.. This is a dream product that I’d never thought would happen, the end result included.

All of my previous albums have had a ‘special guest’ feature on a few tunes beside my band. Each of these guests are dear friends that all played as a collective under the leadership of tenor saxophonist Ned Goold. Both Stephen Riley on tenor sax and Charles Goold on drums were a part of the first group I’ve ever played with: from 2005-2013 we played a regular evening gig at Smalls Jazz Club in Greenwich Village.

Sacha Perry was the resident pianist for that group, and he is arguably the best representation of what gritty, passionate New York jazz piano sounds like, when it is alive and breathing strongly, fighting to not only stay alive, but to survive with dignity..

.. This record was recorded in four hours in a rehearsal room at Julliard, engineered by friend and respected bassist Neal Miner. We recorded each tune approximately two takes (rarely three) and that was that- nothing more or less. The trio recorded and after it was done we left, not really feeling we did much. Neal, from his advantage of hearing it and documenting it, knew before us what just happened.

What happened was a real conversation. A dialogue between three men of mutual respect- respect shown in the form of active listening to each other and also having something to say individually.

No fodder, unfiltered, emotional without being overbearingly sentimental. Honest.

.. The sheer artistry of Sacha is in full bloom; his playing is thoughtful, dynamic, idiomatic- minimal in its solo space (two or three choruses) but powerful in saying what needs to be said, and knowing when to stop. His playing did nothing short of pushing me Charles to maximum sympathy in our support of him, and vice versa; he didn’t disappear when i soloed, which is the best, a constant needling from him, pushing me to say SOMETHING. Pushing Charles to SAY SOMETHING.

All these words should exhibit how much I love this album, as I hope happens for you.

FOR PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL FORMATS PLEASE VISIT:

https://jamaledavis.bandcamp.com/album/morse-codes-from-the-opposite-land

Tunes:

1. Let’s Face The Music And Dance (I. Berlin)

2. Jump Little T (S. Perry)

3. Monkey Playtime (S. Perry)

4. Boo Bear Any Minute (S.Perry)

5. C-Minor Rig (S. Perry)

6. Livin’ With Hobson’s (S. Perry)

7. The Far Shore (s. Perry)

8. Bee Hive (S. Perry)

9. Nobody (B. Williams)