Crossroad by Hegarty, Formanek, Robles

There is something about place that matters, I think. Musical ideas seem to be connected with architecture, images, a particular atmosphere, or even just a crossroad of some kind, mental or physical. Looking ahead or looking back, these intersections evolve and transpire through the relationships and connections that happen in time and space (to reference an earlier album, if I may). But i don't think it is unusual to think about purpose in this way. I try to avoid outlines and preconceptions and keep my eyes and ears open for the moment, whether it is a photo on the street, or from one instance to the next in music.

There is a very large room (a big room, to draw upon historical reference) where ideas have the space to roam free and explore, where one can dance with arms outstretched and not smack into anything. I like that. Maybe its because for all my life except the last five years, I've lived in very small spaces. The walls get in the way.

But in a trio, I don't feel like there are any walls at all. There's room to reach out, cross over, work an idea, and it all comes together in time and space. For me, in most every way, a trio is the perfect place, the ideal crossroad. Like the image on the cover, it is both physically and inspirationally a unique place, the intersection of Ditmas Avenue and McDonald, under the elevated. That's where cool stuff happened that day.

Del and I have recorded before, we've gigged at the old Tavern of Fine Arts, but it has been a few years. We've both traveled roads of our own. Michael and I had never played together before but one night after a Thumbscrew gig we talked about music and teaching and maybe a couple of other things. I knew at the time it would be awesome indeed if I could ever jam with him.

Years passed as they often do and then some funding materialized as a result of Jonathan's larger sense of what just might be possible. A date, a time, some mini-conversations over email, and then I was stepping off the F train, grabbing a few photos as I walked to the studio.

I've made a lot of records, worked in a lot of studios, but this one stands out to me. As the sounds transpired through the headphones that day, i knew we were really digging deep, finding intense levels of expression and really enjoying the conversation. Listen and you will hear dialogues, interconnections, and independence, three voices at a crossroad, simultaneously coming together in a fragment of time, saying something completely unique and entirely spontaneous. No scores, only a suggestion to explore atmospheres, melodies, and patterns. Mix it up. Now let's play!

JimHegarty.com
James Hegarty
Noise Reduction Society
noisereductionsociety.com