“Friends On The Moon” CD Release Event

This is a one-time event: Arnon Palty, who co-wrote and co-produced the music with Dan Adler, is traveling from Israel, Donald Vega is busy touring with his own trio and with Ron Carter, and Byron Wookie Landham is busy touring with Joey DeFrancesco, Pat Bianchi and others.

We will meet for this one special evening in NYC to present the music we had so much fun recording together.

I really hope you can join us at the Triad Theatre, 158 West 72 St. NYC, Feb 4 at 9pm!

Buy Tickets

($15): http://www.triadnyc.com/ev…/a3ddcbf844022e8eeaff378e517d3bdb

Video from the studio recording

Stream/Buy the music: https://danadler.hearnow.com/

Review: https://www.jazzwax.com/…/dan-adler-friends-on-the-moon.html

“Friends On The Moon” CD Release Event

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Guitarist and composer Dan Adler has been active on the New York jazz scene for over 20 years since his arrival from Israel. He has played and recorded with Steve Grossman, Bob Berg, Grant Stewart, Joey DeFrancesco and others. This is Dan’s third album as a leader. His previous two albums “All Things Familiar” with Grant Stewart and “Back To The Bridge” with Joey DeFrancesco were highly acclaimed.

Dr. Arnon Palty is an award winning composer, arranger, bass player and jazz educator from Israel. He has performed with Dave Liebman, Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Benny Golson, Airto Moreira, and others. Arnon leads his own Big Band and a Funk/Fusion group called “Plutonium”. He recently released an ensemble album and a Big-Band album with Dave Liebman.

Pianist Donald Vega was classically trained in his native Nicaragua. He graduated from the Manhattan School of Music and the Juilliard School in NYC. He tours the world with Ron Carter and Russell Malone, and has recorded several albums as a leader.

Drummer Byron Landham hails from Philadelphia where he is an adjunct professor of music at Temple University. He has toured with Betty Carter, Joey DeFrancesco, Pat Martino and others, and has appeared on over 50 albums.

Album and Track inspiration notes

The compositions and concept of the album were shaped jointly by Dan Adler and Arnon Palty, who collaborated on a previous album called “Arty Facts”. They each wrote 5 original compositions, some based on jazz standard tunes, and some with original chord changes.

The album’s title song “Friends On The Moon” by Adler is a medium tempo, inspired by the chord changes to two jazz standards: “Just Friends” and “How High The Moon”. Dan takes the first solo, followed by Donald and Arnon.

Arnon’s “House Is What” opens with an improvised duo chorus by Adler and Vega. The title of the song pays homage to Tadd Dameron’s “Hot House” which itself is based on the standard “What Is This Thing Called Love”. Dan solos first, followed by Donald and Byron.

Adler’s “Deep Blue Waltz” opens with guitar and piano stating the melody. Dan takes the first solo, followed by Donald before returning to the melody.

Palty’s “Let’s Stay Warm” is inspired by Monk’s “Let’s Cool One”. The melody is stated in unison by guitar and piano. Arnon takes the first solo, followed by Dan and Donald, whose solo evokes his deep admiration for Monk.

“I Just Did” was written by Dan, inspired by the chord changes to Sonny Rollins’ “Why Don’t I”, but with a Latin twist. Everyone solos on this happy groove in the order of: Dan, Donald, Arnon on fretless bass, and Byron.

Arnon’s “Shiny Dolphins” takes its inspiration from two very different jazz classics, “Shiny Stockings” (made famous by the Count Basie orchestra) and Herbie Hancock’s “Dolphin Dance”. Dan takes the first solo, followed by Donald and Arnon.

Adler’s “Forget Me Not” was inspired by the chord changes to “I Remember You” and is presented here as a Samba. Dan and Donald take solos, and then Byron solos on the fadeout.

Arnon’s “Oat and a Boat” is the only ballad on the session. Donald takes the first solo, backed by Arnon’s responsive double bass and Byron’s sensitive brushes. Dan and Arnon then solo before returning to the melody.

Dan’s “It’s Fine”, inspired by the chord changes of the Gershwin classic “S’Wonderful”, is an up-tempo where Dan takes the first solo, followed by Donald. They then trade fours with Byron before returning to the melody.

Arnon’s “Sweet Yardley” in inspired by the chord changes of Charlie Parker’s “Yardbird Suite”. It is taken at a medium tempo, with Donald Vega taking the first solo followed by Dan and Arnon.