Sessions by Rare Blend

SESSIONS is an impressive 14 track disc of LIVE recordings from stage and studio. Unlike the group’s previous CD’s, SESSIONS highlights Rare Blend’s “one takes”, and “in the moment” jam-fusion instrumentals.
The recordings took place in a variety of settings and venues during 2008 not only in Cleveland, but also in Cincinnati and Baltimore, MD.

SESSIONS is broke up into 3 journeys….Live recordings from Stage – Studio – Film.

Stage: pretty straightforward, these tracks were captured at gigs. Most notably from the Crooked River Groove taping in Cleveland, Orion Studios concert in Baltimore MD, and a really cool local event called Open Air Market Square here in Cleveland.

Studio: improvisations at Odyssey Studios, during rehearsals. Hit record and started jamming.

Film: these tracks were captured during our performances to screenings of silent films. A project launched by Bobbi Holt (keyboards) in 2007 called “Bridging The Gap”, she believed that Rare Blend music would compliment a film and had always wanted to gel the 2 mediums and present it as a “live” screening and musical performance. The tracks included were performed to the 1925 silent film "Phantom of the Opera" at the Fairfield Arts Center in Fairfield Ohio outside of Cincinnati, and an outdoor screening of the 1929 silent film "Metropolis" at Coventry P.E.A.C.E Park in Cleveland Hts., Ohio.

Tracklist

1.	Hipster Spinster	6:07

2.	March To Orion	5:11

3.	Mystic Jam	7:28

4.	Market Square	8:13

5.	Hide & Seek	3:58

6.	Jazzmin	5:07

7.	Say What?	3:38

8.	The Timekeeper	2:53

9.	28 Degrees	4:34

10.	Neon Noodle	4:17

11.	Z'hadum	10:26

12.	Phantom Lair	4:41

13.	Break A Leg	4:03

14.	Christine's Theme	2:40

Credits

released December 15, 2009

Musicians:

Vic Samalot ~ Electric / Acoustic Guitar
Bobbi Holt ~ Keyboards, 2nd guitar on “Neon Noodle”, percussion on “ Hide & Seek”
Jeffrey Scott ~ Bass
Ivan George ~ Drums & Percussion
Vince Broncaccio ~ Drums & Percussion on “Neon Noodle” & “The Timekeeper”
Phil Quidort ~ Trumpet on “Market Square”

©2009 Rare Blend /TSM Productions
Tough Stream Music / BMI
All Rights Reserved

Press Quotes:

"These tracks exhibit the band’s knack for agreeable pacing and smart use of breathing space. In competently mining the heady realms of Return to Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra, etc., Rare Blend joins exclusive company.” (Progression Magazine - Lowell, MA)

"RARE BLEND can proudly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with BRAND X and the best of the progressive/jazz/fusion groups, and “Sessions” is as good as anything recorded by their peers. Highly recommended to aficionados of fusion and improvisational jam bands". (Joseph Shingler - Prognaut.com)

Amazing musicianship, impressive jams, and the dynamic and progressive arsenal of songs – 14 in all. At 73 minutes – it’s a fully loaded production. (Cyrus Rhodes - Indie Music Digest / Seatlle, WA)

Fans of Lenny White, Steve Morse, Casiopea
and Mahavishnu Orchestra should check this out. (Ron "thedoorwaymaster" Vermulst - Proggnosis.com / Golden Valley, MN)

Both “jazz” and “jam band” in nature, "SESSIONS" is an exercise in the “single-take” mentality that has become one of the band’s trademarks. (Jud Conway - Kindweb.com)

"It's so amazing when a group of musicians can compose and / or improvise such a continuance of sounds that flow so fluidly without any difficulty" (Jasper - North Coast Voice Magazine / Mentor, OH)

With a variety of stylistic influences, strong chops and a generally laid-back but still rocking feel, this is music that should appeal to jam-band fans". (Anastasia Pantsios - Cleveland Scene Magazine)

I’d highly recommend this to fans of fusion and fusion based prog rock. It’s a great set." (Gary Hill - Music Street Journal / Rockford, IL)

Superbly recorded, the CD is filled with a number of Rare Blend tracks from stage and studio. (Robert Silverstein - MWE3.com - Great Neck, NY)

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