Solace
“★★★★ Exemplaire…(Solace is a) remarkable disc…”
— Stephane Carini, Jazzman (France)

“Baum’s rich and fresh voicing for her longtime septet, whether playing melodies or in counterpoint, are most responsible for the laudable success of (Solace)… and are all utilized by Baum in endlessly imaginative ways… quite distinctive and effective. The soloists are notably inspired throughout.”
—Scott Albin, JazzTimes 

“Baum writes serious and intricate pieces that have moments of breath-taking beauty and intense rhythmic fire. Solace is definitely one of the finest releases of this (or any) year. Baum played flute and alto flute and played them extremely well. She can fly with the best of them but it’s her ensemble work and downright brilliant writing that makes her music special.”
— Richard Kamins, Hartford Courant 

“While the septet can obviously swing – it does so in grand fashion, especially while backing soloists throughout this CD…Baum’s four-part “Ives Suite” (is a) 31-minute tour de force. Aggressive soloing from Baum, trumpeter Ralph Alessi, French horn player Vincent Chancey, saxophonist Douglas Yates and pianist George Colligan provides impressive highlights throughout these 10 lush tracks. But at the heart of the matter is Baum’s impassioned, personally orchestrated ensemble sound.”
— James Rozzi, Jazziz

Solace is a joy to listen to and demonstrates (Baum’s) depth and diversity as a composer, arranger and instrumental soloist. Baum makes extraordinary use of space…(is) technically proficient with a mature understanding of harmony and melody, and a deep sensitivity about how to put it all together on paper and on-the-spot.”
— Ray Hoffman, Jazz Improv NY

“I was excited to see that local flutist and composer, Jamie Baum, had a new disc since her last one on OmniTone was so incredible. For this disc, Jamie has put together another stellar band with many of downtown’s finest. Jamie’s writing is also superb…there is a wealth of well-written material here that I find most fascinating as it works its way through different sections, making some surprising twists and turns. Although Jamie’s inspired flute playing is consistently strong throughout, it is her engaging writing that truly stands out for the entire 74-minute journey.”
— Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery, NYC

“Baum’s composition rides the breeze with the grace of a falling leaf…suspended for a time in a dance of immeasurable serenity and beauty. The twists taken by this complex melody line are both beautiful and poignant…Baum has clearly assembled cooperative, likeminded musicians to help showcase her formidable compositional skills.”
— Ralph Miriello, jazz.com 

“The flutist’s new Solace reminds just how texturally rich her music has always been—it’s one of the reasons that she’s known for her writing as much as she is her soloing. As her bands glides (and prances at several moments,) through the charts, pithy escapades are given green light after green light.”
— Village Voice

  1. Solace
  2. Wheeler of Fortune (For Kenny Wheeler)
  3. Far Side
  4. Ives Suite Part 1: Time Traveler
  5. Ives Suite Part 2: Time Traveler
  6. Ives Suite Part 3: Questions Unanswered
  7. Ives Suite Part 4: Answers Questioned
  8. In Passing
  9. Pine Creek
  10. Dave’s Idea

Released May 20, 2008

All compositions, arrangements and spoken-word text by Jamie Baum © 2008 Lynnjam Music BMI. Quotes from J.F. Kennedy courtesy of The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, www.jfklibrary.org

The Ives Suite (tracks 4 – 7) was created with generous support from Chamber Music America’s New Works: Creation and Presentation Program, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Produced by Jamie Baum & Rich DeRosa

Recorded by Paul Wickliffe at Charlestown Road Studios, Hampton, NJ

Mixed and mastered at Skyline Productions, Warren, NJ

Recorded April 2 & 3rd, 2007

Cover and inside photo by Enid Farber

Cover photo art by Stephen Baum

The Jamie Baum Septet
Jamie Baum – flute, alto flute
Ralph Alessi – trumpet, flugelhorn (1, 9, 10)
Shane Endsley – trumpet
Douglas Yates – alto saxophone, bass clarinet
Vincent Chancey – French horn (3, 4, 6, 7, 8)
Chris Komer – French horn
George Colligan – piano, Fender Rhodes
Johannes Weidenmueller – bass
Jeff Hirshfield – drums
Kyoko Kitamura – voice (6)

Sunnyside ‎– SSC 1193

A few Words About Solace-

In general, I don’t tend to write programmatically or to describe my music in narrative terms but prefer to let the listener take in the sound or make up their own story. Talking about music or musicians that inspire me is a whole other thing and Charles Ives and Kenny Wheeler were two artists in particular that influenced this recording.

In 2003 I was fortunate to receive a grant from Chamber Music America’s New Works: Creation and Presentation Program, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to write music for this septet based on chosen Charles Ives compositions. Around the time I was deciding on which pieces to focus my efforts, my friend Frank Tafuri offered me tickets to hear him sing with the Dessoff Choir performing Ives’ Fourth Symphony with the NY Philharmonic.

The instrumentation not only included a full-sized orchestra and choir, but a Theremin, two pianos, celesta, organ, an array of other not-so-conventional instruments and two conductors. Never having heard this piece before or really anything like it, I was completely awestruck. It was an amazing experience and an amazing piece. Between that and Ives’ well-known Unanswered Question, a personal favorite, I had my work cut out for me. The result is The Ives Suite.  Inspired by the Fourth Symphony, I decided to call Parts 1 and 2 Time Traveler because upon hearing his piece, it becomes evident that he was, and still is ahead of his time. The Unanswered Question was the basis of Part 3 and 4. My interest and intention was never to rearrange his music or to have mine sound like his, but to try to communicate the spirit and feel his music has, put to a jazz context.

As a guest artist in 2006, I was invited along with my band to perform and teach at the University of Alaska Jazz Festival at Fairbanks. The director of the program, Glenn White (an excellent musician and friend), had the savvy to obtain the score to Kenny Wheeler’s Sweet Time Suite for us to perform with the big band. Having been a long-time fan, it was a great opportunity to really check out a piece that for me exemplified the warmth, beauty and energy characteristic of his music. Shortly after that trip I wrote Wheeler of Fortune.

Like most musicians, I am influenced by so many artists and styles. While Solace, Pine Creek, In Passing and Far Side aren’t specifically inspired by any one artist, I’ve been fortunate to hear and play with many great musicians both in NYC and abroad…I’m sure that they are all in here, somewhere.