honored to have worked with Katia and Marielle Labèque @katiamariellelabeque on adapting Nina Simone’s rendition of “Wild Is The Wind” for two pianos. out now on @dgclassics ahead of their 55 year (!!) retrospective compilation. two brilliant interpreters of Nina’s deep deep phrasing and just the kindest people. many thanks to the sisters, @david_chalmin for producing and recording, and @brycedessner for the introduction 🍃 📷: @brigittelacombe
Love Story out now on Hulu/Disney/FX! music by @brycedessner ! orchestration + some piano/sax by me, and score editing by me and @davidmenkemusic ! a joy and a learning experience! the title is obviously about me and Avid ProTools 💘
‘maybe one day all of this will make sense to me’ by @christinagalisatus out now! recorded live over three days at @bellchoirstudios with a seriously stellar band. happy to have played saxophone + helped get these recordings to the starting line and across the finish line. christina continues to create some of the most emotionally resonant and formally commanding music i’ve heard, an alchemy i’ve found straight up bewildering to witness at times (most demos she sent over illicited a “wtf???”)….but have learned to simply enjoy the chance to learn and grow within this art world she’s built over three records. big congrats to all involved and hope you enjoy 🌟
photos by @a.nefarias
very late to sharing words about the second @christinagalisatus record, Hold Still, which we produced and recorded together in her living room over the course of a few months in 2024 and she released this past spring (in the midst of my yearly Social Media Sabbatical lol). this was not an easy record to make by any account. the songs themselves, to the credit of christina’s compositional honesty, contain a whirlwind of turmoil, yearning, admissions, regrets….and sometimes it’s just kinda hard to record a bunch of takes when all of that is going on! we ran aground somewhat often, pressing pause and getting a treat, usually boba, and then coming back to it when things felt less clenched. there was very little explicit talk between us of what this record might sound like, which initially frustrated me and now ultimately feels like a gift. i struggle with relating to the expectations i impose on a work, on my creative practice, on myself in the world, on how the piano microphones should sound, and this creative process helped usher much of this into closer awareness for me, gently urging me to slow down and better listen to what’s actually happening. i’m quite proud of the ways i can hear this reflected in the choices we made that give this recording its character. and of course, i’m proud of Christina for her ever evolving artistry and her willingness to Go There and Stay There…holding still indeed. very grateful for our friendship and the creative trust we developed. and for everyone who contributed to this work. ok yes anyways go listen!
turned 30 today! feeling grateful to have found myself in such intimate relationship with *the unknown* — here’s to that only deepening and never quite “figuring it all out”. excited to move into this decade with the warmth of such sweet friends/family/art, both old and new and yet to be made ❤️
recorded tenor saxophone on the wonderful @brycedessner score for @singsingmovie , out today on @a24 . featuring solo improvising on “Come Home” and some saxophone choir action on “The Void”. Bryce writes deep and moving music, grateful to collaborate on this work :)
