AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Swallow Quintet

 

Artist:The Swallow Quintet

Song:Into the Woodwork

Album:Into the Woodwork

Bassist Steve Swallow is a long time member of Gary Burton's band and he also records frequently with his wife Carla Bley. She plays organ on this 2013 album. He has recorded as a leader since the 70s. He was born Oct. 4, 1940 in Fair Lawn, NJ. Swallow studied piano and trumpet as a child and switched to bass as a teen. In 1960 he was studying composition at Yale. Swallow left school and moved to New York to play in Jimmy Giuffre's band with pianist Paul Bley. After a stint in Art Farmer's band, Swallow began his long association with legendary vibraphonist Gary Burton. He was on all of Burton's RCA albums from the 60s and on his ECM albums from 1975 until 1984. Swallow switched to electric bass in the early 70s. He plays a five string bass. Swallow was also a member of Michael Mantler and Carla Bley's Jazz Composer's Orchestra. Swallow first recorded as a leader in 1974. But he was so busy first in Burton's band and then he joined Carla's band in 1979 that he rarely recorded as a leader until the 90s. Swallow and Carla have been romantic partners since the 80s. The family that plays together stays together. Their record label Watt is distributed by ECM. Into the Woodwork is from the 2013 album Into the Woodwork. It looks like this band was assembled to tour the jazz festival circuit. It is to date the only album by The Swallow Quintet. Carla plays organ. Other musicians are Chris Cheek on sax, Steve Cardenas on guitar and Jorge Rossy on drums. All three are in demand sidemen. Swallow has released two albums in 2020. The first is called Swallow Tales with John Scofield and Bill Stewart. The second is called Life Goes On with Carla Bley and Andy Sheppard. Here's The Swallow Quintet performing Into the Woodwork and Bite Your Grandmother at the 2013 Jazz a Junas festival in Junas, France. This entire concert can be streamed on Youtube.

"Into The Woodwork" Steve Swallow quintet feat Carla Bley - Jazz à Junas 2013 from OLEO FILMS on Vimeo.