Erik Jekabson - Erik Jekabson Sextet (2018)

Freelance trumpeter Erik Jekabson lives in the area around the bay of San Francisco. He plays and composes for various bands, and leads his own group. In addition, he teaches at the Young Musicians Program at the California Jazz Conservatory. Erik has released six CDs, and arranged for vocalists such as Madeleine Peyroux, Ani DiFranco, Jane Krakowski, Jackie Ryan, Kenny Washington, Madeline Eastman, Kellye Gray, Sandy Cressman, Raz Kennedy, Rachel Efron, and instrumental ensembles such as San Francisco Symphony, Utah Symphony, Stanford Jazz Orchestra, Realistic Orchestra, California State University East Bay Jazz Ensemble, SF Composers Orchestra and his own Electric Squeezebox Orchestra. He spent nearly 5 months composing new music for this new CD. He was inspired by places, events, moods and ideas, in a production by Gregory Howe. Erik was joined by guitarist Dave Macnab, saxophonist Dave Ellis, drummer Hamir Atwal, bassist John Wiitala, and percussionist John Santos. As you can already hear on opener 'San Pablo Avenue', Erik brings lyrical melodies, and unexpected rhythmic changes with modern harmonies. And that actually applies to the other songs as well. 'The Hills of Santa Cruz' is slower and sounds atmospheric. It becomes more playful with 'Cat and Mouse' and later on swinging with 'Change Up'. A trip to the Middle East ends with 'Medjool'. For lovers of "straight jazz".