Hi folks, big musical week starting tomorrow:TAKOYAKI 3, the streamlined, street-food-style version of my Quintet+1, is playing twice in the next week--on Saturday night (3/23) in North Beach at Rose Pistola, and next Wednesday (3/27) at Yoshi's Lounge in San Francisco. The group features Adam Shulman on organ, Jon Arkin on drums, and myself on trumpet & flugelhorn, and we'll be playing original music from Roads & Codes, as well as select standards and underappreciated classics by jazz composers like Herbie Nichols, Ornette Coleman, and Lennie Tristano.WHAT: Ian Carey's Takoyaki 3WHERE: Rose Pistola, 532 Columbus Ave., San FranciscoWHEN: Saturday, March 23, 9-11:30pmHOW MUCH: No cover!ANDWHAT: Yoshi's Local Talent Series presents Ian Carey's Takoyaki 3WHERE: Yoshi's Lounge, 1330 Fillmore., San FranciscoWHEN: Wednesday, March 27, 6:30-9:30pmHOW MUCH: Also no cover!I've also got two other gigs this weekend for those of you of the East Bay persuasion: Saturday (3/23) daytime, I'll be playing with the Betty Shaw Quartet at the Cheese Board in Berkeley from 11:45am-2:45pm, and Sunday evening I'll be playing with the Full Count Trio (Ollie Dudek, myself, and Jeffrey Burr) at Cato's Ale House in Oakland from 5:30-8:30pm.Next, there have been more reviews for Roads & Codes trickling in, including a very nice one from The Pittsburgh Tribune Review:

Carey is almost as good a cartoonist as he is a musician. The horn man created a comic-book-like cover for his “Roads & Codes” that talks about the difficulty of selling jazz these days. Inside, cartoon depictions of the players in the band decorate his liner notes, set in the same typeface as the word balloons on the cover. While all this cover material is impressive, the music — happy to say — is even better. The tunes are catchy and played by a sextet that, at times, sounds bigger, offering backup statements and horn harmonies that create a rich sound.

... plus a review from Ken Frankling's Jazz Notes ("a marvel for its lush and intricate music and musical concepts, as well as Carey-designed packaging and illustrations that make it a clear favorite to win the year’s cleverest design"), another mention from James Hale, who wrote my DownBeat review ("one of the freshest albums I've heard in a long time"), a spin for "Count Up" and what according to Google Translate is a nice review from Radio France's Alex Dutihl ("Parution de «Roads & Codes» du trompettiste Ian Carey chez Kabocha, dont la pochette est illustrée par une bande dessinée qu'il a lui-même créée. Encouragé par Dave Douglas en ce qui concerne la musique, il poursuit parallèlement une carrière d'illustrateur"--couldn't have said it better myself!), and from one of my favorite jazz blogs, the great Doug Ramsey's Rifftides (the post title--"Recent Listening: Carey, Mingus, Ellington"--poses a serious threat of causing my brain to explode):

Carey writes lines that flow on astringent harmonies. His trumpet and flugelhorn keep the listener’s attention not through volume, velocity and extended sorties into the stratosphere, but with story telling and a burnished tone. Kasey Knudsen, the +1 of the band’s new name, spells Evan Francis on alto saxophone, leaving Francis to concentrate on tenor sax and flute. With the audacity of her conception and sound, Knudsen is a stimulant. The series of blues choruses and phrases that she and Francis exchange on “Nemuri Kyoshirō” is an album high point. The three-horn front line expands Carey’s arranging palette beyond that of his 2010 CD Contextualizin’, allowing richer ensembles and deeper voicings in figures behind soloists. Pianist Adam Shulman, bassist Fred Randolph and drummer Jon Arkin constitute one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s finest rhythm sections. Carey acknowledges that nearly half of his compositions are under the influence of his heroes Charles Ives (“West London”), Igor Stravinksy (“Andante”), John Coltrane (“Count Up”) and Neil Young (“Dead Man [Theme]”). The influences are points of departure for the individualism of Carey’s writing.

Finally, here's some new video from our show at the Sound Room last month--this is the aforementioned "Nemuri Kyoshiro," featuring a live rematch of that epic saxophone battle:

Hi folks, here's the first video from our CD release show for Roads & Codes last month at the Sound Room in Oakland. It was taken by saxophonist/video whiz Ben Torres.Due to some technical difficulties (not Ben's fault) the trumpet is pretty far down in the mix, but I don't think that detracts from the music too much. More to come!Also, if you're in the Bay Area, I'm going to be playing tomorrow (Saturday, March 9) at the Cheese Board in Berkeley with pianist Betty Shaw's Quartet (with Ron Marabuto, Robb Fisher and myself), from 12-3pm. The pizza's delicious and the music is free, so come on by!

Hello folks, thanks to everyone who made it out to our Takoyaki 3 show last week--if you missed it, we've got two more later this month, at Rose Pistola (3/24) and Yoshi's Lounge (3/27). See the end of this post for a free track from the show!It's been really gratifying to see more positive press for Roads & Codes coming in--the most exciting being my first appearance in Downbeat Magazine, where James Hale featured the album in a set of reviews of trumpeters from around the world, and gave it 4 and 1/2 stars:

Bay Area veteran Ian Carey knows it can take creative packaging to get great music noticed these days. Roads & Codes showcases both the trumpeter's sideline as an illustrator and his primary gig as the leader of a highly skilled band of improvisers. Carey takes advantage of their chops by writing to their strengths--a lesson gleaned from his mentor Maria Schneider--and mixes his own harmonically pleasing compositions with pieces by Neil Young, Igor Stravinsky and Charles Ives. While the combination of graphic art and arty covers might sound contrived, it all works.

In the San Francisco Chronicle, Andy Gilbert previewed our release show by talking about the album:

Berkeley trumpeter Ian Carey isn't letting the CD slip into obsolescence without a fight. A graphic designer by day, he supplied the slyly self-mocking manga-inspired illustrations that give the package a look as smart and arresting as the music it contains. Exploring an array of evocative material... and Carey's striking originals--the band features saxophonists Kasey Knudsen and Evan Francis (a former Bay Area standout back briefly from New York).

The great blogger Marc "Jazzwax" Myers featured the album as one of his "CD Discoveries of the Week," saying

Carey plays a seductive trumpet and flugelhorn. On Roads & Codes, the sextet records mostly Carey originals, which are solid, artful and always smartly paced, enabling you to hear and feel their lyricism. Dig "6th Ave. Local," "Count Up," and "Andante," for example. Neil Young's theme to "Dead Man" is a fabulous wild card, since the film is one of my favorite Westerns. Proof that the trumpet and flugelhorn don't have to be overheated blowtorches to be effective.

At eMusic, Dave Sumner added the album to his weekly jazz picks, calling the band

... a sextet that plays bigger than its head count. Expansive sections buffeted by sweeping melodies that bloom into something more than their origins. Interesting cover of Neil Young’s “Theme from Dead Man,” which I’m noticing several jazz musicians adopting as one of the New Standards. The song “Wheels” might be the strongest album track… a waltz with a light touch and the noble elegance inherent to that song form.

Who else is doing "Dead Man," dammit? Nothing new under the sun, I guess. Meanwhile, on the WYCE Music Journal, Rebecca Ruth reviewed the album:

Trumpeter Ian Carey leads the San Francisco quintet on its third release of mostly original compositions of contemporary instrumental jazz. The choice in covers here is interesting. They include Neil Young's theme from a 1995 Jim Jarmusch film, "Dead Man" and Igor Stravinsky's Suite No.1 for Small Orchestra , re-titled "Andante" for this disc. Two original songs stand out, however. The John Coltrane-inspired "Count Up" is a nice bop piece, as well as "Nemuri Kyoshiro", which was inspired by samurai films. One can't review Roads & Codes, however, without mentioning the cover art. Besides being a trumpeter and composer, Ian Carey is an accomplished graphic artist and designer. Motivated by his love of graphic novels, he has designed the cover... besides telling the story of this record, each musician and song sports its own illustration, upping the cool factor.

The jazz blog marlbank gave the album 3 stars and had this to say:

Heavily influenced by Dave Douglas but with a slightly airier sound, trumpeter Carey did the whole of this album in a day with his band in a San Francisco studio, and it benefits from the real time method at work.... Inspired by Jim Jarmusch, and Charles Ives as well as [Kenny] Wheeler, there’s nothing stuck in the mud about this young player and his band.

Interesting how different people can hear totally different influences in my playing--hadn't thought about the Dave Douglas connection in a while but it's true I listened to him a lot in my 20s (when I used to see him at Connecticut Muffin!).Over at KZSU (Stanford), Forrest Bryant wrote this kind capsule review:

Excellent, very thoughtful set from a Bay Area trumpeter leading a simpatico sextet. The ensemble passages are richly layered, the solos flowing and yearning. There’s an overall feeling of calmness, but spiced with a few vigorous surges and a lot of motion just under the surface. Really fine work from these local musicians.

It isn't really a review, but Memory Select: Avant-Jazz Radio wrote an interesting meditation on the challenges as a programmer of being inundated by so many good new albums, and talks about Roads & Codes' cover art and my attempt to grab peoples' attention visually as well as musically:

Bay Area jazz fans know Carey as a trumpeter and bandleader, assuming they know him at all. But he’s also a graphic designer. So, in toying with drawings to go with Roads and Codes, he developed the idea of making the cover a self-referential story about how to connect good music with an audience. And Carey’s music is good. It’s got a cozy modern-jazz sound with a lot of tricks under the surface; it’s stuff that would get airplay on a station like KCSM. But how does one get the music into their ears?

... that's something I thought of this week as I emailed radio stations to confirm they'd received the album, and got lots of responses along the lines of, "I'll see if I can find it among the hundreds on my desk."Finally, the great Ted Gioia sent the following very kind tweet last week: "Today's listening: Roads & Codes, a new CD from jazz trumpeter Ian Carey. A very underrated player, and a talent to watch."OK, enough reviews! For those of you who stuck around, here's a live version of my tune from the album "Count Up," as performed by Takoyaki 3 (with Adam Shulman on organ, and Jon Arkin on drums) at last week's show:Ian Carey's Takoyaki 3 - Count Up (Live)

First off, thank you to everyone who came out to our CD release show last week--it was really successful and the band had a great time. (Video to come!) Also: I still have signed limited edition prints of the album art for sale (priced to move at $50-90!), so if you're interested in potentially picking one up, leave your email in the comments.But if you weren't able to make it (or if you were & you just want more), I'm going to be playing this week in Berkeley with Takoyaki 3, the 3-piece streamlined, street-food-style version of our quintet. The group features Adam Shulman on organ and Jon Arkin on drums, each of whom played on our new album, Roads & Codes ("Stellar band... smart and arresting." --San Francisco Chronicle)We'll be playing music from the new record, plus selections from our previous two albums, originals by Adam, and some forgotten gems by great jazz composers including Herbie Nichols, Lennie Tristano, and Ornette Coleman.The venue is a brand new gallery, school & performance space (with a beautiful piano!) called Garden Gate Creativity Center, now in its first month of performances. Wine & refreshments will be served.WHAT: Ian Carey's TAKOYAKI 3WHO: Adam Shulman, organ & piano; Jon Arkin, drums; Ian Carey, trumpet & flugelhornWHEN: Thursday, February 28, 8pmWHERE: Garden Gate Creativity Center, 2911 Claremont Ave. (@ Ashby), BerkeleyTICKETS: $10-20 sliding scale donation (advance tix available here.)Thanks, and hope to see you there!

Hi folks, the long-awaited (by me anyway) day has arrived, and our new album, Roads & Codes, is available for purchase (both physically and digitally) at my new web store, as well as on CDBaby (the only place to get the physical CD so far), Amazon, iTunes, and eMusic. Locals can also pick it up at the great Groove Yard in Oakland (additional stores soon to come).Also, just a quick reminder that tomorrow is our big CD Release & Art show at the Sound Room in Oakland. The band is sounding great and, in addition to all the music from "Roads & Codes," we'll be doing two brand new expanded arrangements of favorite originals from previous albums.WHAT: Kabocha Records and Bay Area Jazz & Arts present The Ian Carey Quintet+1: CD Release & Art Show for Roads & CodesWHO: Evan Francis, flute & tenor saxophone; Kasey Knudsen, alto saxophone; Adam Shulman, piano; Jon Arkin, drums; Fred Randolph, bass; Ian Carey, trumpet, flugelhorn, illustrationsWHEN: Thursday, February 21, 8pmWHERE: The Sound Room, 2147 Broadway (@ 22nd St.), OaklandTICKETS: $15, includes free CD with purchase! (advance tix available here.)Next, some really nice reviews for the album have started to come in, including one in our very own East Bay Express today:

Besides being a clever graphic artist, Carey is a gifted musician who gets a warm sound out of his trumpet and flugelhorn, his approach suggesting Chet Baker, Miles Davis, and Art Farmer. His six original compositions on Roads & Codes not only draw on post-bop traditions but expand on them, particularly in the way Carey imaginatively harmonizes and layers his horns, Knudsen's alto sax, and Francis' tenor sax or flute over pianist Shulman, bassist Randolph, and drummer Arkin's firm yet floating grooves.

There have also been positive reviews from Midwest Record ("champion of a session... solid stuff that never hits a false note") and @CriticalJazz ("on the cutting edge of new sounds and exciting compositions for modern jazz... 4 Stars!").Finally, Phliip Freeman at the music blog Burning Ambulance put together a great feature about the album, including a slideshow of the cover art comic (I'm flattered that he describes it as "Harvey Pekar-esque") and a free streaming track--our version of Neil Young's theme to the movie "Dead Man". Check it out!

Hello folks, I'm pleased to report that after quite a while spent writing, rehearsing, recording, mixing, and designing the artwork,  the CD release show for the Ian Carey Quintet+1's new album, Roads & Codes, will be held February 21 in Oakland! This group has been playing together for close to ten years, but Roads & Codes ("on the cutting edge of new sounds and exciting compositions for modern jazz" --CriticalJazz), represents our most ambitious effort yet.The show will be next Thursday, February 21 at 8pm, at a nice new venue in Oakland’s uptown neighborhood, The Sound Room. It will feature the exact same personnel as the CD, even including Evan Francis, who we’re lucky to have joining us from his new digs in New York, and newest addition to the group, the great Kasey Knudsen, performing all the music from the album (including new arrangements of works by Stravinsky, Ives, and Neil Young) and select "hits" from our previous CDs. The show will also feature the original art which I’ve created for the album in both projected formats and as signed prints for sale.And to sweeten the pot for those on the fence, everyone purchasing a ticket will recieve a FREE COPY of the CD!WHAT: Kabocha Records and Bay Area Jazz & Arts present The Ian Carey Quintet+1: CD Release & Art Show for Roads & CodesWHO: Evan Francis, flute & tenor saxophone; Kasey Knudsen, alto saxophone; Adam Shulman, piano; Jon Arkin, drums; Fred Randolph, bass; Ian Carey, trumpet, flugelhorn, illustrationsWHEN: Thursday, February 21, 8pmWHERE: The Sound Room, 2147 Broadway (@ 22nd St.), OaklandTICKETS: $15, includes free CD with purchase! (advance tix available here.)Next Tuesday (2/19) will be the official "street date" of the album, which means it will be available for purchase at various sites around the web (links to come) and will (knock on wood) be heard on radio stations across the land.Hope to see you Thursday!