Bill Anschell – piano, electronics

Chris Symer – acoustic bass, electric bass (5, 9)

Jose Martinez – drums

Brian Monroney – guitar (1, 3, 4, 6, 9)

Jeff Busch – percussion (2, 4, 8)

KJ Sawka - drums (9)

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Bass, drums recorded by Reed Ruddy at Avast Studios, Seatle, WA on March 1 - 2, 2023; Assistant Engineer Jay Follette
Guitar/percussion/electronics recorded by Bill Anschell at Bill Anschell Studios, Seattle, WA on June 12, 2023, July 7, 2023, and 2020 - 2023
Mixed by Bill Anschell at Bill Anschell Studios, Seattle, WA

Produced by Bill Anschell
Mastered by Ross Nyberg at Nyberg Mastering, Issaquah, WA

Cover Photo: ESA, Copernicus Sentinel data 2019, CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED

Bill Anschell photo by Jim Levitt

Cover design and layout by John Bishop

 

1   Ambulator 5.34
2   Nimbus 4:53
3   Gentle Persuasion 7:12
4   Naked Truth 4:21
5   Is This Thing Even On? 3:41
6   Hidden Nobility 7:17
7   The Following Week 6:10
8   Abandoned 5:57
9   Outburst (feat. KJ Sawka) 5:52

 

All compositions by Bill Anschell, published by Blow Hard Music (BMI)

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This CD marks a big change of direction for me. I recorded my last CD in three and a half hours; this one took more than three and a half years. My last CD was all jazz standards; this one is all originals. My last CD had just piano, bass and drums; this one adds guitar, percussion, and layered electronics.

Although the only instrument I’ve recorded on in the past is piano, I’ve been intrigued by electronic sounds since high school, when synth-driven progressive rock was my musical obsession. The sounds I use in the project never mimic acoustic instruments, so it’s been a fun challenge to work them into the more traditional jazz context of a piano trio.

The process was long and personal—I had no model for the workflow. I started by composing 21 potential electro-acoustic pieces; an early Covid project. Next I fully realized them electronically, programming the bass, drums, and all the other sounds; from there I was able to pick the pieces I wanted to move ahead with. Eventually, in a two-day live studio session, Chris Symer and Jose Martinez replaced the bass and drum parts—much for the better—and I replaced some of the the keyboard parts with acoustic piano. Then the prolonged final stage: I mixed the project myself so I could adjust the electronic parts to the new acoustic tracks—replacing some electronic sounds, refining others. None of the electronic sounds came straight out of the box; I enjoyed getting into their innards and surgically tweaking them to fit the songs. It was all seemingly endless, until I finally forced myself to declare an ending. I’m lucky to have worked with great guest artists: Brian Monroney on guitar, Jeff Busch on percussion, and—on the final track—KJ Sawka on drums. Creating this CD has been an extended journey, very much DIY; I hope you enjoy the results.   

 

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