I hope everyone is hanging in there!
Hoping to offer a little light in the cold night.
Pre-order KASE – “Alive” >> HERE << Limited edition Cassette/digital download
I am excited announce the pre-order of my latest album with the group KASE. KASE is a really fun story that goes back quite a many years, actually. When I was teaching middle school at Maple Dale School I had a young student, Ian, (knowsthetime) in band and jazz band. Ian was a very solid middle school drummer, however, I soon witnessed his true passion was DJ’ing. In the 7th grade talent show, he performed an incredible DJ set in which he absolutely destroyed – literally smashing the record at the end of the set. I somewhat remember that he had a smoke machine or a laser machine?… or maybe my faded memory is adding to the legend. Everyone in the room was in awe. It was clear he was passionate, dedicated and skilled beyond his years. I took a mental note in that instant and made sure to keep in touch with him well after his middle school tenure.
Fast forward several years later… I started hiring Ian to do DJ sets for various shows around Milwaukee, opening for my various bands and spinning in between sets. During that time, he was blowing up the scene in Madison while in school at UW… PHD student in Psychology and moonlighting at night as the most in demand live DJ around town (also developing into one of the most creative producers I’ve heard anywhere). He had his hand in nearly every Hiphop show that came through Madison. Several more years passed by… bassist John Christensen I were lamenting the lack of opportunities we had to play music together. We discussed possible projects to remedy that situation. The lightbulb clicked on. I had always wanted to try a trio/quartet – drummer-less – replaced by a DJ. A quick message to Joe Katz at The Highbury was all it took. The Highbury had been a personal musical laboratory since the early 2000’s, carrying over from The Nomad on Brady Street as one of Milwaukee’s creative music hotspots. One quick text later and we had a steady gig at The HB. KASE was born.
KASE performs completely improvised soundscapes. Every show we have ever performed has been 100% off the cuff, no preconceived compositions, melodies, or chords. We added Scott Currier (keys),Tony Barba (saxophone/bass clarinet), and frequent collaborator CRASHprez (raps) for this special live set. The music was captured one icy night at Company Brewing in Riverwest Milwaukee in February 2019, pre-covid. (seems like a generation ago already – live crowds, sans masks, sans worries).
It will be released on January 1st worldwide digitally, streaming (and on CASSETTE!!! that’s right, you heard me on cassette – my 80’s childhood self is giddy over this!) as the first new release on my new label B Side Recordings. You can peruse the B Side back catalogue here: bsiderecordings.com A preorder will get you an immediate download of the single “The Beholder”. The rest will be blasted out into the universe on Jan 1 – cassettes shipping then as well.
We hope you enjoy the music.
Yours in Music,
Jamie
“KASE is Jamie Breiwick (trumpet), John Christensen on (acoustic bass), and knowsthetime (turntables and ableton). Alive features special guests Tony Barba (woodwinds), Scott Currier (keybords) and the brilliant CRASHprez (raps). KASE invents textural soundscapes – incorporating live beats, turntablism, electronic elements, free improvisation and extended forms into the music that is crafted and created spontaneously. References for this project run the gamut from the contemporary mainstream to the avant guard to the classic… mixing jazz & hiphop – different branches of the same tree. That said, KASE has created something new and unexpected with this band and with this recording. You are invited to join them on that journey.”
credits
releases January 1, 2021
Recorded Live at Company BrewingMilwaukee, WI / February 2, 2019Engineered by Cheston VanhussMixed & Mastered by knowsthetimeDesign by Jamie Breiwick
Jamie Breiwick, trumpetTony Barba, tenor saxophone/bass clarinet, effectsScott Currier, keysJohn Christensen, acoustic bassknowsthetime, turntables/abletonCRASHprez, raps
B Side RecordingsBRS–0005