Tag Archives: jazz

Abouzied Erskine Doria Balmer

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!

Happy Orchestra’s Debut Album “Baba”

Take a listen, share, and download the album on BandcampiTunesAmazon, 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.”