Hi Folks--a big thank you to everyone who made it out to our CD release show last week at Coda (and thanks even to those who wanted to be there but couldn't make it). The show went really well, it's a very nice room, and as I said at the gig, after seeing so many jazz venues close lately, it's great to see a new one taking hold. (We're already talking about a return visit in June.)Here's some video from the show--our first tune of the night, "Sockdolager":More tunes to come--for now you can also check out "Sink/Swim."CONTEXTUALIZIN' @ ALL ABOUT JAZZ: Two big things going on for our new CD over at All About Jazz this week--first, the album is being featured in a "Listening Party" all this week, which means you can listen to it in its entirety for FREE! Check it out here (if you like what you hear and want to keep listening, pick up your own copy at CDBaby, iTunes, or Amazon).Second, we've gotten a nice review from the site by C. Michael Bailey:

Trumpeter Ian Carey's Contextualizin' is a digital Masters seminar. First, of course, is the music: solid, acoustic, composed, progressive, explorative. Second, is the exegesis, Carey's realization that, ..."what I played would help shape how I played..." Not technically dazzling, Carey, like Miles Davis, chooses to focus on which notes he plays (and doesn't) and their relative order as opposed to the tempo or technical exercise contained in the notes' performance. This shift in perspective moves the act of playing music from the sterile virtuosic into the informed, emotive realm, providing a solid balance...

How about that! (I was joking to a friend that I should shorten the quote to: "... like Miles Davis...") Read the whole review here.Finally, if you haven't yet, please take a second to become a fan of Ian Carey Jazz on Facebook, to keep up with all the latest gig announcements, videos, and links. Happy Spring!

The great jazz journalist Doug Ramsey's blog, Rifftides, is one of the not-to-be-missed stops on the jazz web, and he's also the author of a Paul Desmond biography which I hope to read one of these days. So I was very excited to see he had included Contextualizin' in his recommendations for this month:

Carey's self-deprecation in his liner notes would have you believe that he's not much of a trumpet player. It depends on what you mean by playing. True, there's not a double high C anywhere on the album and no jet-speed series of gee-whiz chord inversions. Let's settle for good tone, lyricism and contiguous ideas that lead somewhere. Carey and his young sidemen are in tune with one another, in every sense. In Adam Shulman he has a pianist who understands Bill Evans and in Evan Francis an alto saxophonist to keep an ear on.

UPDATE 3/9: Brian McCoy of the Oakland Jazz Examiner blog put together a series of interesting questions for me about the CD and the band... check it out here.

Contextualizin' is available at CDBaby, Amazon, and iTunes, and don't forget our CD Release show this Wednesday, March 10!

Hi folks: In one short week, the Quintet will be heading to the lovely Coda Jazz Supper Club in San Francisco for our official CD Release Show, so be sure you hop on the nearest cable car, BART train, hybrid taxi, mass bicycle demonstration, or flash mob, and get yourself there. We'll be doing music from the new album, of course, plus some updated favorites from our previous CD. (I'm also told that since they will be serving food, the under-21 crowd will be welcome as well--although I'm not sure how far under 21.)WHAT: Contextualizin' CD Release ShowWHO: The Ian Carey Quintet, featuring Ian Carey, trumpet & flugelhorn; Adam Shulman, Fender Rhodes piano & Hammond B3 organ; Evan Francis, saxophone & flute; Fred Randolph, bass; and Jon Arkin, drums (+ special guests)WHERE: Coda Jazz Supper Club, 1710 Mission Street, SFWHEN: Wednesday, March 10, 7-9:30pmHOW MUCH: $5I'm also excited to share a review for Contextualizin' from Rachel Swan at our very own East Bay Express:

The album title speaks to some broader point about how Carey wants to tell his own story and create his own landscape (he describes the trumpet as a "discursive" instrument). That's not exactly high-concept, but it definitely befits the material. Of the album's nine tunes, eight are originals, and many have a tricky format... Of course, Carey's band is the real payoff. Arkin is the consummate "good pocket player." Shulman and bassist Fred Randolph help solidify the rhythm section, while Francis and Carey skate through melodies overhead. They're strong enough as a unit to take a weird idea and give it shape — or context.

You can read the entire review here.Other media news: I'll be doing an interview with Brad Stone of KSJS 90.5 FM (San Jose) this Monday the 8th at 3:30pm. (You can listen live here); I also have a "five questions"-type feature this week at All About Jazz ("Take Five with Ian Carey"), where you can learn about my deep thoughts on the state of jazz, my trip to Space Camp, and counting penguins.You'll also notice I've added a few more links at the left for purchasing the album, which is now available at CDBaby, iTunes, Amazon, LaLa, and you can download a free track from the album at All About Jazz.Finally, I'll be playing tomorrow night (3/4) at a community performance space called DivinityVoice in Oakland with an interesting new group featuring the uncanny vocal stylings of Lorin Benedict and the guitar of Eric Vogler (our drummer Bryan Bowman is unfortunately on the disabled list with a finger ouchie, but we wish him a speedy recovery). We'll be playing (definitely) strange and (hopefully) wonderful variations on classic jazz tunes. The details are:WHAT: Lorin, Eric, & IanWHO: Lorin Benedict, vocal; Ian Carey, trumpet & flugelhorn; Eric Vogler, guitarWHERE: DivinityVoice, 3609 Maple Ave, OaklandWHEN: Thursday, March 4, 8pmHOW MUCH: $10

Marc Myers' Jazzwax is one of the great online jazz resources to pop up over the past few years, featuring eye-opening interviews with a wide variety of jazz personalities, from living legends to under-appreciated folks who nevertheless have interesting stories to tell. So it's immensely gratifying to me that Marc chose Contextualizin' as a "Discovery of the Week":

I dig Ian Carey. He's a trumpeter with a clean, clear sound who understands that there are listeners at the other end of recordings. On his new album, you hear Ian's tender sound on the horn and his passion for harmony. Deep down, Ian's a romantic traditionalist, and his reverence for velvet simplicity and heart-touching tones is evident. When the music on this album hits your ear, you want to hear more. It's a strange sensation. All of the songs on the CD except one (Just Friends) were composed by Ian, and all clearly were carefully thought through to maximize warmth and gentle urgency. Fortunately, Ian's quintet is of the same mind... I can't stop playing this CD.

It's also great to hear that Marc will be starting a new book on jazz history from the 40s to the 70s--can't wait to check it out.UPDATE 2/27: A nice brief review from Stanford University's KZSU Radio:

Carey rocks on trumpet and flugelhorn, displaying a crisp technique and warm musicality. All (except for #5) are original compositions, and they showcase his sharp style and the tightness of his band, all of whom get a chance to shine through ample solos.

Contextualizin' is available on CDBaby, iTunes, LaLa, and you can download a free track from the album at All About Jazz.

Friends and Listeners,

Well, it's been a long and winding road since the Quintet headed into Bay Records for 11 hours and 13 bagels' worth of recording last May, but our new CD, Contextualizin', is finally available for sale and download, and should be hitting the airwaves at a jazz radio station near you.

There are two options for purchasing online: CDBaby, where both actual copies of the CD (yes, people still buy those!) and MP3 downloads are available; and the iTunes Store.

Please pick up a copy or four, and if you enjoy what you hear, you can leave a review at either CDBaby or iTunes. (You can even leave one if you don't like it!)

Also, if you're in the Bay Area, you can support local record stores by picking up the CD at Groove Yard (Oakland), Rasputin (San Francisco, Berkeley, San Lorenzo, or Mountain View), Amoeba Records (Berkeley), or The Jazzschool Store.

UPDATE 2/17: All About Jazz is featuring the album's title track as its free download of the day! Hop to it!

GIG UPDATE: Don't forget our Bay Area CD Release show is scheduled next month for Wednesday, March 10 at the beautiful Coda in San Francisco.

And in the meantime, I'll also be joined this Wednesday, Feb. 17 in an evening of standards and jazz classics by pianist Michael Coleman (of Beep) and bassist Noah Shencker at Sundance Kitchen restaurant, steps from Japantown and Fillmore Street in the Kabuki Cinemas building. Come on down!

Hi Friends & Listeners:

I'm excited to announce that we've scheduled the official CD release show next month for the Ian Carey Quintet's new album on Kabocha Records, Contextualizin'. The show will be hosted by Coda Jazz Supper Club, a great new venue in San Francisco's inner Mission district. The details:

WHAT: Contextualizin' CD Release Show
WHO: The Ian Carey Quintet, featuring Ian Carey, trumpet & flugelhorn; Adam Shulman, Fender Rhodes piano; Evan Francis, saxophone & flute; Fred Randolph, bass; and Jon Arkin, drums (+ special guests!)
WHERE: Coda, 1710 Mission Street, SF
WHEN: Wednesday, March 10, 7-9:30pm
HOW MUCH: $5

I'd love to get as many folks out to hear us as possible, so if you can only make it to one show of mine this year, this should be the one.

The album will make its radio debut and be available online and at select stores on 2/16 (UPDATE: now available!) and of course copies will be available at the show.

Hope to see you there!

UPDATE: Contextualizin' has its first review, from Midwest Record:

Carey has a solid jazz education and foundation in that he was lucky enough to have a slew of your fave jazzbos as teachers along the course of his musical education. Getting his inspiration from the source, he plays with a real feel and understanding of what it's all about. A trumpeter that knows how to give the rest of his ensemble some, he's one of those cats you don't really know that can load the deck with originals and not scare you away. Certainly a welcoming release, he shows he has everything it takes to go the distance and delight us all the way... this is clearly the real deal.