Get your order in for physical copies of Sam Blakeslee & Wistful Thinking - Busy Body, which is due to be released on Outside In Music on October 28th.
About Busy Body:
Outside in Music is thrilled to announce the October 28, 2022 release of Busy Body, the sophomore album from steadfast New York-based composer and trombonist Sam Blakeslee and his synergetic ensemble Wistful Thinking. Following his 2021 debut The Long Middle, Blakeslee’s intimate, pastoral first statement conceptualized and released mid-pandemic, Busy Body builds beyond the bandleader’s chamber-jazz setting and finds asylum in a realm between fusion and electronica. Soaring through compositions wrought by electronic manipulations and ambient sonic landscapes, Busy Body takes on an entirely fresh framework for this exploratory band, yet Blakeslee’s profound ability to resonate thoughts through sound remains eminent on this far-reaching statement.
More about Wistful Thinking:
"In a year fraught with anxiety and isolation, there are some musicians who have found powerful opportunities for musical and spiritual growth. As evidenced by his stunning new release, Sam Blakeslee is clearly one of them. This new body of work reflects a trombonist who thinks and plays like a composer, patiently waiting for each new idea to be heard before delivering and developing. As I listened to this album, I remembered something that Bob Brookmeyer used to say, "The line is everything." I can promise that if you follow the line that permeates Sam's new album, you will be richly rewarded with a story both unique and beautiful, and most importantly, honest."
- Alan Ferber, Grammy-nominated trombonist/composer
“Wistful Thinking showcases trombonist, Sam Blakeslee’s impressive playing and distinctive compositions incorporating a wide palette of colors and emotions. The unifying element throughout the project is Sam’s consummate and sensitive solo presence. Whether featured in a sparse acoustic setting or surrounded by layers of electronic sounds, his melodic message remains one of beauty and displays a thoughtful and profound connection to the music.”
- John Fedchock, Grammy-nominated trombonist/composer
“Composer, Sam Blakeslee, is a name to keep in mind as an upcoming creative, contemporary, and, more importantly, engaging composer, no matter the musical setting.”
- Rufus Reid, Legendary bassist & composer
“Using his competence to envelop us in his impressionistic sound cloud, Blakeslee is a name to keep in mind. The Long Middle represents another stop on the road to soaring post-bop.”
-Filipe Freitas, JazzTrail
“Wistful Thinking doesn't, in other words, split into rhythm players and soloists. Instead, all four are integrally involved at sustaining flow whilst also weaving into the playing moments of individual expression.”
- Ron Schepper, Textura