the New BLACK album credits

PRODUCTION CREDITS

  • Produced by Darrell Grant 

  • Recorded at Birdland Theater in New York City January 16 & 17, 2019 

  • Mixed and Mastered by Dana White at Specialized Mastering 

  • Cover photography by Michael Del Rossi

  • Additional photography by Kim Gumbel and Michael Del Rossi

  • Graphic Design & Layout by Jospin Mugisha

PLAYERS

  • Darrell Grant, Piano

  • Marquis Hill, Trumpet

  • Kendrick Scott, Drums 

  • Clark Sommers, Bass

LINER NOTES

On December 13, 1993, I walked into RPM Studios to record my debut CD as a leader. Joining me were three of my generation's most talented new voices — 23-year-old Brian Blade, 21-year-old Christian McBride, and 33-year-old Wallace Roney. The mix of originals and arrangements we played was my attempt to capture the feeling of being a young jazz artist in New York during that remarkable musical moment. I called it Black Art. I’m pleased to say it was well-received, named one of the top 10 jazz albums of the year by the NY Times, the top 5 by England’s Vox Magazine, and it launched my career as a bandleader.

Fast-forward to January 16, 2019, walking on stage at the Birdland Theater to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of Black Art joined by three of the current generation’s most distinctive voices for two transcendent nights of music-making. The energy in the room was palpable — the music exploded off the bandstand.

And I had no idea that our sets were being recorded!

What you hear on this record is an unfiltered, unedited snapshot of the music we made during those two nights using the club system and a digital recorder at the soundboard. With remarkable clarity, it captures the vibe of a night in a packed New York jazz club — the musicians free to stretch on extended versions of the songs, the crackling excitement of a live audience in an intimate venue. It all adds up to the FEELING that keeps us returning to where the magic is made.

Betty Carter told us that it was the responsibility of a true jazz artist to take chances in each moment. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to revisit and re-invent this music, and it is an even more unexpected gift to be able to share it with you. I hope the music brings as much pleasure in the listening as it did in the making.

Darrell Grant

2/22/22

THANK YOU’S

Special Thanks to Kendrick, Clark and Marquis for your artistry and inspiration, Gianni Valenti and the staff at Birdland Jazz, Michael del Rossi, Kim Gumbel, Jessica Stern, Dana White, Todd Crosby, Eric Gruber, Tyson Stubelek, Michiko Studios, Anne & Malcolm

Deepest thanks to Brian, Christian, Wallace & Gerry Teekens for starting me on this journey.