Biography

Let's Call This is Sir Garrison's debut album.

Since its inception, jazz trio Sir Garrison has been chasing an intimate sound to call its own.

"There is a power in the number three," says bassist Nate Francis. "Each of us tries to support the other musician and facilitate a really personal dialogue between the group. Our music is certainly a reflection of our love for each other and the musical world we live in."

Indeed the power of the trio is evident in its debut recording Let's Call This which took place on a remote island close to Hankasalmi.

"We chose to record in such a remote location because we wanted to liberate our sound from anything besides the bare minimum of outside factors. In other words, we wanted to fins a purely acoustic sound and in doing so find a purely human sound." comments drummer Okko Saastamoinen who contributed two songs to the recording. In going to such great lengths to find their sound, Sir Garrison has stumbled upon something original and organic.

The collective was formed in Helsinki where all three members have achieved success in their own right : Okko Saastamoinen, as a leader of his own band, Nate Francis, as a sideman and bandleader himself, and Sami Leponiemi who has achieved critical acclaim as a member of the jazz-fusion band Peela. It is Leponiemi whose unique composition style forms the backbone of the groups repertoire.

"We were all looking for a way to communicate the ideals in music which were common to us all. We want to deliver primacy, honesty, and joy in our music. In Sir Garrison we have all found the perfect complement to our individual styles.

"Always when composing music I challenge myself to make choices that aren't the most obvious. I aim for musical continuity that keeps the attention of the listener. The songs that I contributed for this record - Sticky Memory, Change of Trends and Night Mind - are all through-composed, of course with sections for improvisa­tion. I offer a good challenge for the listener to try to detect when a composed section changes to improvisation, it's not always easy to tell."

Let's Call This is a Thelonius Monk composition where the group really plays together as a unit, highlighting every­thing special about this unique trio. The Baghill Road is named after the road the trio drove to the recording session. It is a long, bumpy and winding dirt road. Sauna Island is dedi­cated to a small island close to the one they recorded the album in. Either Side Of Twilight is the kind of fun, audio treat that one can expect at the end of an album.

Tracklist

1. Let's Call ThisMonk
2. The Baghill RoadSaastamoinen
3. Sticky MemoryLeponiemi
4. Sauna IslandSaastamoinen
5. Change of TrendsLeponiemi
6. Night Mind Leponiemi
7. Either Side of TwilightFrancis