Brought out the crew to play through and document some of my favorite music by Tower of Power. Turned out great!
Happy Orchestra featuring:
Tarik Abouzied – bass
Nate Bogopolsky – vocals
Skyler Floe – trumpet
Jory Tindall – tenor sax
Skerik – bari sax
RL Heyer – guitar
Mack Grout – keys
Brad Boal – drums
Tor Dietrichson – percussion
Nick Molenda – cameras
A new song featuring Jory Tindall on saxophone, Michael Van Bebber on trumpet, RL Heyer on guitar, and myself on drums, bass, and keys. Watch the full video above and pick up the mp3 from Bandcamp below!
On a chilly February Seattle weekend I gathered a handful of my favorite musicians for two of days of recording, the first of which featured Damian Erskine on bass, Dan Balmer on guitar, and my long-time McTuff pal Joe Doria on Hammond organ and Rhodes. Everyone brought in a tune, we rehearsed in the morning, and recorded after a break for some barbecue.
Big thanks to Jason Gray and Nick Molenda for the engineering and camera work, and to Skerik for the space! Watch above, listen and purchase tracks below, and catch the band at Tula’s on Friday, May 18th!
Take a listen, share, and download the album on Bandcamp, iTunes, Amazon, or Spotify! It’s been a long road. Thank you for the love and support.
– #5 on KEXP Northwest Music Chart
– Nominated NW Recording of the Year, 2018 Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Awards
– Rated 4 Stars at All About Jazz
“Happy Orchestra in a way encapsulates the jocular personality of its creator and leader, blending overwhelming positivity with virtuosity, utilizing the talents of some of the top jazz and funk soloists on the west coast. While the music may express the intricacies of modern jazz expressionism, it never loses sight of its soulful, horn powered grooves, supported by the rhythmic virtuosity and leadership of Abouzied on drums.”
Head over to NoTreble.com and check out my guest column on bass playing from a drummer’s perspective!