In making this recording, my goal has been to express myself through a solid rendering of these compositions as much as through my guitar playing. And a big part of the joy of the whole project for me is to sit back and listen when the music takes off at the hands of my four fine colleaugues, with beautiful things happening where all I did was to catalyze and facilitate it by setting up a context.

Tenor saxophonist Scott Burns is originally from Dayton, OH, spent several years in Cincinnati, and now resides in Chicago, where he often plays with reknowned figures such as Jodie Christian and Ira Sullivan. In addition to his harmonic, rhythmic, and timbral command of the modern jazz saxophone, he's a very sharp reader (and learner of new compositions).

Pianist Steve Einerson, like numerous young pianists from the Milwaukee area, had David Hazeltine as his mentor, before the latter moved back to New York. He has performed with Slide Hampton and Brian Lynch, among others, and has for some time now been one of the most in-demand players in town, which is no surprise given his creativity and control on the keys.

Bassist Charles Ledvina has lived in Sheboygan, WI, Bloomington, IN (attending Indiana University), Milwaukee, New York City, Milwaukee again, and now Appleton, WI. His list of playing credits is impressive, including such luminaries as Barry Harris and Lionel Hampton. He is one of the very best around at getting a full, warm, acoustic tone on the instrument, while making everything he plays, whether accompanying or soloing, genuinely melodic.

Drummer Brian Ritter was a smokin' player right out of high school, and fast became a first-call cat in Milwaukee (and increasingly now in Chicago). At a young age, he's been the choice of bandleaders such as Frank Morgan, David Hazeltine, and Brian Lynch. He has a very crisp, firm sound, and precise approach to time that make a band come together well.

I have known and worked with Chuck, Steve, and Brian for years, and feel that they make an excellent rhythm section together. Steve and Brian have appeared on the same bandstand particularly often (since being introduced on a gig of mine in '96). Scott is a newer addition to our gang, and was the right horn player to round out the quintet, as evidenced by the very natural connection between him and this rhythm section, and the way he interprets and adds to my tunes. We all play frequently at a Milwaukee club called the Estate, a favorite spot for musicians and general bar-goers alike. Numerous other Chicago musicians like to play often at this venue, due to its good atmosphere and musical cameraderie. It is largely there that this music has been honed, with all my bandmates making valuable contributions of their own to its development.


SILBERTONES could be considered a tip of the hat to Horace Silver. Besides following his habit of using his own name in song titles, this tune is based largely on the chord progression to "Nica's Dream," with the Latin and swing sections of the melody reversed. Also, the two-part harmony involved here echoes the sound of his quintet. Some of my favorite playing of the session goes on during Scott's solo, where the rhythm section shows just how cohesively they can work together, especially in following (or leading) this soloist to some different places. Steve hits some great Einerson moments during his own chorus, and the close working sympatico between himself and Brian is evident here. This is one of only a few selections with some of Chuck's fine solo work.

In THE 5:00 A.M. CRAWL we attempt to capture a bit of the state of mind that the title suggests. Scott's solo entrance is so appropriate, it couldn't have been better if it had been written in. Very nice ideas from Steve as well.

TASTES LIKE CHICKEN provides a different sort of groove for the album than the walking-swing thing. I wouldn't say that I intended it to be to be a completely authentic New Orleans second-line rhythm, although it certainly leans in that direction. I almost wound up calling it "Wiggle Test" instead (I guess if somebody played the track and it didn't make them dance, then either they or the tune would fail the wiggle test), but I think perhaps the greasier title works better.

THE FORGOTTEN YEARS seemed to me a good title to express the kind of mysterious melancholy of this tune. I'm not sure I can put into words what it means — time that has gone by in a blur and seems lost, or maybe all the time in our lives spent, while sleeping, in dreams that we can't remember.

EAST OF THE SUN has long been one of my favorite standards, and was a clear choice for me to include on this session, for something familiar among all the originals, no fancy arrangement needed. I take the opportunity here to play quartet, just guitar and rhythm section.

RELOCATION was written shortly after relocating (to Milwaukee's Riverwest area). The drum send-off at the beginning was Brian's idea right in the studio, and helped make things come alive.

MY NEW ATTITUDE is the most up-tempo tune of the session, and yet another occasion for Scott and the rhythm section to take off mightily. Brian takes an extended, nicely developed solo on this cut.

With THE SCENT OF A WOMAN, I intended no reference to the movie by the same title (I had not yet seen it at the time I wrote the tune) — it just seemed the right name for this ballad. Scott's super-sensitive solo ending is another one of my personal favorite moments on the disc.

The LONG ROAD THAT IS SHORT was originally the first of a three-part piece for guitar, bass, and drums that I wrote at the request of our good friend and colleague, the drummer David Bayles, for use in a percussion recital at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. I figured if I were going to write something specifically for a jazz trio at a recital (when in reality we could just play any old tune, and feature the drummer with a solo), it had better be kind of different and difficult — hence the changing meters. Brian stretches out marvelously over the 5/4 vamp at the end.

WEST OF THE RIVER was written specifically for, and shortly before, the recording session. A couple of the fellas had been insisting, after a recent gig, that we should include this kind of an easy-medium blues groove on the album, just for the good vibe, and I had no melody of my own yet that fit the bill. This track has some particularly nice statements from Steve, Chuck, and Brian. The title refers to where I live (in case "East of the Sun" doesn't give somebody enough info to find my place).

PAUL SILBERGLEIT