Lingua Franca Peter Epstein / Brad Shepik / Matt Kilmer

• 1 Two Door 07:11
• 2 Miro 04:50
• 3 Emerald 03:43
• 4 Témoin 04:18
• 5 Here & There 06:28
• 6 Monsaraz 09:31
• 7 Kumanovo 05:14
• 8 Sunrise 05:05
• 9 Meditation 09:21
• Total Runtime 55:41

Info for Lingua Franca

There's a simple elegance to this encounter between alto/soprano saxophonist Peter Epstein, guitarist Brad Shepik and percussionist Matt Kilmer. A non-Western ambience prevails thanks to Kilmer's dumbek and frame drums and Shepik's scalar exoticism. Five of the pieces are Shepik's, four are Epstein's; a collectively composed bonus track ('Improvisation 1') brings the disc to a close.

With no bassist, Shepik is free to roam sonically, and his trustiest vehicle is an octaver that broadens his tone and adds low end to the mix. His occasional looping, phasing and backward effects never obscure his clean and pure electric-guitar sound. There are brilliant acoustic-guitar glimmers as well, on 'Meditation,' 'Temoin' and others. The trio balances freedom and rigorous structure on these tunes, which vary widely: from the complex line writing of 'Two Door' and 'Monsaraz,' to the meditative, folkish lyricism of 'Emerald' and 'Kumanovo,' to the majestic sweep of 'Here and There.'

Epstein is heated yet focused on both his horns, and Kilmer always achieves the right blend of misty texture and propulsive tempo. Shepik is the anchor, however, and when he takes his turn on the bright 7/8 funk of 'Miro,' he's truly improvising without a net. (David R. Adler, JazzTimes)

Peter Epstein, Alto and Soprano Saxophone
Brad Shepik, Guitars
Matt Kilmer, Percussion

Peter Epstein
began his career in 1984 in Portland, Oregon where he apprenticed with resident musicians Nancy King and Glen Moore. In 1992, after four years of studying jazz and various world music genres at California Institute of the Arts, Peter earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and relocated to New York City. Since then he has appeared on over 30 recordings and toured in more than 20 countries with artists including Bobby Previte, Brad Shepik, Ralph Alessi, Michael Cain, Medeski, Martin, & Wood, Mike Stern, Jim Black, Ravi Coltrane, and many others.

As a leader, Peter has released six albums - Origin Records: Abstract Realism (PE, saxophone; Andy Barbera, guitar; Sam Minaie, bass; Matt Mayhall, drums) NEW RELEASE!; MA Recordings: Old School (PE, saxophone; Scott Colley, bass; Peter Erskine, drums); Staring At the Sun (PE, saxophones; Jamie Saft, accordion; Chris Dahlgren, bass; Jim Black, drums); The Invisible (PE, saxophones; Jamie Saft, piano, organ, and accordion; Chris Dahlgren, bass; Jim Black, drums), and Solus (solo saxophone recording in San Martino Cathedral, Lucca, Italy); Songlines Records: Lingua Franca (PE, saxopohones; Brad Shepik, guitar; Matt Kilmer, percussion). Peter is currently involved in a number of ongoing or continuing projects: Idée Fixe, The Collective, EEA, Ralph Alessi’s Modular Theatre, The James Carney Band, Bug, and the Peter Epstein Quartet with Gary Versace, Sam Minaie, and Mark Ferber. He also teaches privately and frequently presents master classes and workshops around the world.

Peter received a Master of Music degree with an emphasis in classical saxophone from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2004; now teaching at UNR, he is currently Assistant Professor of Music and Director of the Program in Jazz and Improvisational Music. Peter is also a co-founder (with Ralph Alessi) and Vice President of the School for Improvisational Music in Brooklyn, NY.

This album contains no booklet.