Created during their time spent quarantined together in NYC during COVID-19 lockdowns, “1A” by Pieces (Olin Clark, Louie Leager, and Adam Ray) is an expression of the power of human connection in the face of isolation and despair. With original songs penned by each member of the group alongside a collaborative composition and an ebullient standard, the album delivers earnest group storytelling that helps bring some light to moments of darkness.
In a sense, the band Pieces was many years in the making. Olin Clark and Louie Leager, guitarist and bassist, met 10 years ago at Michigan State University, sharing many formative experiences on and off the bandstand and developing a deep musical bond in the process. In early 2019, Olin and Louie met Adam through the New York City music scene. After playing together on and off in different settings, their musical relationship was solidified as the long-term rhythm section for vocalist Richard Cortez. This band played two weekly gigs and a regular monthly showcase, which allowed them to display their own abilities as composers and arrangers.
It is a rare circumstance in the modern New York scene for a group to be able to perform together on such a frequent basis, and this consistency allowed Olin, Louie and Adam to develop a valuable sense of trust, both musically and personally. On these gigs, they pushed each other, forged an assured supportiveness as a unit, and grew to share a strong familiarity with each other’s musical vocabulary.
Shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, they came to be roommates. Able to play in their apartment, they began a livestream concert series where they premiered original compositions and new arrangements. In the grim envelope of lockdown, every one of these concerts and rehearsals provided much needed relief, joy and a sense of togetherness. In October of 2020, Pieces went into the studio and recorded nine tracks of music, documenting not just this difficult period but also the culmination of a beautiful musical relationship. The result is their debut offering, “1A.”
credits
released September 17, 2021
Olin Clark - Guitar
Louie Leager - Bass
Adam Ray - Drums
Tracks 4,6,7,9 ft. Lex Korten - Keys
Recorded at The Honey Jar in Brooklyn, NY, October 24-25, 2020
Engineered & Mixed by Eva Lawitts and Chris Krasnow
Mastered by Dave Darlington (Bass Hit Studios)
Album Art by Veronica Mitrano
Additional Art by Sam Bennett
Additional Production by Kim Vi
Compositions:
1,2,8,9 by Olin Clark
4 by Louie Leager
3,7 by Adam Ray
5 by Olin Clark, Louie Leager & Adam Ray
6 by Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays
10 by Vincent Youmans
Backed by a trio of jazz musicians, the Taiwanese singer-songwriter develops physical landscapes as a vehicle for stunning sound poetry. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 3, 2024
Flutist, vocalist, and composer Alex Hamburger creates a wide-ranging electro-acoustic jazz world on her latest album. Bandcamp New & Notable Jul 11, 2023