The Element In The Room (liner notes)

The Element In The Room (2018) - Liner Notes

I'm very proud to present my third solo album. I feel it's a true representation of me as a writer, player, producer, and music lover. My hope is that it's cohesive as a record because I didn't edit myself stylistically- I went in whatever direction I wanted.

The record was brilliantly recorded and mixed by Tony Shepperd. It was mastered by Peter Doell. Photo: Dan Boissy, Layout: Jay Matsueda.

Special thanks: My mom who is always sending me good energy from the astral plane.Tony Shepperd- my musical brother; Chris Wabich- what can I say...you're a true inspiration and I don't know anyone else in the world who could kill it on every track on this record; All the other magnificent musicians: Scott, Matt, Vardan, Logan, Dan, Judith, Natalie, Andrew, and Lyris Quartet. Kevin Garren and everyone at D'Addario Woodwinds, Paul Rabinov, Ivan Lykanyets, Sara Andon, and John Yoakum.

I proudly play and endorse D'Addario Woodwinds Products.

Track 1: "World Citizen"

An aerosol that you never saw shot from a cannonball never planned a fall cause it’s plentiful a true world citizen omniscient and innocent competitors reticent due to musical medicine

An aerosol that you never saw shot from a cannonball never planned a fall cause it’s plentiful talents manifold machinations of marvelous watch the crops that he'll harvest hit target then it’s sold on the black market true to the roots of blues never refused dues he paid ‘em verbatim like Art Tatum face with an ultimatium layin' other players by the wayside cover the progression and the bass line face fines if you crumble and falter piano keys weighted with the rock of Gibralter I allude those who extrude poems it's true though we don’t know where the moon goes bursting don’t know the first thing but Mercy Mercy Mercy can make a verse thirsty tail spinnin’ in your head leave you cynical move your body to a groove from Senegal then prepare to walk tall with the veritable terror from the bebop era bold and beautiful with strength from the tendons to the cuticles removing old molds is a bitter pill he slugging through styles like a Louisville batter up never contrived fully realized with a Prophet 5 on either side imparted the open hearted bizarre and the retro roll any tempo he’ll flow and example straight from the plane and they’re playin' in Stockholm arrange such a catalyst for Wayne and Jaco a true world citizen omniscient and innocent competitors reticent due to musical medicine fearless fearless I want you to hear this for years your wish list was ears for Christmas the tenderest tone a veteran's home a lesson in humility pass it on music weight like a mastodon with a magic wand puttin' leashes on creatures make the Incredible Hulk look like a man in a green shirt

This song is written for and is dedicated to Joe Zawinul.

Katisse- Tenor and soprano saxophones, Vocal

Scott Kinsey- Keyboards

Logan Kane- Bass

Chris Wabich- Drums, Percussion

Produced by Scott Kinsey, Katisse, and Chris Wabich

Track 2: "Rhythm Unifies (featuring Judith Hill)"

i keep an invisible pulse and most result in folks sway like the wind in willows the bass silhouettes until those melodic phrases rattle cages i cover pages with ink the sages relinquish vivacious visions of piety a decidedly utopian society where my beliefs are inside of me and don't ignite violence for all to see pardon me i gotta take this call from my third eye are we just living a lie? to think that divided we stand won't handicap and cant see that i'm hoping all of the time as i go by i hold out my hand to my fellow man

rhythm unifies delights surmise what you like (I hold out my hand for my fellow man) can i offer up at all
advice? i want to know.

achieving the directed effect intercept the nervous system central and flow rhythm data to develop mental equilibrium from the crib we can all complete the drum groove back in the day when people lived in caves they still could relate communicate over a lake thru the fog pull an animal skin over a hollowed out log and rhythm becomes a common language from love and faith to pain and anguish dilate your capillaries no analysis is necessary and bless this very surface on which you stand it brings purpose to the race of man i place my hands on these instruments I quicken evolution in increments even if it's strange and makes no sense you plan to sit? tell that to the people in the east who dance to it from Istanbul to Morocco Detroit and Chicago they all know they all know

This song is about how no matter where you go around the world, rhythm and groove unite us all.

Katisse- Vocal, Flute

Judith Hill- Vocal

Matt Rohde- Keyboards

Dan Lutz- Bass

Chris Wabich- Drums, Percussion

Track 3: "Knife Skills"

Do I choose a move or does it choose me? I use "choose" loosely it moves like Bruce Lee with fists enlisted how many versions of me could have existed detest that I went left depressed I invested in this mess I missed it the song of the zombie the throngs of enlisted men walking in lock step with rocks that hurl at me the world retreats when I sleep but when I wake the pace is insane when I'm I'm facing the day perennial schizophrenia will render you lame can't remember your name thru the process of death and rebirth I press the leaver of the slot machine I cross ravines but it was rigged I zagged when I should have zigged lament all events that I could have had zigged when I should have zagged the stigma of the enigma mysterious as prose to the lyricist learning to trust but I don't trust appearances i know I'm a result of my experiences no need for an oasis to see what the real man sees when he faces north the mirror that I rolled up tight reflects light the chances that we'll find love in the next life

I would watch the Food Network and they would always say that chefs has great "knife skills". So I had to write a tune :)

Katisse- Tenor saxophone, Vocal

Matt Rohde- Keyboards

Logan Kane- Bass

Chris Wabich- Drums

Track 04: "Hymn For Them"

I wrote this song on 12/14/2012, the day of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. I was so shocked that all I could do was write a little hymn. I feel that I ended up with something that is both incredibly somber and heartbreaking but also sweet, gentle, and triumphant.

Katisse- Alto Flute

Andrew Synowiec- Guitar

Logan Kane- Bass

Chris Wabich- Drums

Track 05: "Hold Still (featuring Natalie Cadet)"

All you will fly if you will hold still be high if you will hold

Pretext the school of hard knocks with no recess I'm peaceless twarted a part of blowing bombs into pieces where's Jesus when you need him I applied for the afterlife so I could meet him but was denied so I'm obliged keep incarnating starved and salivating I'd seize the day but the day is fading evading tomorrow will it turn around for me? a penny for a pound you'll see I'll find the knowledge tree climb to the tallest leaf and repeat affirmations by Kahil Gibran and Rumi the vibration of the universe passes thru me and the loom spins on it's axis weaving thoughts into energy and then to the centerpiece where grains of sand become thoughts so bold I can hold them in my hand an hourglass where the power last most definite magic words are absurd I heard you could resurrect a cadaver that’s clever cuz I never had abracadabra whatever I hope this posts goes viral and I eyeball at the Styrofoam goals I left behind in any context to watch the breath can I move as slowly as the tree grows where rich is rich and poor is poor holy is the ethos of the forrest floor with plants that strive but can’t survive in the sunlight this time I realize my life is not defined by commotion and stimuli whether you remember me or not when I die my happiness was setting my clock to my own time

Katisse- Flute, Vocal

Natalie Cadet- Vocal, vocal arrangement

Matt Rohde- Keyboards

Dan Lutz- Bass

Chris Wabich- Drums

Track 06: "Bell Curve (in 15/8)"

This is a contrafact (melody written over an existing set of chords) of the old standard If I Were A Bell. We enjoy playing this song in 15/8 time signature so I decided to write my own melody over this chord progression. We playing this with just tenor sax and drums and then overdubbed alto flute.

Katisse- Tenor sax, Alto Flute

Chris Wabich- Drums

Track 07: "Now I let Go"

Sometimes we have to let go and move on in our lives. I'm a big fan of guitar! Especially acoustic as well as pedal steel. I grew up on folk music.

Katisse- Alto Sax

Andrew Synowiec- Guitar, Pedal Steel

Logan Kane- Bass

Chris Wabich- Drums

Track 08: "When We Begin To Fray"

Katisse- Tenor sax

Vardan Ovsepian- Piano

Logan Kane- Bass

Chris Wabich- Drums

Track 09: "Still Time - Trails"

This is part one of three for a suite I wrote dedicated to my favorite sports- mountain biking, surfing, and snowboarding. Trails is for mountain biking.

Katisse- Alto Saxophone

Lyris Quartet:

Alyssa Park- Violin

Stalini Vijayan- Violin

Luke Maurer- Viola

Timothy Loo- Cello

Chris Wabich- Percussion

Track 10: "Still Time - Powder"

Manic and stuck in traffic as above so below in ego wherever we go I eek out a stale existence of cognitive dissonance like a Christian with the tale of mischief or twisted miscreants who visited dissidents and pray like a pagan swayed by the phrase of the soothsayers far from the ways of the Vedas of the Himalayas nestled in the hustle and bustle chasing happiness with a fist like flexin' a muscle every moment of the day is a leg weight till I segue-way to the main stage I'm relegated to a vague gaze when i meditate my aim is to expand the space between my thoughts I didn't mean to stop but it's means a lot when your peace is lost perception of seconds comes into question I rest at the behest of the benevolent then effortless strength is the kind that can still time

This is part two of three for a suite I wrote dedicated to my favorite sports- mountain biking, surfing, and snowboarding. Powder is for snowboarding.

Katisse- Alto Saxophone, flute, vocal

Lyris Quartet:

Alyssa Park- Violin

Stalini Vijayan- Violin

Luke Maurer- Viola

Timothy Loo- Cello

Chris Wabich- Percussion

Track 11: "Still Time - Tides"

This is part three of three for a suite I wrote dedicated to my favorite sports- mountain biking, surfing, and snowboarding. Tides is for surfing.

Katisse- Alto Saxophone

Lyris Quartet:

Alyssa Park- Violin

Stalini Vijayan- Violin

Luke Maurer- Viola

Timothy Loo- Cello

Chris Wabich- Percussion

Individual track info with lyrics, personnel, and song notes- (videos are here)