I’m very excited to announce that “Supersonic Parachute” my new record with Whitney Lyman is now available online. You can hear it and buy it directly from us on the Boscology Bandcamp site:

It is also available on iTunes, Spotify and other online platforms.

Supersonic Parachite

An incendiary collision of powerful, lush vocal harmonies with modern and vintage electric textures and deep thumping grooves, Supersonic Parachute is the first collaboration between singer-songwriter Whitney Lyman and composer and guitarist Andrew Boscardin. Representing disparate spectrums of Seattle’s eclectic musical community, the sensibilities of these two musicians is fused to create an expansive and original sound that recalls classic R-n-B and the songwriter driven rock of the 70’s and 80’s, while maintaining a footing firmly in contemporary pop. Backed by some of the finest musicians in Seattle, Supersonic Parachute is a showcase for Lyman’s melodic explorations and lyrical playfulness and Boscardin’s adventurous and surprising harmonic palette.

Supersonic Parachute is available online on Bandcamp, iTunes, Amazon and all major digital platforms and on limited edition 180gram vinyl with a gatefold cover featuring artwork by celebrated artist Franco Brambilla.

Let’s put all of that behind us, okay? I am here today to announce (happily, excitedly) that I have co-written an album of pop songs with my good friend and former classmate, Whitney Lyman, who is a fantastic singer and songwriter, and one of my favorite people of all time. We’ve got 12 songs, ranging from ballads to rockers, of funky, thumping electric goodness and they sound great. Better than great. But (and I bet you see where this is going), we need some help finishing the recording of the music and so we’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise the last few dollars we need. We’re actually almost done – all of the backing tracks were recorded last Fall with the help of our friends Tim Carey, Mack Grout and Adam Kozie, and we really just need another 4-5 days in the studio to finish the vocals. But enough about that – head on over to Kickstarter and check out the details of how you can help and what you can get.

I sat down in 2011 with the germ of an idea – I would write a bunch of pop songs and then, with the help of my many musical friends, bring them to life in the recording studio. I wanted to get out of my “normal” musical comfort zone and do something completely different. I sat down last Spring and Summer and wrote 12 songs – I even tried my hand at lyrics – and set out to get them recorded.

Originally, I wanted to feature different vocalists on different songs, and make a big party record with dozens of friends. Ultimately, this proved to be too difficult and complicated for me to organize and keep track of. I got as far as recording the backing tracks in the Fall of last year, sharing those with a number of people (including Whitney) before I ran out of money and the project ran out of steam.

Fast-forward to this Spring. Out of the blue, Whitney texted me to see if I wanted to get together to go over some of the songs. It turns out, she had continued to work on the project, and had lyrics and melodic ideas for several of them. When I heard what she had done with the songs, I asked her if she wanted to step in and do the whole record and she agreed enthusiastically. I think this music is a big departure for both of us, and that’s extremely exciting. I had an idea in my head of how I wanted things to sound and the kinds of influences I wanted to invoke, but Whitney has brought her own sensibilities and influences into the mix, resulting in something I could never have anticipated. The final recording is going to sound great.

We still need a name for the project, but I will keep you posted as things move forward. We’re planning to release the record late this year or early next with a 7″ single before that. In the meantime, please check out our Kickstarter campaign and consider helping us get this new music in your hands and ears.

It’s that time of year again (the most wonderful…?) – Saturday, April 21st is Record Store Day! Record stores across the country will have special offerings and deals for vinyl fans and collectors. You can check out participating stores and all of the special goodies on the Record Store Day website.

This time last year, the Zubatto Syndicate vinyl was still not finished, but this year it is done and available.To celebrate RSD 2012, everything in the Zubatto store is 25% off. Just use promocode ‘recordstoreday2012′ when you place your order. If you’re out looking at vinyl in Seattle, chances are high that you’ll find a copy of ZS in your local store as well.

And now, here are a bunch of videos from the youTube Vinyl Community about Zubatto Syndicate.

Doors at 8pm :: $8 ADV :: Advance Tickets on sale at: Moe Bar, etix.com :: 21+

Tickets are on sale now at:
https://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1607098&cobrand=neumos

The Zubatto Syndicate is a 12-piece ensemble under the direction of composer and guitarist Andrew Boscardin. This exciting group – a highly original take on the Big Band and jazz orchestra traditions – features a unique synthesis of reed instruments and electric sounds, brass and electric guitar and bass.

“Big-band music hasn’t sounded this hip or vital in decades.” – Keith Goetzman, Utne Reader Music Sampler.

“Zubatto Syndicate is an utterly contemporary jazz big band – which is happily not as much a contradiction in terms as it might first appear. In fact, they’re so modern – they might as well be from the future.” – Andrew Dubber, Bandcamp.com.

“A big band unafraid to foray into the modern pop idiom.” – Jonathan Zwickel, Seattle Times.

REPTET is a genre-blending Seattle-based sextet composed of drums, bass, and four horns. They play original compositions incorporating jazz, reggae, rock, ska, punk, modern classical, avant-garde, and eastern European folk music. These six multi-instrumentalists bring an arsenal of twenty-plus instruments to create a wide variety of textures and sounds. Their live performances, described as “arresting, compelling and just plain cranked-up,” evolve into transformative performance art pieces utilizing costumes, storytelling, dance routines and absurdist humor. Constantly on the road, bringing their crazy antics all over the U.S. and abroad, they play in venues ranging from jazz festivals to rock clubs to theaters. The band also does customized educational programs for everything from grade schools to universities. Reptet has proven itself to be a unique and utterly enthralling multi-leveled experience that leaves audiences wanting more.

http://reptet.com/

SPEKULATION

If Seattle’s HipHop scene is known for its honest, reflective lyricism and boom-bap production, and the city’s Jazz scene is lauded for its technical prowess and its evolution of style, form and structure, then Spekulation is the perfect example of what is possible when these two worlds collide. Spekulation is a Seattle-based emcee and producer who blends both live instrumentation and sampling to create musical performances that are both exciting and spontaneous. Along with his frequent collaborators, bassist and composer Nate Omdal, DJ Absolute Madman, Michele Khazak, and six-piece jazz ensemble, Spekulation crafts a sound that truly represents Seattle’s diverse music culture.

http://spekulationmusic.com/

Photo by Bruce Moore

To celebrate Zubatto Syndicate’s second birthday, all merch is 20% off for November. Grab a t-shirt, stock up on CDs or LPs, or buy one for a music-loving friend for the holidays (vinyl makes a great gift!). Just use the code “itsyourbirthdaytoo” at music.zubattosyndicate.com

It’s hard to believe that it was two years ago this week that Zubatto Syndicate made its debut at Seattle’s Town Hall on a particularly blustery November evening. For me, the evening was a blur, the culmination of months of work writing, arranging, and rehearsing new music for a brand new group. There were all of the usual details – scheduling, promoting, organizing – and some unusual ones – mainly the last-minute venue switcheroo necessitated by a genuine “senior moment” for the bandleader. In the end, thanks to the kindness of friends and a miraculous opening in the Town Hall schedule, the event came off, the music was premiered, we sold enough tickets to make me think it wasn’t such a crazy idea after all, and a good time was had, hopefully, by all in attendance.

Listening back to the performance from that night, my impression is of a group that hasn’t quite yet found its identity. It feels a little hesitant over-all – a combination of unfamiliarity with the material and the challenges of playing with a large amplified group in a tall, spacious and lively room. It’s all very low key, and not quite the rocking affair that I had imagined. The band is mostly seated at this performance which, combined with our dressy attire, gives the show a formal vibe. Given the benefit of hindsight, it’s kind of funny to listen to myself in the interview segments of the Front Row broadcast of the concert, explaining the elements that set Zubatto Syndicate apart from more traditional large jazz ensembles, as very few of those elements are present or well-defined in the performance.

Which is not at all a criticism of the band or of the concert itself. Everyone played extremely well, and the music was well-executed with some very nice moments, especially in the solos. The second half of the set, in particular, sounds loose and confident and even with a near-trainwreck “A Brief History of Time (Travel)” was a highlight, especially Jim’s bari solo. Byron’s drum solo before “Green Boy” was humongous. All of the solos on “Lords and Ladies” are stellar. And “The Trouble With Earth Women” sounds great. I recall somewhere in the middle of that song deciding on-stage that everything was going to be oooo-kay.

All in all, it was a fine start, even if it wasn’t quite yet what I had in my mind when I put pencil to paper. For me, it wouldn’t be until our next show, at Seattle’s famous Crocodile, that everything would begin to fall into place and the music would start to come alive as I’d hoped. From there on, the group’s identity and sound began to cohere and take flight.

Since that first performance, I’ve had many opportunities to reflect on the sound and identity of the band, on what worked and what didn’t, on how to get even closer to my original concept and how to go beyond. The challenges of wrangling a group this size have paled in comparison to the joy and excitement of bringing this music to life, recording it, performing and sharing it. This has only been possible through the support of fans, friends and family. In the next few weeks, I will be sitting down at the drawing board to begin writing the next batch of music for the band, which will be coming your way in one form or another in early 2012. I promise it will be even louder, funkier, and more fun than the last bunch of tunes. With plenty of oboe.

You can watch most of the Town Hall performance in the Front Row special here, but some of the better numbers of the night were cut for length.

You can also enjoy this interpretive dance, performed behind the back row of Town Hall, to the tune of “Lords and Ladies of Venus.”

The secrecy behind the Secret Project exists for a couple of reasons, ranging from my cheeky sense of humor to a very real desire to control the announcement of what I’m hoping will be an exciting addition to my recording and writing repertoire. I’m also trying to foster the ideas behind the secret project as long as I can before they leave the nest and become actual sound waves. It’s a delicate balance between wanting to update everyone about the latest arisings and nurturing something new and different until it is ready to see the light of day.

As I write this, I am also, literally, waiting for the Secret Project. Specifically, I’m sitting on a couch back at Avast! (where the Zubatto Syndicate record was also made) while my friend Adam Burd works on drum sounds. We are just a few hours away from recording basic tracks, and this is literally the very last moment that the Secret Project will exist as just an idea, before it bursts forth as actual sounds made by people. It is a very exciting and terrifying moment for me.

If all goes well this weekend, there will be plenty of forthcoming news and updates about the Project Formerly Known As The Secret Project. If not, I will erase all mentions of the Secret Project from history, Dr. Who-style.

Stay tuned!

I first met Katie and Hanna together 6 years ago at the orientation day for incoming Cornish students. It was an awkward event for me, being a “non-traditional” (old) first year student surrounded by a sea of much younger faces. I ran into them first in the big mixer event, and then a short while later looking for the room for the Music students’ meeting. Hanna was all smiles and friendliness, Katie eyed all of the social games and spirt-building with no small degree of cynicism and suspicion. I was happy and not-at-all surprised to learn that Katie was a fellow East Coast transplant, from New York. When I announced that I was from New Jersey, hoping to foster some camaraderie, she gave me that special look that New Yorkers reserve for their Jersey neighbors.

I ran into them (almost always together) more than a few times in those first weeks of school. I can’t remember when I first heard the music that they made together as Bakemono, but it was pretty early in that first year, and I know that I was very impressed. It was funny, eclectic and ethereal, managing to be both very developed and relaxed at the same time. It was shortly after hearing Bakemono that I was informed that I would be their manager. I wasn’t given a choice, as far as I can remember, but I wouldn’t have turned them down anyways. Being the manager for Bakemono sounded like pretty much the best thing ever.

As their manager, I’m not sure that I ever did very much for them. I tried to help them finish their demo (but they had no trouble being motivated to record and write without me). I helped them with their DIY release of “Music for Dogs,” a CD of music for dogs, including the hit “Cats are Stupid.” I organized a photo shoot. I built them a website. It wasn’t much, but they really never needed much help. They got gigs, made music, had fun. I was just happy to play whatever part I could and mostly it was just fun to watch two amazingly talented people come into their own.

Bakemono at the Showbox

The last Bakemono memory I have is from a show they did, opening for Talib Kweli and Terry Radjaw (later of Mad Rad) at the Showbox. They performed a cover of R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix)” with acoustic guitars. As they took the stage, the audience, all there for a high energy hip-hop show, wasn’t quite sure what to make of them. As they began to play, there were grumbles and murmurs and slowly, as recognition kicked in, the room began to quiet until everyone was listening to Bakemono. And then cheering and laughing. I’m sure the cover song helped out a great deal, but I know they would have won over that room eventually no matter what they played. Here’s a video of them performing ”Ignition (Remix).”

Remix to Ignition Remix

BAKEMONO | Myspace Music Videos

Some time after that, Katie told me that she wanted to be a hip-hip superstar. She said it in such a way that it could have been a joke, could have been serious, could have been “astronaut” or “President.” I was, I confess, a little surprised to discover that she wasn’t kidding, and then by how phenomenal she was at it. I never doubted that Katie was a talented musician, singer, and songwriter, but I was amazed by how perfectly her musical sensibilities and easy humor translated to this new musical persona. I tried to put together a Katie Kate cameo on the Zubatto Syndicate record, but it didn’t get finished in time. You can hear the unfinished version here.

ZVox by Andrew Boscardin

Hanna has come into her own as an extraordinarily talented and accomplished composer and arranger, with an emphasis on vocal and choral music. In addition to Pollens, she formed a women’s vocal ensemble called Chrysalis which focuses on new works by living composers, particularly the members of the group. Pollens has released an EP, which you can listen to and download from Bandcamp. Give it a listen and then give them some money. They are going into the studio to make a full-length record shortly and need your support. You won’t be disappointed – Pollens mixes huge 6-part vocal harmonies with electro-acoustic experimentation and fun. Kind of like “Pet Sounds: The Next Generation,” only nothing at all like that. In addition to Hanna, the band includes Jeff Aaron Bryant, Whitney Lyman, Lena Simon, Kelly Wyse and Adam Kozie, all of whom can be found all over the Seattle music scene in a variety of settings. It is truly a remarkable line-up of talent.

Here is video from a recent house concert they played.

Pollens House Show I from Pollens on Vimeo.

Pollens House Show II from Pollens on Vimeo.

And you can stream and download their EP here:

As I mentioned earlier, Katie sent me a preview of her upcoming record shortly after I saw her and simply put, it is going to be huge. Great hooks, smart, funny lyrics, and dance-ready beats abound, all delivered with a gusto and swagger that continues to surprise me and make me smile. I would share some of it here, but I’m pretty sure that Katie would kick my ass. You’ll just have to wait for it to be released. In the meantime, here is some music she has posted on Soundcloud.

Latest tracks by katiekatemusic

Even though my time with the band was relatively short-lived, the spirit of Bakemono lives on in both Katie and Hanna’s musical endeavors and in the friendships that it created and fostered. It’s cool to listen to what they are doing now and hear the subtle ways in which they have influenced each other.

In a way, this blog post is just me continuing to do my part as Mr. Manager and help get the word out about their music. Not that they ever really needed my help anyways.

Putting the band back together? Photo by Whitney Lyman

Hanging Backstage at the Chapel

Thanks to everyone who made it out to the Chapel Performance Space on Thursday night. It was a very warm and receptive crowd and an extremely fun show. The band was in its best form to date, at least from where I was standing, and I think it was one of our most exciting shows yet.

It was a treat to finally hear Triptet perform live, especially in that beautiful room. If you have a chance, definitely catch them. You can also hear and download their new record on Bandcamp.

Mack and I had great plans to set up two cameras and a digital recorder, and then edit together the footage into something awesome. In reality, this translated to two hastily placed cameras and no digital recorder, and we probably deserve a prize for worst cinematography ever. I swear that music stand was not in the shot when I set up the camera. However, the performances were really good and I’ve been dying to share our cover of “Master of Puppets” with the Interwebs. Here it is, in all of its 9 1/2 minute glory.

“A Brief History of Time (Travel)” was pretty rocking too, so here’s that.

We’re working on some killer Fall shows, so we’ll hopefully see you again very soon!