Jesse Lewis Atticus CD

In his highly anticipated sophomore recording, guitarist/composer Jesse Lewis explores new sonic possibilities and blends different genres effortlessly. Lewis is an active contributor to NYC’s creative music scene and has been an established member of the jazz community for many years. He has worked with jazz luminaries such as Ellis Marsalis, Nicholas Payton, Chris Potter, and Mark Turner. His new album, Atticus, is the culmination of his collective experiences, both musically and personally. Lewis is featured throughout the recording on a variety of instruments including several electric guitars, acoustic guitar, nylon string guitar and even baritone ukulele. On Atticus, the sounds of the artificial and the acoustic meld seamlessly and compliment each other in refreshing ways. The music grows and evolves organically, taking time to unfold and develop thematic material throughout. The compositions, while notably influenced by jazz, call equally upon myriad other influences. Like many of his generation, Lewis was a true “child of the 80’s,” and was influenced by the aesthetic of 80’s pop music- its simple melodic and harmonic ideas, the sounds of the synthesizers, and the reverb-laden drum machines. His early childhood also fostered a love for the music of his parent’s generation – The Beatles, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Simon and Garfunkel. The influence of Lewis’ years in New Orleans can be heard through the deep, funk grooves on the recording. The rich, distorted guitar solos call to mind alternative rock bands like Nirvana, which he listened to as a teen. The most recent influences come from the electronic music of Squarepusher, Boards of Canada, and Clark. Electronic sounds and effects play a major role in each composition. Lewis also utilizes his background in classical music, using cello, flute, and clarinet. All of these genres and artists played an important role in his development as a composer and reveal themselves musically in Atticus. Atticus is a collaborative effort between Lewis and Joseph Davancens. They first met in 2002 while attending the Manhattan School of Music. Davancens, a jazz bassist, was also an avid songwriter and composer of electronic music. After hearing some of his demos, Lewis first had the idea to produce an album together. After graduation, however, the two musicians lost touch. A chance meeting in August of 2007 reignited the idea to collaborate on a recording. Thus, Atticus was born. The decision was to make an album with a true fusion of styles- an honest representation of each musician’s sound, soul and experience.In an amazing and fruitful partnership, Davancens added his own unique ideas and vision. He also used his great skill in the areas of programming, sequencing, and sound design, to give new life to each track. Atticus was written and recorded during the autumn of 2007. Each song was first recorded as a demo version in Davancens’ apartment. After the demo phase was completed, all the parts were painstakingly re-recorded to attain the highest quality sound fidelity possible at LoudLouderLoudest Studios in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Davencens also served as the recording engineer. The making of Atticus was a production of large proportion. In addition to all of the various synthesizers and sequenced drum machines, a broad spectrum of instruments was recorded. Listeners will hear over 30 different string, wind or percussion instruments that contribute to the unique sound and character of each composition. The album was mixed at The Hangar Studios in Sacramento, California. Thanks to Davancens and long time friend and engineer Dana Nielson, each instrument retains its natural acoustic qualities- nothing is lost as a result of overproduction.Atticus features stellar drum set performances by Obed Calvaire (Kurt Rosenwinkel, Wynton Marsalis, Peter Cincotti) and wonderful percussion and tabla work by Indian percussionist Rohin Khemani (J