Hey long time no blog. How you doing? I have music projects I want you to know about. Commence the knowing:
Recording!
- Jazz Perturbers album. Sam Arnold’s Jazz Perturbers has been playing for about a year now. My purpose in forming this band was to challenge myself with playing more melodically sophisticated guitar solos, more dynamic (relatively quiet) arrangements of beloved classics, more improvisation, and interesting but simple compositions. We recorded an album in February and I’m finally about ready to release it. Aaron Parks (drums) and Mike Rosch (bass) ripped some excellent improv on this mostly live set with few edits which I recorded in my shed with mics I borrowed from Greg Yancey. Album cover by John Aymong. Most of these songs are re-workings of songs I’ve previously released, plus one of Aaron’s and 2 covers (Lecuona and Horace Silver). September.
- Two Opposite Day albums. We recorded 20 songs starting with Cameron Page‘s Drums in September last year, and have been finishing up mixes this summer. It’ll be 2 albums it turns out. I’m mixing the 10 songs that have more keyboards and they’re about done. Bassist Greg Yancey is mixing the one that sounds more like we do live, with an album cover by Julie Hill. Greg’s album is called “Snow Cobra” (the title track performed here). Not sure the title yet on my album, but it’s working title is “bag, what is in?”. They are sounding really good, with a gigantic drum sound recorded at Michael Crow’s place in South Austin.
- Singer songwriter. Man who even makes albums anymore? I got this acoustic guitar-art-pop-based singer-songwriter album that needs mixing for like 2 years now, pretty much done with like another week of focused production touches. But right now I’m not really doing the singer-songwriter thing, so it’s just squatting on my harddrive giving me menacing looks. Aaron Parks played most of the drums as part of the same session as Somnamulonimbus.
- Fun parents anniversary video. My parents have been married for 50 years this month. So my sister Leah Arnold and I collaborated on a music video (with help from Dream Eater’s Zack Humphrey and John Aymong). I think it came out great.
Performing!
Check the calendar for updates. I’ll try and keep this updated.
- Jazz Perturbers July and August. This coming Tuesday 7/25 is the glorious return after taking the month of June off due to my biological mandate to propagate the species. In addition to my baby, I also love playing at Knomad. It’s always a cool vibe with Mike and Aaron, the staff, regulars, and whoever I can entice to come out and hear our Brahms cover. I hope one of these categories includes you.
- Opposite Day August and October shows. We’ve been exclusively playing songs from the upcoming albums which we wrote since Cameron joined the band in late 2019. August 11 at Valhalla is the next one. It’ll be excellent! I was really happy with our last show which you can stream here.
- Dream Eater will be playing alla dang time plus Josh Robins from the Invincible Czars on another guitar. So far, Josh and I have been dividing and conquering gigs, but I’m excited to maybe do some 2-guitar stuff. Josh is a monster player.
- StarMind Ceremony. Something in September. I think!
- SPAMB! With Aaron Parks and Mohadev (Stop Motion Orchestra, Obnosticon), and me on Bass. We’ll be opening for Mercury Tree in October, so we are getting back into it. I missed playing bass, and we’ve got some new tunes, building on our 2020 release Hors D’Oeuvres.
What else happened? What’s with that small person?
I and Laura had a baby! His name is Sylvester and he enjoys oscillating in all dimensions (rocking chair, bouncy ball, back and forth swing, spin around chair) and also probably walks on the beach. His favorite music is Nina Hagan, Public Enemy, and Dvorak, but he tolerates Dad’s music too.
I’m taking some extended parental leave starting August, so I might blog more with a baby strapped to me, blaming his wiggly feet for any typos. He already has allowed me to write 10 more Perturbers tunes (including “Sylvester Song” coming soon) and some Opposite Day lyrics, so I’m hopeful the little man will be a friend to my creative endeavors. Musician parents’ advice welcome!
Sam Arnold, Musicianator 