Heartbreak (Live)

Mike Casey

Saxophonist/Songwriter Mike Casey is proud to announce the February 7, 2017 release of his debut album “The Sound of Surprise: Live at the Side Door”. Splitting his time between alto & tenor saxophone, Casey and his longtime trio present a fresh approach to the chordless saxophone trio format over the course of seven first-takes.

While “The Sound of Surprise” may be Casey’s formal introduction, he has been a fixture on the jazz scene since he began attending the prestigious Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the Hartt School of Music (University of Hartford) in 2011. His resume includes Charles Tolliver, DJ Logic, Brandee Younger, Zaccai Curtis, Tarus Mateen and Marc Cary, whose project “The Harlem Sessions” features Casey as an original member. In 2015, Casey was selected to participate in the prestigious Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. After a sold out NYC debut at the legendary Minton’s in Harlem in September 2016, Casey went on to accomplish an incredible feat: his crowdfunding campaign for “The Sound of Surprise” reached 111% funded in under 30 days.

“The Sound of Surprise” was recorded in early 2016 at the Side Door in Old Lyme, CT. Since its opening in 2013, the Side Door has established itself as one of the premier jazz clubs in the world, having been recognized in Downbeat Magazine’s 2016 international list of top jazz clubs. The club features a steady performance roster of jazz greats and rising stars. For Casey, choosing to record his debut at the Side Door was particularly apropos, considering the experience he has gained there sitting in with the likes of JD Allen, Nat Reeves, Justin Kauflin, and other world-class musicians. “The Side Door is truly a magical place to me,” says Casey.

Joining Casey on “The Sound of Surprise” are two members of his longtime trio including bassist Matt Dwonszyk & drummer Corey Garcia. Within the first 30 seconds of the Garcia-penned lead single “Hydraulics”, their electric chemistry (3 years in the making) is palpable. Dwonszyk and Garcia graduated with Casey from the Jackie McLean Institute, which was founded by the jazz giant Jackie McLean. In fact, this connection to the Hartford community as a whole is an omnipresent theme on “The Sound of Surprise” and is perhaps most realized on Casey’s original composition “Dagobah”. Written shortly after his graduation from the Jackie McLean Institute, Casey’s Star Wars referencing “Dagobah” is a reflection on the rich musical landscape of the Hartford community. “...much like Yoda hiding out on the planet Dagobah, off the beaten path there are some great artists & mentors who live in the Hartford area and/or teach at JMI that I've learned a great deal from,” says Casey.

“One of the musical concepts I love the most is the sound of surprise,” says Casey of his title, adding, “we love to surprise our audiences- and each other! We find that we create the best music when we reach beyond what we think we can do.”