Tones, Shapes and Colors

My first recording as a leader features my 1985 working Quartet: Kenny Werner on piano, Dennis Irwin on bass and Mel Lewis on drums. We recorded this on November 21st of that year at the Jazz Coalition, New York. The title track features unaccompanied tenor sax and gong, played simultaneously. That concept was born in the early 80s, with my passion for drums and percussion.

I started playing with Mel in 1980, when I joined the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Kenny Werner and I met in the early 70s, in Boston and we’ve been very close associates and brothers in this music and our lives, ever since. We’ve collaborated a number of times, under each other’s leadership, and we’ve really developed in the music together, through the years. And I’m still playing with Dennis, in my Trio and Nonet!