Jazz standards and three originals by David Larsen (English 2023)

The Peplowski Project, featuring clarinetist Ken Peplowski, is a mix of jazz standards and three originals by David Larsen. It takes its inspiration from the great straight-ahead jazz albums of the 1950s with arrangements by the great Al Cohn. The album was recorded in June of 2022 at the recording studio at Spokane Falls Community College. All with single takes with semi-isolation.

The recording process was done with ribbon mics on the winds with condensers on the piano, bass, and drums. David Larsen hopes you enjoy this album as much as he did planning, playing, and recording it. It’s a next step in his ever-growing discography of tasteful and swinging offerings guaranteed to hook your ear.

David Larsen (saxophonist, composer, and educator) is the director of instrumental studies at Spokane Falls Community College. He holds a PhD from Washington State University and degrees from Pacific University, University of Oregon, and Western Oregon University. David has been a presenter/performer for the Jazz Education Network, North American Saxophone Alliance, and several other conferences and festivals. David has performed with a variety of artists including Ken Peplowski, Darry Yokley, Zaccai Curtis, Francisco Torres, Dave Glenn, Ron Vincent, Bill Mays, Dean Johnson, and the internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist Halie Loren. David’s previous releases Deviate from Standards (2021) and The Mulligan Chronicles (2021) have received international radio play and rave reviews. David has three EPs for G2 record label; G2 and You, Bright Days, and the Sextet Sessions. Recently, David appeared on the Origin Records release New Normal (2021) by Greg Yasinitsky and was featured on the award-winning Halie Loren album Butterfly Blue (2015). Larsen’s previous releases include Borrowed Time (2018), One of a Kind (2016), and Night Shift (2016). The Peplowski Project (2023) is Larsen’s dream team album. Larsen explains, “This project was a dream come true! I have always been a huge fan of straight-ahead jazz and the magical playing of Ken Peplowski. It was such a treat to spend time getting to know Ken and learning from the master. His ideas and direction helped bring the music to another level.” In planning the project with Ken, he suggested playing some great arrangements of Al Cohn compositions. Al Cohn was an incredibly popular arranger and composer in the 1950s, and David has always loved his music. Larsen furthers, “My compositions on this album mirror Cohn’s style and are complemented by the standards. We really tried to capture the magic of the great Al Cohn/Zoot Sims quintet, which originally recorded many of these compositions.” Players: instrument David Larsen - Baritone, Alto, Tenor Sax & Clarinet Ken Peplowski - Clarinet & Tenor Sax Jake Svendsen - Piano Josh Skinner - Bass Brendan McMurphy - Drums Recording Engineer - Steve Gamberoni Mixing and Mastering - David Larsen TRACKS, COMPOSER, TIMES: 1. All the Things You Are Jerome Kern (7:55) 2. Black Nightgown Johnny Mandel (6:18) 3. Doodle Oodle Bill Byers (4:28) 4. He Who Getz the Last Laugh David Larsen (4:57) 5. In a Sentimental Mood Duke Ellington (6:16) 6. Into the Mild David Larsen (6:20) 7. Jazz Line Blues Al Cohn (4:12) 8. Love Me or Leave Me Walter Donaldson (7:07) 9. On the Sunny Side of the Street Jimmy McHugh (6:02) 10. Tenor for Dinner David Larsen (5:29) 11. Two Funky People Al Cohn (4:25)

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