Cookin' at the jam – E.J. Antonio - poetry & vocals: all tracks Christopher Dean Sullivan (BMI) - acoustic bass: tracks 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12 acoustic bass left channel: track 1 top-side bass percussion right channel: track 2Joe Giardullo (ASCAP) - reeds: tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 & 11; reeds & shaker shells: track 8Michael T.A. Thompson (ASCAP) - soundrhythium: tracks 2, 3, 5, 9, 10, 11 & 12 African tree drum: track 8; brushes: track 7Mark Taylor (ASCAP) - french horn: tracks 2, 6, 8; mellophone: tracks 3, 5, 11 & 12Tyehimba Jess - harmonica: tracks 3, 9 & 11Saco Yasuma (ASCAP) - bamboo sax: tracks 1 & 8Eddie Allen - muted trumpet left channel & plunger trumpet right channel: track 7; trumpet track: 11Christian McBride - acoustic bass right channel: track 1; acoustic bass: track 3This in the moment jam session recording is a unique blend of spoken words that dance with the sonic diversity ofinstruments as they wind their way through the genres of jazz, blues, gospel, r&b, and Afro-Latin rhythms. “I grew up in Spanish and Central Harlem listening to these rhythms. Now, I often go to live jazz performances,” spoke Antonio, “and write down the images that come to me from listening to the music and watching the musicians’ physical reactions to the music. These genres of music and this gift of words have influenced me my entire life. My bones have absorbed these sounds, move to these sounds, andrest in these sounds."The musicians on this project were chosen because of their creative improvisational skills and extraordinaryability to “listen”. Antonio’s concept was to keep an element of surprise and risk, so all the tracksare live collaborations with no rehearsals. On the first track, renowned jazz artist Christian McBride along withChristopher Dean Sullivan (acoustic bass), Saco Yasuma (bamboo sax), and Joe Giardullo (reeds) resonatetogether to form the tension egg of sound necessary to make the birthing of the poem “foreign monkey”possible. Trumpet player Eddie Allen becomes the foil in “bluesman/truth be told,” while Tyehimba Jess onharmonica is the “in-your-face” gospel sound bolstering the voice in “Pullman porter.” “Sound rhythium” musicianMichael T.A. Thompson (drums) and Joe Giardullo (flute) are complimented by Sullivan who uses his acousticbass as a percussion instrument bringing home the Afro-Latin sound in the danceable “ballad mambo.” Tracknumber eight was inspired by the music of June Kuramoto and the sounds of the koto instrument. The bamboosax of Saco Yasuma with the French horn treatment by Mark Taylor add the perfect touch of serenity andintrospective to “koto suite.” Every track, with words that drip like honey from Antonio’s mouth, is clearly liveimprovisation at its best.“I use my work to bring attention to the commonalities we share as human beings, and to shed a light on the idea that there needs to be a place for a different kind of spoken word; that the collaboration of music and poetryis still a viable art form. Some call this jazzoetry, others call it pojazz, and others call it poemusic or spokenword. Whatever the title, it is clearly not just jazz or poetry, but something that resonates in the heart, somethingthat causes a person to slow down and listen.”"and now, somebodywill sing you a praise songa revival songa songbuoyant / full of the blues and the jazz and the hymnof struggle fraught from one continent to another and backto the beginningwhere the ocean carvesskeletons to gauze / unravelingit singspraises to your deadwhile you pushon and on and on and on and on...writing new choruses to Amazing Gracehow sweet the sound…we singsingsing"(from “pullman porter” by E.J. Antonio)TRACK INFORMATION FOR E.J. Antonio - Rituals in the marrow: Recipe for a jam session:Track 1 -"foreign monkey" was inspired by a stone sculpture of the same title by Daisy Youngblood. This poemrepresents the struggle of birthing self and sound, and the struggle of survival once the birth has occurred.Track 2 –"ballad mambo" was inspired by a composition by musician Warren Smith entitled Marion’s Mambo.This is a poem about the bygone days of youth. The dance we all danced with abandon, and how memory cankeep you moving.Track 3 –"shade of the cedar tree" was inspired by Christian McBride’s big band composition of the same title.The music always brings to mind a child playing and growing under the protective shade of the cedar tree, i.e.,the family, the root that keeps you grounded and safe.Track 4 –"tangerine moon" is the endless wait for the return of a loved one from a dangerous situation. And allthe while you wait, life keeps happening, keeps wrapping you in the endless loose ends of living.Track 5 –"every old ny jazz club" is the feeling I had sitting in my second or third NY jazz club. There was nomistaking where I was or how the set would change personnel.Track 6 –"see-line woman" was inspired by Nina Simone’s “Sea Lion Woman” and a doll someone gave me asa gift. We often forget to look behind the mask to see the person. I tried to see the person behind the lore.Track 7 –"bluesman/truth be told" really adds up to the A and B side of a 45rpm record. One minute you’reabundantly happy; the next you’re burning down the house.Track 8 –"koto suite" was inspired by the music of June Kuramoto. The sound of the koto instrument sointrigued me that I researched it and found it is likened to a flightless dragon. The poem is one of inner journey,of finding the peace within self.Track 9 –"pullman porter" was inspired by a NY Times article dated April 4, 2009 on the life of the PullmanPorter. The poem attempts to show the sacrifices those men made to make it better for future generations.Track 10 –"witness" is the intersection of social injustices, civil rights and jazz. It’s the updated version of the1970s, 1980s on-the-corner soapbox activist.Track 11 –"duchess" was inspired by Mark Taylor’s composition “Duchess”. The first time I heard the music;Mark asked what we thought about it. Someone said, “It sounds like a woman walking down the street.” I said,“No. It sounds like a hussy walking down the street in a yellow hat.” And the poem took off from there.Track 12 –"rituals in the marrow: recipe for a jam session" talks about the blues. The cadence of the voicein collaboration with the music moves like a New Orleans second line.