Razz
Formed in 1983 by Brian Sawyers
and Todd Voelker, Razz was conceived as a vehicle for professional musicians
local to the Orange County California area to have an ensemble core where they
could share ideas and record their music.
Razz was never intended to be a "band". Think of it more like a support network
for local jazz musicians.
Brian and Todd met while
playing dinner theater in Newport Beach, California. During breaks, the
two would try out new ideas and through this came the birth of
Playground. Brian commented, “The tips were great! In fact, they
paid for the recording and release of the album.”
The
initiation of Razz started literally by asking around town which players would
be available during a given couple of weeks in December of 1983. The
talent that stepped forward became the first generation of Razz: Troy Dexter
on guitars, John Holt and Ray Hurley on basses, Troy Edmunston on saxes and
Chariya Keopke Bissonet on vocals. As it turned out, the engineer
of the project was starting a Contemporary Christian label called Exile Records
and was interested in using Playground as a "debut release".
The record was released in June of 1984.
When
it comes to Razz’s approach to recording, Brian comments, "The music
wouldn't have that spark that comes from the human element if I'd done it all
with MIDI. Too often, solo efforts
tend to get overworked. If it weren't for the input from each player, it
would just be another data stream rolling around the contemporary jazz
idiom. It's the heart and musicianship of each player that gives music
life."
After a period of time, the writing for the next project, Clazz, was under
way. This time a different group of musicians stepped
forward: Matthew Von Doran and Tom Bevan on guitars, Eric Stiller
and Mahlon Hawk on basses, Albert Wing on EWI and a five piece horn section
consisting of Darrel Gardner and Matt Fronke on trumpets, John Grabb on
trombone, Brian Williams and Tom Margitan on saxes. For this and future
recordings, Brian has teamed up with engineer Gary Van Pelt whos sensitive
miking and recording techniques create a very clean and sonic quality that’s
perfect for our music.
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