ramification 1: the act or process of branching 2: a branch or offshoot from a main stock or channel 3: something that springs from another in the manner of a branch : OUTGROWTH, SUBDIVISION : an extension of a basically simple idea, plan or problem; a resulting development; CONSEQUENCE.

The idea for this project came out of a weekly improvisation series that I put together a couple of summers ago at the Internet Cafe, a computer hangout and music club in Manhattan's East Village. I had some time off from touring and wanted the opportunity to do some playing with various folks, some of whom I'd played with and others whom I hadn't. A workshop of sorts, it included Matt Moran on vibraphone, John Hollenbeck and Gerry Hemingway on drums, Mark Dresser, Drew Gress and William Parker on bass as well as Joe Daley on tuba, Erik Friedlander on cello and Andrea Parkins on accordion. The Internet Cafe is a tiny place, almost too small for comfort but on the other hand it doesn't feel too terrible if only twenty or thirty people show up. My first time playing there was a solo concert on which I performed mostly improvisations, the occasional standard and a deconstruction of a French classical saxophone etude by Bozza thrown in at the end. I figure any place that lets me get away with this is worth going back to so I continue to play there from time to time. Still, it can be a challenging environment to perform in. It's run by our gruff yet lovable friend Jackson who always follows my announcement to the audience not to smoke during the performance with the disclaimer "but you don't have to". Sometimes a conversation will begin to compete with the band or maybe a computer will suddenly start beeping during a particularly quiet portion of the music. The most challenging evening was probably the time I played with bassist William Parker. In correspondence with a friend about that evening I wrote:
 

July 6th, 1999
"I enjoyed it a great deal. I've been listening to William for quite some time and always wanted to try something with him. I felt that duo was a good way to go since I find that it really forces the players to go beyond the types of things that might happen in larger groups or with rhythm section orientation, so it was a good first meeting.

The club itself was about a hundred and ten degrees (seriously). This was at the height of the heat wave and the AC was non-functional in the Internet Cafe. You've been there so you probably have some idea of just how...close...it can get. The club had been getting noise complaints so the doors were tightly closed and the air (except from the bandstand) did not move. It was so hot it was almost religious, like a sweat lodge, seriously testing everyone's physical endurance. We played two one hour sets (each straight through, uninterrupted) with a short break in between. William said something about feeling like he was underwater. I felt like I was like hitting "the wall" in which you really think you're going to be ill but somehow you find a store of energy and it keeps things moving.

I don't know how the audience managed it but the sets were well attended and some die hards actually stayed for both sets. For that I was extremely flattered."

After putting together the series and getting to know the sounds and musical predilections of all the players in duo and trio formats I decided to create a larger project out of the experience. With instrumentation and blend in mind I chose Joe Daley on tuba, Erik Friedlander on cello, Andrea Parkins on accordion and Jim Black on drums. A year later I wrote...
 

August 14, 1999, NYC. The club is called Tonic, and tonight I'm about to debut a new band. Tonic is a new club having intersected with New York's Knitting Factory (many folks say it reminds them of the Knit's earlier days) and has quickly attracted an audience of serious listeners. I've been thinking about this project ever since the Internet Cafe series and have spent these past weeks and months writing music and fine tuning it in anticipation of this performance and our upcoming recording session. It's a good crowd tonight, the club is pretty much packed. Beyond the nuts and bolts of developing the project over these last few years and finally getting to present it the evening is a focal point for me in a number of ways. I'll be turning forty years old in a couple of days and my wife Michelle has surprised me by bringing a cake to the club and announcing the event, turning the proceedings into something of a birthday party. Turning forty brings with it a new perspective on things. I think about what it means to have survived this far, the and what the future may hold. Ramifications...outgrowth...consequence...

These seven compositions are my first for a five piece band. Some of them are episodic (overall balance being the key issue) others are cut whole from the same cloth (wherein the cyclical structure becomes obscured as to just where it begins or ends). I'm interested in the effect that each new section of music (or new piece in the overall order) has on the previous one and how it affects perceptions of the upcoming one, a process that is somewhat more aligned with the technique of filmmaking than with traditional formal development such as theme and variations. This process more accurately reflects the way I see actions in daily life. In the future I plan to record with some of the other participants from the Internet Cafe series, in a recording that will explore the realms of completely unfettered improvisation.

This recording also celebrates the birth of my son Rami Wade Eskelin, to whom it is dedicated. I spent many late evenings writing this music, often as he was falling asleep in his mother's arms. The title piece "Ramifications" is to my mind a lullaby for a young boy who represents a connection to a past (the father I never knew) and to a future that is itself unknowable. Branching...extension...ramifications...

Ellery Eskelin
February, 2000
New York City

About the performers:
I first played with Erik Friedlander a number of years ago in a large ensemble led by saxophonist Chris Speed. I had been aware of Erik's work with Joe Lovano, John Zorn, Myra Melford and a growing number of other folks on the scene and invited him to participate in the improv series on a bill with Andrea Parkins and myself. Erik combines elements of the classical approach with the openness and feel of jazz and improvisation like few players I've ever heard. His playing on "Museum Piece" is a good example of this. I also love the blend between the saxophone and cello.

Andrea Parkins has been one of my closest musical partners since 1994 having been a part of my ongoing band (with Jim Black) as well as other projects. Andrea has developed a unique sound and approach combining accordion, piano and sampler, often simultaneously (shown to excellent effect on "Resident Alien"). She combines Tristano inspired single note lines, punk band sonic assaults, digital sampling (inspired by analog synthesizer and musique-concrete) in her own personal style. She's a great foil for my more jazz based playing.

Jim Black and I met through saxophonist Tim Berne. After the very first time playing with Jim I immediately decided to start the aforementioned band (with Andrea). Jim is aware of a huge amount of music both jazz and otherwise and he keeps me up on current trends. He's able to catch any inference in the music, no matter how subtle and expound upon it immediately and in five different ways at once (as demonstrated to great effect on "Resident Alien"). It's no wonder that he's one of the busiest and most in demand drummers on the scene.

My association with Joe Daley goes back to 1989. Joe had toured with trumpeter Herb Robertson's "Bud Powell" brass ensemble and Herb had subsequently recommended him to drummer Phil Haynes for his "4 Horns & What?" band (of which Herb and I were both a part). I later decided to start a band built around Joe's tuba and invited Joe and percussionist Arto Tuncboyaciyan to record "Figure of Speech" (Soul Note) with me in 1991. Joe has no hang ups about jazz new or old and is able to play in any context whatsoever with a completely open mind. A short listing of his credits include Sam Rivers, Carla Bley, Taj Mahal, Stevie Wonder, Muhal Richard Abrams, Jayne Cortez, Gil Evans, Hamiett Bluiett, Bill Cole, Slide Hampton, Charlie Haden, the Far East Side Band and also his own Ebony Brass Quintet. I hadn't had a chance to play with Joe very much since our earlier projects so I'm really glad to be playing with him again after these many years. His playing on "Title Piece" is a great indication of why Joe is considered among the elite of tubaists.
 

ELLERY ESKELIN
RAMIFICATIONS

Ellery Eskelin tenor saxophone
Andrea Parkins accordion and sampler
Erik Friedlander cello
Joseph Daley tuba
Jim Black drums and percussion

1. Penalty Phase 5:28
2. Ramifications (for Rami Wade) 8:28
3. Museum Piece 7:37
4. Resident Alien 11:07
5. Title Piece 9:23
6. Contact 7:07
7. Transistor 10:58

All compositions by Ellery Eskelin, published by Tuhtah Publishing/Suisa.
Recorded September 24th, 1999 by Jon Rosenberg at Sound on Sound, NYC. Mix and CD Master by Peter Pfister, Switzerland. Liner Notes by Ellery Eskelin. Produced by Art Lange.

Thanks to Erik, Joe, Andrea, Jim, Jon, Art, Peter, WXU, Rolf Fehlbaum, Tonic (Melissa Caruso-Scott), Internet Cafe (Dee Pop, Arthur, Elizabeth and Jackson), Eugene Chadbourne, Maria Morel, Michelle Van Natta, Rami Wade Eskelin.

Erik Friedlander appears courtesy of SIAM RECORDS