MANTRA
electric jazz ensemble
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Discography:
IntotheOut
Track Listing:
1. Fast Track (Miles Davis) 9:55
2. Pixels (Jon Ozment) 6:04
3. Doctor Honoris Causa (Joe Zawinul) 13:18
4. The Edge (Ozment/Underwood/Merella) 10:10
5. Mysterious Traveler (Wayne Shorter) 7:30
6. Zone Nono (Ozment/Underwood/Merella) 1:59
7. Blue (Ozment/Underwood/Merella) 7:31
8. Triptych (Ozment/Underwood/Merella) 13:22
Inside The Sessions
The group Mantra and our debut recording is the result of a camaraderie between three like minded musicians. Jon Ozment, Chuck Underwood and myself have shared many gigs together on the Washington music scene. The rapport among us also lead to jam sessions and this planted the seeds for the "IntotheOut" sessions.
Chuck, Jon and I not only share a love for jazz masters John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter but also for rock groups such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Yes and Led Zeppelin. It was only natural during our formative years we would be listening to Weather Report, Miles Davis's electric bands and Tony Williams Lifetime. It was our love and respect for these groups that played real jazz-rock that prompted us to take that spirit into the studio. The sessions took place in August 2000 at Chuck's home studio and since there was no real time limit or budget involved we were able to just relax and play. With Miles Davis's modus operandi in mind there was no prior rehearsal. Some of the melodies were given a run through, then the tune immediately recorded.
Virtually everything you hear on "IntotheOut" is a first take. The precedent was to have the maximum spontaneity regardless of mistakes. The only overdubs were by myself on percussion and were recorded in one pass to maintain the same feeling of the original tracks. The four pieces "written" in collaboration are free improvisations that draw on everything from James Brown to the avant-garde. In the end I hope you have as much fun listening as we had playing: Jon brings a full palette of vintage keyboard sounds to this recording and yet sonically and harmonically looks toward the future. Chuck's energetic guitar playing provides the drive and urgency that's so vital to this music. Together their creativity inspired me to reach for levels I hadn't been to before—hopefully I made it.
If you're a fan of the Bitches Brew era I hope you find "IntotheOut" a worthy homage to the jazz giants who dared to plug in. If you're a newcomer, hopefully this CD will inspire you to check out creative music of all kinds. Please turn it up and listen more than once! - Mark Merella
Live At Blues Alley "Official Bootleg"
Track Listing:
1. Introduction (Mantra)
2. Mysterious Traveler (Shorter)
3. Visions (Larry Young)
4. Blue (Mantra)
5. Black Satin (Davis)
6. Round Trip (Ornette Coleman)
7. Zone Nono (Mantra)
8. Dr. Honoris Causa (Zawinul)
9. Drum Thing/Fast Track (Merella,Turner/Davis)
Download for Free >>
Compilations:
Mysterious Voyages : Tribute to Weather Report
Track Featured:
1. Mysterious Traveler
IntotheOut
Track Listing:
1. Fast Track (Miles Davis) 9:55
2. Pixels (Jon Ozment) 6:04
3. Doctor Honoris Causa (Joe Zawinul) 13:18
4. The Edge (Ozment/Underwood/Merella) 10:10
5. Mysterious Traveler (Wayne Shorter) 7:30
6. Zone Nono (Ozment/Underwood/Merella) 1:59
7. Blue (Ozment/Underwood/Merella) 7:31
8. Triptych (Ozment/Underwood/Merella) 13:22
|
Recorded: Red Door Studios August 2001 Engineered by: Chuck Underwood Produced by: Mantra © 2002 Red Door Records |
Personnel: Jon Ozment: Organ, Electric Piano, Synth;
Chuck Underwood: Guitar, Loops; Mark Merella: Drums & Percussion |
Inside The Sessions
The group Mantra and our debut recording is the result of a camaraderie between three like minded musicians. Jon Ozment, Chuck Underwood and myself have shared many gigs together on the Washington music scene. The rapport among us also lead to jam sessions and this planted the seeds for the "IntotheOut" sessions.
Chuck, Jon and I not only share a love for jazz masters John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter but also for rock groups such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Yes and Led Zeppelin. It was only natural during our formative years we would be listening to Weather Report, Miles Davis's electric bands and Tony Williams Lifetime. It was our love and respect for these groups that played real jazz-rock that prompted us to take that spirit into the studio. The sessions took place in August 2000 at Chuck's home studio and since there was no real time limit or budget involved we were able to just relax and play. With Miles Davis's modus operandi in mind there was no prior rehearsal. Some of the melodies were given a run through, then the tune immediately recorded.
Virtually everything you hear on "IntotheOut" is a first take. The precedent was to have the maximum spontaneity regardless of mistakes. The only overdubs were by myself on percussion and were recorded in one pass to maintain the same feeling of the original tracks. The four pieces "written" in collaboration are free improvisations that draw on everything from James Brown to the avant-garde. In the end I hope you have as much fun listening as we had playing: Jon brings a full palette of vintage keyboard sounds to this recording and yet sonically and harmonically looks toward the future. Chuck's energetic guitar playing provides the drive and urgency that's so vital to this music. Together their creativity inspired me to reach for levels I hadn't been to before—hopefully I made it.
If you're a fan of the Bitches Brew era I hope you find "IntotheOut" a worthy homage to the jazz giants who dared to plug in. If you're a newcomer, hopefully this CD will inspire you to check out creative music of all kinds. Please turn it up and listen more than once! - Mark Merella
Track Listing:
1. Introduction (Mantra)
2. Mysterious Traveler (Shorter)
3. Visions (Larry Young)
4. Blue (Mantra)
5. Black Satin (Davis)
6. Round Trip (Ornette Coleman)
7. Zone Nono (Mantra)
8. Dr. Honoris Causa (Zawinul)
9. Drum Thing/Fast Track (Merella,Turner/Davis)
Download for Free >>
| Recorded February 24th, 2004 by Jon Ozment on stereo mini-disc | Personnel: Jon Ozment: Organ, Electric Piano, Synth
Chuck Underwood: Guitar, Loops Mark Merella, Drums Sam "Seguito" Turner, Percussion |
Mysterious Voyages : Tribute to Weather Report
Track Featured:
1. Mysterious Traveler
|
Recorded: Red Door Studios August 2001 (Originally released on IntotheOut) Produced by: Mantra © 2005 ESC Records |
Personnel: Jon Ozment: Organ, Electric Piano, Synth;
Chuck Underwood: Guitar, Loops; Mark Merella: Drums & Percussion |
photo by: Naima Merella | web design by: Ben Azzara ©2005