Dan Weiss / Miles Okazaki | "Music For Drums And Guitar"

Guitarist Miles Okazaki and drummer Dan Weiss have been playing in a duo setting for more than two decades, having met in 1997 at The Manhattan School of Music, and almost immediately embarking on a musical partnership. Although these musicians have appeared on numerous projects with various groups, this recording offers the listener, for the very first time, a beautifully recorded document of an individualized language that they have developed over the course of twenty-five years. The opportunity to record their musical alliance and partnership, which is a marvel to behold, came about as a result of a commission from John Zorn. 

The double CD/LP that comprises Music For Drums And Guitar (available October 29 on Cygnus Recordings, a new label formed by Okazaki and Weiss specifically to release the kinds of projects that don't fit into the schedule or vision of their other labels), features two suites of compositions, The Memory Palace by Miles Okazaki, and Middlegame by Dan Weiss, both written in 2019 for the “Stone Commissioning Series,” a project created by saxophonist and composer John Zorn. Okazaki’s The Memory Palace debuted on February 26th, 2019 at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, NY. Weiss’ Middlegame was to see its debut a month later at the same venue, but was postponed due to the onset of the global pandemic. 

Within the duo format, and especially with musicians of a high caliber, who regularly and naturally seize the multitude of opportunities to spontaneously explore any point on the musical compass, there is a kind of high risk/high reward situation. This is where your ears, your abilities on your instrument, and most importantly your solidarity and trust in your fellow musician, really come into play. You can only create music like this with people that you have a long history with. Okazaki elaborates, “The ‘Memory Palace’ is a mnemonic device from the ancient Greeks and Romans, where one visualizes information in imaginary spatial locations (the ‘palace’) in order to recall it at a later time. This piece of music might give the listener some feeling in this vein, strolling from room to room in a familiar place but encountering strange objects sitting on the couch or cooking on the stove. When we play music from memory (as on this record), we can stretch out in space, concentrating on sound, energy, and emotion. Dan has a great memory, much sharper than mine. Phone numbers, dates, meals, poker hands, chess openings, and of course music – I call him the steel trap. One thing about the duo is that there’s nowhere to hide, but there’s also complete freedom explore any direction. In this setting I’ve learned more about music from Dan than from any other person, and I wouldn’t be half the musician that I am without our history. So in this sense, this recording is a very special one for me, and a long time coming.” 

Weiss’ Middlegame came to the drummer/composer as a reference to their ages, their love of chess, and most of all the utilization of a lot of strategy in learning and playing these songs. Weiss explains, “each part of ‘Middlegame’ requires a different strategy. For example, during ‘Part II’ I am thinking about playing positionally rather than using a lot of tactics. Like in a chess game, if the position is solid, improvisations can come to life.” 

Music For Drums And Guitar is the new chapter in the deep friendship of two forward-thinking, adventurous, inimitable artists. They have inspired each other, spurred each other on, compositionally, and in the moment, and surprised one another (an important ingredient in this music). “Miles has been a huge inspiration as a musician and as a personal friend. It’s a rare gift to have the camaraderie we have, and I look forward to many more years of friendship and musical collaboration. I also look forward to exploiting his d6 pawn when he plays the Sicilian,” says Weiss.

Miles Okazaki (www.MilesOkazaki.com) is a NYC-based guitarist originally from Port Townsend, a small seaside town in Washington State. Nate Chinen on WBGO-Take Five describes Okazaki as having, “a methodical mind but also a sharply honed impulsive streak: he has just the right temperament to unlock the secrets in this music, and translate them to a fretboard lexicon.” His sideman experience over the last two decades covers a broad spectrum, from standards to experimental music (Kenny Barron, John Zorn, Stanley Turrentine, Dan Weiss, Matt Mitchell, Jonathan Finlayson, Jane Monheit, Amir ElSaffar, Darcy James Argue, and many others). He was seen prominently with Steve Coleman and Five Elements from 2009–2017. As a leader, Okazaki has released six albums of original compositions over the last 12 years, and is currently an artist on the Pi Recordings label. He has also released a six-album recording of the complete compositions of Thelonious Monk for solo guitar, published a book (Fundamentals of Guitar) with Mel Bay, taught guitar and rhythmic theory at the University of Michigan for five years, and holds degrees from Harvard University, Manhattan School of Music, and the Juilliard School. 

Two-time Shifting Foundation Grantee Dan Weiss (www.DanWeiss.net) has been hailed as one of the top five jazz drummers by The New York Times and his large ensemble recording Fourteen made their top ten list of the best records of 2014. Weiss's intense study of jazz, classical Indian, contemporary classical, West African, and metal sets a musical platform that creates a sound that transcends conventional style or genre. Weiss has been studying tabla under Samir Chatterjee for twenty five years. He’s performed classical Indian music with the legendary Ashish Khan and Ramesh Misra, and recorded the tabla solo CD, 3dcd (2007). Weiss also recorded two unprecedented projects, Teental Drumset Solo (2005) and Jhaptal Drumset Solo (2011) where he performs classical Indian repertoire on drum set.

With his trio, which includes Jacob Sacks and Thomas Morgan, he’s released three recordings (Now Yes When, Timshel, and Utica Box). Weiss also leads a unique sixteen piece large ensemble that features some of NYC’s most gifted musicians including Miguel Zenon and Jen Shyu. The two albums Fourteen (2014) and Sixteen: Drummers Suite (2016) released on the Pi record label, have appeared on numerous critic’s polls. His project, Starebaby, has been featured in The New York Times, toured the US and Europe, and played the prestigious North Sea Jazz Festival. 

As a sideman, Weiss has played/toured with Lee Konitz, Chris Potter, Noah Preminger, Kenny Werner, Rudresh Mahanthappa, David Binney, John Zorn, and many others. In addition to his musical projects, Weiss is a highly sought-after teacher, currently working on an instructional course and book.