Children at Play, by Aaron Alexander & Musicians

Children at Play

by Aaron Alexander & Musicians

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Full Digital Discography

7

releases

Get all 7 Aaron Alexander releases available on Bandcamp and save 30%.

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Structures, Children at Play, A Westward Gaze, Conversational Music, 5 Dances for Merceditas, The Klez Messengers, and Blues for Sparky. , and , .

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1.	Emergent 02:16	buy track
2.	Funny, Groovy, Beautiful 00:46	buy track
3.	Painting 7 Days a Week 07:18	buy track
4.	That Nursing Feeling 01:20	buy track
5.	Building Blocks 01:28	buy track
6.	Playground is Busy Today 01:14	buy track
7.	Trip To The Beach 10:07	buy track
8.	I Want It Now!... please? 01:21	buy track
9.	Nap Soundtrack 00:41	buy track
10.	New York Day 02:06	buy track
11.	Brooklyn Trip 05:08	buy track
12.	Kulintang cutoff 00:42	buy track
13.	Can't Sleep 02:08	buy track
14.	Tepich! 03:36	buy track
15.	Bear in the Backyard! 01:08	buy track
16.	Open the Window, Now Close It 00:39	buy track
17.	Where Did the Time Go? 00:55	buy track
18.	Heavy Groove, Abrupt End 00:27	buy track
19.	Past is Prologue 00:52	buy track

about

Recorded in 1998 in Brooklyn

This was one of my first recordings as a leader and I really loved this band, but was young and plagued with self-doubts and when I got busy doing other work as a sideman I put this concept aside and it kind of got forgotten for awhile.
We were all in our late twenties/early thirties and forming our identities as artists.
I wrote a bunch of music for this group but also wanted to explore free and structured improvisation - explicitly the concept of short-free pieces that began and ended without necessary development - as if opening a window onto an already existing scene - witnessing the goings on for a bit and then shutting the window. Many of the pieces on this recording have that concept as a guide, but not all.
It's fair to say that the other three musicians on this recording have followed careers more dedicated to improvisation as a calling and it may be interesting to those who know their careers to hear them in an early stage of development. They are all master musicians and I was fortunate to have them as colleagues.
I periodically would listen to pieces of this recording and say to myself "I have to release this someday" but life got busy. Having to slow down during the pandemic has given me some time to reflect and feel that old sentiment "don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good".
These tracks are not always perfect but I feel they are really good and I'm proud to release them as a whole.
I've juxtaposed the pieces with names honoring my children, the focus of my last 15 years, and this release coincides with my daughter Ariella's 15th Birthday and just after my son, Isaac's, 12th Birthday. I dedicate this in a playful, creative improvising spirit to them.

AA

credits

released April 11, 2023

Aaron Alexander - drums, percussion
Cuong Vu - trumpet
Jamie Saft - piano, Fender Rhodes
Stomu Takeishi - fretless bass

Recorded by Carlos Peireira in Brooklyn, 1998
Mixed & Mastered by Jon Rosenberg

Cover photo by Merceditas Mañago-Alexander
Design by Aaron Alexander

license

about

Aaron Alexander New York, New York

Aaron Alexander is a drummer and composer based in NYC. Originally from Seattle he moved to NYC in 1993 and makes his living playing, writing, teaching and presenting music. He has released original music as a leader and appeared on dozens of recordings as a sideman and member of collective groups. He is also founding director of the NY Klezmer Series. www.aaronalexander.com ... more

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