for unprecedented collaborations. Holthus constantly gains momentum as a young artist, performing and teaching around the world in festivals like Generations in Jazz (Australia), the Athens Jazz Festival, Chile Jazz por la Paz, the Panama Percussion Festival, FiJazz Costa Rica, and others. Holthus’ first album as a leader was Oak Trio’s Liminality, released in March of 2018, followed by the first release from Tasting Notes—Coffee Songs: Vol 1, an EP of original compositions by Holthus based on single-origin coffees from around the world.
Originally from Santiago de Chile, Rodrigo Recabarren moved to New York City in 2009, and since then demand for his services has grown rapidly and constantly in the Jazz world. Rodrigo holds a Masters of Music in Jazz Performance from New York University and has performed/recorded with artists such as Guillermo Klein, Claudia Acuña, Camila Meza, Melissa Aldana, and Angel Parra among many others. more information on www.rodrigorecabarren.com
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