Tenor Madness

With Tenor Madness, Middagh displays his master craftsmanship as an arranger, not only in his ability to create and orchestrate sonic worlds, but in his ability to design the framework in which the personalities of his musicians may shine. Tenor Madness is a salient work of arranging, bandleading, and teamwork, and the end result is a celebration that fully lives up to the legacy its title evokes.

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Jazz history has taught its students that great arrangers know and write to their players. The annals of jazz history highlight the intimate collaborative brilliance of composers and arrangers such as Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and Gil Evans who wrote the unique personalities of each member of their ensembles into their respective parts. Ever since, it has become a hallmark of the great jazz writer to utilize not only every instrument, but every personality to its fullest potential. Enter Ryan Middagh, the Nashville-based composer, arranger, and baritone saxophonist beloved by his contemporaries as a writer whose work is influenced by and caters to the unique persona of each musician with whom he works. Now, after already leading his big band, the Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra, successfully in two albums, he stepped into the studio to create a third, this time with a change: this album was going to be all about shining the spotlight on the band members. Tenor Madness is Ryan Middagh’s newest venture as a bandleader and arranger and is a love letter both to the saxophone itself, and the ebullient saxophonists of the Nashville music scene.

The album’s title, Tenor Madness, is straightforward yet profoundly effective in its conciseness. By harkening back to the title of one of jazz’s most legendary albums which itself featured two of the greatest luminaries of jazz saxophone, Middagh directly aligns himself with the traditions of jazz history. Moreover, the title informs listeners exactly what to expect - this album is a celebration of the saxophone, with skill, mastery, and creative flair akin to the jazz albums of old that adorn the record players and headphones of every fan of the genre. To further hammer this point home, all one has to do is look at the lineup of saxophonists present and one immediately knows that what will ensue is madness of the most excellent sort. Tenor Madness features alto saxophonists Alex Graham and Jovan Quallo; tenor saxophonists Jeff Coffin, Don Aliquo, and Joel Frahm; Kevin Shinskie on both alto and tenor saxophones; and Jimmy Bowland and the bandleader himself, Ryan Middagh, on baritone saxophone.

Musically, Middagh strives to have his arrangements achieve a sense of balance: balance within structure and form, balance between melody and style, and balance between arranger and soloist. “The record features my writing and the band's incredible soloists, so I want my writing to be in balance with the improvisations on each track,” Middagh says. “In the end, this is a band led by a composer/arranger, but I still feel it is a ‘players’ band.’” Tenor Madness furthermore achieves this sense of proportionality through the various musical influences represented on the album. Each of the tracks, while predominantly jazz standards that are familiar in concept, is arranged differently, leaning into distinctive grooves, styles, and orchestrational techniques. The end result, then, is that the album stands with a sonic aesthetic akin to a well-curated art exhibit: each aspect is united under a single banner, yet the colors and textures within each piece shines with its own scintillating wonder.

The album’s title track, “Tenor Madness”, is a rightly lauded flagship piece for the album. Featuring powerhouse soloists Jeff Coffin and Joel Frahm, Middagh’s arrangement places his own adventurous spin on the beloved blues that takes listeners on a veritable odyssey. “Wiley Roots”, Middagh’s original composition, is another tenor battle, and this time the showdown is between Jeff Coffin and Don Aliquo. Additionally, Middagh remarks, “It’s just a really fun composition to play.” Notably, it features one of the few non-saxophone solos, a gorgeous improvisation by trombonist Roy Agee. “This Time the Dream’s on Me” is a special track for the bandleader. Middagh created this arrangement while he and his wife were expecting their first child, and thus the piece shimmers with the undulating sense of wonder and awestruck anticipation. Due to the personal nature of this piece, it is also poignant that this is the sole track that Middagh chose to step into the spotlight on as a soloist, with an emotive baritone saxophone feature. 

The depth of collaboration on Tenor Madness is something remarkable. From the song selection to the recording process itself, Middagh cites his band as having their fingerprints deeply embedded within the details of this album. Notable examples of this can be found in the pieces “Wired” and “Waiter, Make Mine Blues”. The former is an original composition by Alex Graham, one of the band’s alto saxophonists. Middagh’s arrangement of Graham’s piece was originally commissioned for the 2020 North American Saxophone Alliance, and thus was a fitting conclusion to this saxophone-heavy album. “Waiter, Make Mine Blues” was recommended by the band’s vocalist, Jenna McLean, and is a powerful feature that is tailored to her distinctive voice. In addition to the contributions of performers, Middagh makes sure to highlight the work of recording and mixing engineer Dan Rudin. “I have had the privilege of collaborating with Dan on several projects, and he is one of the best in the business,” Middagh says. “I always love working with him.”

In addition to the saxophone section listed previously, the Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra comprises of Steve Patrick, Tyler Jaeger, Jeff Bailey, and Olivia Achcet (trumpets); Jonathan Salcedo, Roy Agee, and Sarah Morrow (trombones); Martin McCain and Liam Barron (bass trombones). The rhythm section consists of: Lindsey Miller (guitar), Pat Coil (piano), Jake Jezioro (bass), and Marc Widenhofer (drums). 

RECORDING INFO:
Executive Producer: Ryan Middagh
Produced, Recorded, Mixed: Dan Rudin
Asst Engineer: Shane Burgess
Mastering: Mike Haynes
Video Production: Continuous Motion

Recorded @ Dan Rudin Recording & Production
Nashville, TN - April 24th 2023