Saxophonist Chase Baird’s career has been flourishing rapidly as of late. Drafted in drummer Antonio Sanchez’s Migration group which released the critically-acclaimed Lines In The Sand last year on CAM Jazz, the young Juilliard graduate also co-leads the band Venture, alongside drummer Mike Clark, vibraphonist Mark Sherman and electric bassist Felix Pastorius, with their 2018 debut Life Cycle out on Ropeadope.
In a testament to his ambition, Baird has now elected to take up the reins fully and to express his creativity unimpeded by the status quo resulting in A Life Between, his sophomore effort as a leader, coming August 9th to Soundsabound Records.
In order to stand out from the crowd, a killer line-up was assembled featuring none other than Brad Mehldau on piano, the aforementioned Sanchez on drums, Nir Felder on guitar, and Dan Chmielinski on bass, making up for a truly inspired, dare we say, epic recording complete with progressive singularities and sonic cosmicalities.
We are honored to premiere today “Ripcord”, the lead single from A Life Between, with its head-banging guitar riff, the poignant and incisive saxophone of Baird, and a paradigmatic Mehldau solo.
“Ripcord was basically the genesis for the whole album, an attempt to capture the spirit of Radiohead’s OK Computer in a jazz context,” recalls Baird. “I wrote the tune to be flexible, almost like a standard that could be played in many ways over the years and that I would never get bored of. The end of the tune builds to a full-on Thom Yorke moment. It’s my favorite part to perform when we do it live.”
A Life Between, the sophomore album by saxophonist Chase Baird drops August 9th via Soundsabound Records.
You Might Also Like
Best Jazz Albums of All Time
Explore the rich history of jazz with our list of the Best Jazz Albums of All Time! Discover iconic works from Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and more!!
Best Jazz Clubs in NYC: The Definitive Guide
Check out our list of Best Jazz Clubs in NYC! From historic venues to cutting-edge spaces, explore the city’s vibrant jazz scene.