Alto saxophonist and composer David Bixler has recently embarked on an artistic reemergence with the release of two new recordings; In the Face of Chaos (2019) with Bixler, Boccato, Cowherd, and Sturm, and Blended Lineage (2020) with the Bixtet. A traumatic brain injury suffered by his youngest son necessitated a shift in Bixler’s priorities during the last decade—a period in which his family devoted much of its energy to the care of its youngest member. Because of this new lens, Bixler’s repurposed creative approach is evident in his most recent output.
For the recording In the Face of Chaos, Bixler has assembled a band that understands the message of resilience and hope despite the odds that this music was intended to convey. Pianist Jon Cowherd, bassist Ike Sturm and percussionist Rogerio Boccato are sensitive interpreters of Bixler’s music. Their combined effort produces music that is challenging for the listener without being afraid to embrace beauty.
Ike Sturm
Ike’s band, Evergreen, has performed regularly at Saint Peter’s and toured internationally. Their 2015 release, Shelter of Trees, was dedicated to the memory of his father, composer and arranger Fred Sturm, featuring Misty Ann Sturm, Melissa Stylianou, Chanda Rule, Loren Stillman, Chris Dingman, Jesse Lewis, Fabian Almazan and Jared Schonig. Renowned music writer Bill Milkowski called the album “undeniably beautiful."
Ike’s current project with guitarist Jesse Lewis, ENDLESS FIELD, released their eponymous debut in 2017 on Biophilia Records. Their album was named one of the “Best of 2017” by DownBeat and they have been featured live on NPR. (www.endlessfieldband.com)
Brazilian percussionist and educator Rogério Boccato plays in projects led by some of today’s leading jazz players, among them Maria Schneider, John Patitucci, Fred Hersch, Danilo Perez, Ben Allison, Kevin Hays, and many others. He has also collaborated with top-ranking Brazilian artists, such as Toninho Horta, Dori Caymmi, Moacir Santos, and Vinicius Cantuária.
He is featured on two Grammy-award winning albums: “The Thompson Fields“, with the Maria Schneider Orchestra, and on Billy Childs’ “Rebirth”. He is also featured on three Grammy-nominated albums: Kenny Garrett’s “Beyond The Wall”, John Patitucci‘s “Remembrance“ (alongside Joe Lovano and Brian Blade), and on Alan Ferber’s “Jigsaw“.
As a longtime member of the “Orquestra Jazz Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo”, Brazilian percussionist Rogério Boccato has played with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Hermeto Pascoal, Milton Nascimento, Egberto Gismonti, João Bosco, Joe Zawinul, among many others.
Rogério Boccato has been a faculty member of the Manhattan School of Music , NYU and of the Percussion department of The Hartt School(University of Hartford) teaching Brazilian Music and Ritmica.
Although Mercy is Jon Cowherd's first album under his own name, the esteemed pianist/composer/arranger/producer is already firmly established as one of the jazz world's most accomplished, expressive and in-demand young musicians.
The Kentucky-born, New Orleans-schooled, New York-based Cowherd is best known for his long-running partnership with drummer/bandleader Brian Blade, with whom he co-founded the Brian Blade Fellowship, whose acclaimed, influential albums showcase Cowherd's stellar keyboard work and singular compositional skills. When not recording and touring with the Fellowship, Cowherd has worked extensively with a broad array of players and singers from the jazz, pop and rock worlds including Joni Mitchell, Cassandra Wilson, Norah Jones, Glen Hansard, kd lang, Iggy Pop and Lizz Wright.