Check out entries here on future and recurrent events.

According to a newsrelease, Tim Mayer, ace tenor saxophonist, composer and arranger, will release Resilience on Jazz Legacy Productions on Sept. 27, 2011.
While not his maiden voyage, Mayer has recorded extensively as a sideperson, Resilience is Mayer’s debut as a leader and first disc for Jazz Legacy Productions. It would be easy (and typical) to record an album of readily recognizable standards, but Mayer struck a balance between ambition and user-friendliness. With a core quartet of Mayer, pianist George Cables, bassist Dezron Douglas, and drummer Willie Jones III, plus a select group of guests (Claudio Roditi, Mark Whitfield), Mayer’s platter swings from the get-go. A few tracks have additional players for a richer sound-a bit plush, a hair away from lush, with thoughtful yet vigorous arrangements in the vein of Tadd Dameron, Don Sebesky, and pre-1965 Gil Evans.
Tim Mayer’s horizons have grown exponentially. He has performed locally with Jon Faddis, Nick Brignola, Slide Hampton, and Bob Mintzer. He expanded his scope to include Afro-Cuban/Latin jazz styles, playing with Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Giovani Hidalgo, and Danilo Perez. Done with Berklee in 1997, Mayer joined Sol Y Canto, a folklorico-oriented Boston-area band that he’s performed with sporadically ever since. More recently, with his band 5LMN2 (Los Cinco Elementos), Mayer still explores the area(s) where jazz and Afro-Cuban sounds overlap and coalesce. Another venture, Gonzalo Grau y La Clave Secreta (formerly known as Timba Loca) released Frutero Moderno, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Tropical/Latin Album. Another avenue of expression is his appreciation of exotica, which is evinced by his membership in the Waitiki 7. Mayer and Randy Wong produced two Hawaii Music Award winning albums for the group – New Sounds of Exotica (2010) received Adult Contemporary Album of the Year and Adventures in Paradise (2009) won Exotica Album of the Year. Contrary to the purist line of thinking, a human does not live by jazz alone. As if that weren’t enough, Mayer has an extensive resume in the sphere of Cape Verdean folk and pop, playing on albums by Bana, the Mendes Brothers, and Jack Pina.
In the great kitchen that is jazz, Mayer has notions waiting to be realized and served up in style. Realizing it’s not enough to simply cook well, Mayer knows how to present a savory meal. Compositionally, his stove is stoked by the blazing heat of hard bop trumpet icon Lee Morgan.
“Everything he played was solidly rooted in the blues,” Mayer said in a news release. Band-wise, his ideal is Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. (Think of Blakey as “restaurateur” whose kitchens are perhaps the finest proving grounds for chefs of the future.) With those muses, it’s no wonder the varied and tangy Resilience has the zing and gusto of a fine repast, one that leaves the listener with a cozy afterglow.

Oct. 2, 2011

It’s been a while, but the CD is done, JLP has released it, and now it’s starting to get reviews!  So far the reviews have been superlative, which is incredibly validating.  There were no corners cut, no shortcuts taken, every step of the process was taken with one thing in mind, and that was to make this the best recording it could be, and now we are seeing the results.  Follow the reviews on my facebook page; I will also post some on the me.com site.

This site will also be getting a facelift sometime soon!

Apr. 1, 2011

The cover is done, next week I go to John Lee’s studio to finish audio, and we are looking at a June release date.  Benny Green and Monty Alexander have released their CDs, they are doing very well, having quite a good impact.  This all bodes well for mine too!

I have also participated in another project to be released some time in the future on JLP, for a vocalist.  Hers will likely be another undiscovered artist release, possibly for early next year.  Also, watch for Andrew Swift’s CD to be released on D-Clef later this year.  Going to put some final touches on that as well.  All in all, a great year for recording!

On Dec. 18, I recorded the basic tracks for what will be my first CD as a leader.  Produced by Mike Dease, owner/president of D-Clef Records, who also plays trombone on selected songs, this album features some great names in Post-Bop Jazz: George Cables, piano; Dezron Douglas, bass; Willie Jones III, drums.  Also, some great special guests: Mark Whitfield, guitar; Claudio Roditi, trumpet; Greg Gisbert, trumpet; Dominick Farianacci, trumpet.  Songs will include original compositions  by me, Mike Dease, Charles Tolliver, George Cables, composer/trumpeter Thomas Barber, and Steve Turre, and some not-so-standards which Mike and I included that really speak to us about where the music is and where we want to take it.

Artwork and additional production are in the works after the holidays, and we are lookin to release this by June.  Stay tuned for more info!

Update:  I have had Claudio, Greg, and Mark come in to John Lee’s studio in West Orange, NJ to put down their parts and solos, as well as lay a few things down myself.  I tell ya, this is gonna be a great release!  I have also begun some of the initial artwork and layout with my good friend, renowned photographer Jason Goodman.  It all seems to be happening in slow motion, but it’s happening.  I can’t wait to share it.

Latest Update, Oct. 3, 2010:  I’m proud to say that this recording will now be released on JLP!  John Lee, founder and producer/director of Jazz Legacy Productions, has decided to put this record out on his label, making me the next JLP artist!!!!  Here is the JLP site. I was invited to the End Of Summer Labor Day Party at co-founder Lisa Broderick’s Mid-Town penthouse, and both she and John offered the support of the label for the project.  I was ecstatic, as you can imagine!  There was a jam there as well, and in addition to John, Mike, Sharel Cassity, and Yotam, Jimmy Heath was there, and joined the jam.  It was a real high point in life, one of those times I will always remember.  Great people, in addition to the musicians, of course the musicians, great food, and great news.  How does it get any better than that?

Oh, and watch for upcoming releases on D-Clef Records.  I’m going to be involved in the next three releases; recording starts later this month!