Ross Hammond - Our Place On The Wheel (Prescott)

WHAT THE COVER LOOKS LIKE:

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WHAT WE SAY:

This is a remarkable one take album from Ross Hammond & his telepathic trio as they meditate on the blues by way of it's jazz legacy with this spiritually inclined, free floating improvisational session that succinctly celebrates the roots of 20th century music whilst creating something utterly fresh & vital.

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WHAT YOUR EARS SAY:

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WHAT THE RELEASE NOTES SAY:

Our Place On The Wheel is a blues record. I’ve wanted to make a blues-based project with jazz instrumentation for a long time, and the idea of doing this as a trio with Oliver Lake and Mike Pride came up in a late-night chat with Pride last Spring.

Mike Pride is one of my favorite active drummers making music today. He’s a chameleon and an expressionist who sounds like himself no matter the setting he’s in. Mike is one of the deepest listeners I’ve ever played with and no matter where the music travels, he has an answer for it. Most importantly, he has a good head, takes care of his family and is a model for all full-time musicians. He’s a hustler and a beast.

What’s to say about Oliver Lake that hasn’t been said already? He’s a legend. He’s a Jedi that keeps his saber close. His music and approach is so deep and thought-provoking that I’m just happy to be in the same room with him. Oliver and I have known one another for about 10 years, and have played together many times, usually when he’s on the West Coast but also a few times in New York and casually at his home. When Mike and I were talking about making a blues record I immediately thought of Oliver and was lucky enough to have him agree to do it. I’m forever grateful for Oliver’s time and guidance and participation in this project. Oliver’s life of being a do-it-yourself musician and artist is a guidebook that every young player should study.

This record takes a lot of American blues themes from the likes of Charley Patton, John Lee Hooker, Blind Willie Johnson and Fred McDowell and reshapes them in an improvised context. In the studio we just hit record and started playing blues. Everything was in one take. There were no fixes or overdubs or false starts. We made the entire record in an hour and a half.

This record is pretty much how I hear music. A deep blues root, group interplay, blues expression and tonality and heart and blood. I hope you enjoy it.