My new CD, Four-Color Heroes!, is now available for immediate shipping when you order direct. The price from me is $12 plus $3 shipping.

Buy it from these fine retailers:

Wall of Sound 315 East Pine St. Seattle, WA
Sonic Boom - Capitol Hill 514 15th Ave E. Seattle, WA
Sonic Boom - Ballard 2209 NW Market St. Seattle, WA

CD Baby:

Amazon.com:

iTunes:

Reviews of "Four-Color Heroes!"

"First point of note I have to say about this new CD is this: It’s the kind of recording that makes me feel like the state Jazz is indeed alive and well.

Here is a group of very well seasoned players who bring everything they’ve ever listened to into the moment. Throughout the recording the songs, arrangements and harmonies are extremely well thought out. Much detail has been given to the harmonies used in the main theme of each composition, as well as the comp harmonies used to support the soloist. There is a unique combination of instrumentation used which creates beautiful textures throughout the CD.

I love the drummer on this project. Brad Gibson has a wonderful way of communicating with each player in the solo sections – complimenting and supporting them in a very subtle way which is, quite frankly, hard to describe.

The sound of the drums is lovely – a nice “live” sound without being too “roomy” sounding in the mix. The mix on the recording throughout is very nice. Again, the harmonies on the main theme of each song are subtle, so my “compliments to the chef” in what may have been a tricky mix. There is no weak link in the special group of players brought together for this session.

“Four-Color Heroes” is certainly a recording that deserves to be heard by every fan of Jazz. It’s unique, contemporary and highly original.

Add this one to your collection to be sure." Steve Barta, ReviewYou

"Four-Color Heroes is a terrific modern jazz record. Boscardin's compositions and arrangements are fresh and unique without being too "out", you dig? The whole record has a new yet familiar sound, and fits right in with my huge jazz collection. Props to the composer for eschewing piano and letting the soft timbre of his guitar and Ben Thomas's vibes lay the foundation for the front line. All the players on this date are great in their own right, but for my money it's trombonist Chris Stover who really stands out. And the appearance of Tom Varner on french horn is a great touch. He is THE master of the jazz horn." Jason Parker, musician and bandleader

"Andrew and the Septet have produced a thoroughly up-to-date set of compositions with the toe-tapping, head-nodding feel of the best of late '50s and early '60s jazz. The playing is tight but never frantic, and there is an evident sense of the respect and care with which the musicians interact. The album has a consistent feel - each track belongs - and an emotional quality that is observational and somewhat melancholic. New, finely-crafted details emerge with each subsequent listening." Joel Palmer, musician and writer

About the CD:

The Nickel and Brass Septet's debut CD "Four-Color Heroes" presents new music for improvising ensemble by composer and guitarist Andrew Boscardin. The music combines elements of jazz, rock and new music and features some of the finest players in the Seattle jazz and improvised music scene.

The Nickel and Brass Septet:
Tom Varner – French Horn
Ben Thomas – Vibes
Chris Stover – Trombone
Clark Gibson – Saxophones
Brad Gibson – Drums
Jon Hamar - Bass
Andrew Boscardin – Guitar

The songs on this CD are dedicated to, and take inspiration from, artists and writers of comic books from the 1960’s and 1970’s. It is a fitting tribute to the talent and creativity of these creators that the characters and ideas developed during this period remain so prominent and beloved today. It is also very telling that despite spending zillions of dollars, casting the biggest stars and utilizing the best technology, efforts to bring these stories to life on the big and small screen remain a mere shadow of their presence on the printed page. With pen and ink and four colors at their disposal, these artists and writers created worlds of imagination that no photographic or computer-generated image could hope to capture.

"I didn’t set out to write a bunch of music about comic books," says Boscardin, "but while the music for this band was being written I was reacquainting myself with some of my favorite comics and they just kind of seeped in there. I didn’t even know it was happening until it was brought to my attention that much of my recent writing sounded 'heroic' and 'positive.' Before I knew it, I had a suite of songs about some of my comic book heroes."

Andrew Boscardin has been performing and writing music for over 20 years. He has appeared on stage with numerous musicians including Tom Varner, Chris Stover, Mack Grout, Jovino Santos-Neto, Julian Priester, Karl Latham, John Lee, Ben Thomas, Brad Gibson, Jon Hamar, Chuck Deardorf, Clark Gibson, Rachael Contorer and the Jim Knapp Orchestra.