In a Jazz scene ruled by the individual, the star, the featured soloist or lead composer, Sketches distinguishes itself as a band that truly utilizes the broad talents of each member. This Brooklyn-based quintet of highly accomplished composer/improvisers is built around a unique and profoundly simple idea: truly collaborative composition. The process is straightforward. Before rehearsal each member shares a sketch from his notebook (e.g. any musical fragment, a collection of fragments, an incomplete tune) and another member uses that as the basis for a new composition. The band then rehearses and develops the piece further, making each musical choice together in a completely democratic way. Inherent in each piece is the challenge of blending two distinct musical personalities, yet with an ensemble of strong composers and sensitive performers, the results have been as engaging as they are unpredictable.

Volume One is SKETCHES’ first release after working on this concept for over a year – writing, rehearsing, and performing in New York’s Small’s Jazz Club and Douglass Street Music Collective – until a cohesive set of material was ready to record.