Dig this...the quartet is doing a direct to vinyl recording session on March 6th! We'll be recording a number of my originals, all of which will be lathe cut directly to 7" vinyl records that will be available to purchase from Leesta Vall. These recordings are truly unique in that they provide an authentic, one-to-one experience between artist and listener. These records are like audio polaroids; they capture music in its truest form, live, in real-time, resulting in a completely unique piece of physical merchandise that the owner can cherish forever. Check back here for more info on where to get your copy!
Ed Neumeister - Trombone
Neal Kirkwood - Fender Rhodes & Vibes
Drew Gress - Contra Bass
Tom Rainey - Drums
I'm excited to announce an upcoming duo release with my longtime friend and musical cohort, guitarist Karl Ratzer. Check out an early clip and this wonderful review from Jazz and Blues Experience!
"Two greats of the international jazz scene interpret their compositions together: The "Wiener Melange" is a type of coffee, but it also represents the cultural melting pot of the Austrian capital. Musically, nobody embodies this mixture more than the living legend Karl Ratzer. With his soul and rock background he has become internationally known as a jazz guitarist alongside greats such as Joe Chambers or Chet Baker. Trombonist Ed Neumeister, who comes from the San Francisco Bay area where he also has his musical roots, has successfully become one of the most sought-after jazz trombonists in New York playing in the Duke Ellington Orchestra or Gerry Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band, among others. His work at the University of Music in Graz is what led him to Austria, where he met Karl Ratzer in various ensembles. With their unique styles, this special duo create an essence of timeless jazz music. With plenty of room for improvisation, this musical collaboration will come across as a melodic conversation between two well-travelled masters who can express a lot with just a few notes. The intimate setting is provided by Carinthia's Castle Tentschach."
-Jazz and Blues Experience
The debut of my Assembláge Jazz Orchestra on April 3rd at Birdland in New York City was a huge success.
Assembláge is anamalgam of players from various cultures and backgrounds, visually, as well as musically, striking.
Birdland Concert April 3rd 2022
Reviewed by Holli Harms Front Row Center:
Music transports us, moves us, and goes to deep unconscious places in our bodies and mind. Ed Neumeister’s and his remarkable jazz orchestra did that and more at Birdland.
Neumeister has been in the business of creating music for over fifty years. He is an experimentalist, improviser, and composer of jazz. His show will have you tapping your feet, closing your eyes as you listen to stunning music, watching with your mouth open as Neumeister wills his trombone to speak to you, and you’ll cheer at the rise and fall of the music and the remarkable ensemble of sound.
The orchestra is 17 multi-generational musicians and a grand piano pinched together on the small Birdland stage and is made up of both seasoned musicians playing alongside those fresh out of school. What makes the show so wonderful is that all of them are having almost as much fun as we are.
This performance marked the World Premiere of Neumeister’s NYC Assembláge Jazz Orchestra, which Neumeister describes as, “a diverse and inclusive jazz orchestra,” calling it, “Schoenberg meets Monk meets Sun Ra, with a little Lutoslawski and James Brown thrown in for spice.”.......
It was a beautiful, exhilarating, and thought-provoking performance. Ed Neumeister is the Picasso of music. Testing the grounds of music and in the process creating his own unique style and sound that should not be missed. He is a treasure of the music world.
Read Full Review here.
Ed Neumeister's Assembláge Jazz Orchestra features: Ben Kono, Caroline Davis, Adam Kolker, Hillai Govreen, Lo Wood, Liesl Whitaker, Augie Haas, Diego Uroola, Freddie Hendrix, James Burton, Ron Wilkins, Deborah Weisz, Jennifer Hinkle, Pete McCann, Neil Kirkwood, Chris Tordini and Jon Wikan