New Washtenaw music in the time of quarantine

MUSIC

Boy screaming into microphone

As I was compiling new releases by Washtenaw-area musicians, my browser crashed under the weight of having 4,796 tabs open. Happens.

Here are the releases I could recall from my brain's memory cache, which is also ready to crash:

"Marshmallow" by Warne Marsh, arranged by Andrew Bishop, associate professor and chair of jazz and contemporary improvisation at the University of Michigan. Performed by a recent version of the University of Michigan Jazz Saxophone Ensemble: Tristan Cappel, alto saxophone (soloist 3); Peter Goggin, alto saxophone (soloist 1); Kenji Lee, tenor saxophone (soloist 2); Kaleigh Wilder, baritone saxophone; Molly Radosevich, piano; Brian Juarez, bass; David Alverez III, drums. Stock footage of San Francisco, circa 1949.

"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by Hank Williams Sr., arranged by Andrew Bishop, associate professor and chair of jazz and contemporary improvisation at the University of Michigan. Performed by a recent version of the University of Michigan Jazz Saxophone Ensemble: Dominic Bierenga, soprano saxophone (soloist); Christopher Tabaczynski, alto saxophone; Kenji Lee, tenor saxophone; Peter Formanek, tenor saxophone; Kaleigh Wilder, baritone saxophone. Film by Andrew Bishop.

 

Fender Rhodes piano miniatures by Isaac Levine

 

"Snakes" and "Penny Roll" are the first two singles from Ephemery Lane, the debut EP by Sand Puzzle, a new group featuring "songs written collaboratively by Dennison, Anie, Ruby and Isaac."

 

The Brazilian-style "Hfoas" is a new tune by Mei Semones, a guitarist and singer who graduated from Community High School and now studies at Berklee College of Music.

 

XV is a No Wave-style art-punk band featuring Shelley Salant, Emily Roll, and Claire Cirocco. Their debut album was released by Life Like on vinyl in August 2019 and they recently put it up on Bandcamp.

 

"Cherry Blossom" is the latest neo-soul single by The DayNites, which features Kristianna Bell (voice), Timothy Blackman II (bass), Erich Friebel (drums), Rick Coughlin (guitar), and Shaun Maazza (guitar).


Christopher Porter is a library technician and the editor of Pulp.