New York, NY (Top40 Charts) While doing a live radio interview in support of Under The Lake's 2018 release, "Jazz, Groove & Attitude," keyboardist, songwriter and producer Jayson Tipp was discussing his 28-year-old band's ever-evolving lineup when the group's former saxophonist-flutist Quintin Gerard W. called in. Reminiscing on-air got Tipp thinking. He had already composed the bulk of the material for the next Under The Lake album. After asking Gerard if he wanted to collaborate, Tipp reached out to two other former core band members: bassist Nathan Brown and drummer Richard Sellers. Despite hectic touring schedules, the four were able to get in sync to record "Your Horizon Too," which drops April 3 on the Mind In Overdrive label.
The quartet met in a San
Diego recording studio for a couple days of tracking, adding a new guy, the skilled hand of guitarist Patrick Yandall, to the mix. Prior to gathering, Gerard was working on his latest solo record, the recently released "Cleared For Take-off," and asked Tipp to play on a song called "Horizon." The experience sparked Tipp's creative flow for Under The Lake's disc.
"The title track came from me re-writing a song of Quintin's that he asked me to play on for his new album. I have a different approach to the chords and rhythmic ideas from his tune and wrote a new melody. But doing that brought back to me that we had a shared musical journey. During the San
Diego sessions with Richard and Nathan, we just fell back into the old 'rhythm' of playing together. We have so much comfort and respect for each other. 'Your Horizon Too' expresses the sentiment that we're on this journey together, even if we're sometimes traveling separately. The horizon is what your eyes are fixed on as you look forward toward your destination," said Tipp, who leads Under The Lake on stage at concert dates throughout Oregon over the coming months.
"It's Your Horizon Too" opens the session with an inviting melody, a loose and casual setting that offers each musician the opportunity to toss the ball around the horn. One of two reinterpretations, Under The Lake gives The Stylistics' haunting classic "People Make The World Go 'Round" a modern facelift stitched by Yandall's jagged steel string guitar and Gerard's soulful sax. "Bridgetown" provides a pleasant pathway to the vibey "Wishing It All Away." The tempo picks up on the deftly arranged "Last Week" with Gerard's sax guiding the harmonic recall. "Side Two" ups the sax soul power along with tangy jazz guitar licks. Sellers crafts sturdy drum beats and Brown's rubbery bass bobs and weaves on the bright and buoyant "Diego Nuevo." Paying homage to one of Tipp's influences, Steely Dan, Under The Lake delivers a taut and faithful version of "Josie." Tipp is far too modest to step into the solo spotlight often, which makes his shimmering solo on the feel-good "This One Too" a rare and sparkling gem. "Trip To The Grove" knits lush melodies while showcasing the band's prowess for sculpting syncopated rhythms. Before wrapping, "Stealing The Night" bursts into a fusion funk workout powered by searing fretwork and thunderous organ.
Under The Lake's roots date back to San
Diego 1992 when Tipp formed the band. Their debut recording, "Dive In," dropped the following year and "Up For Air" came out in 1995.
Radio airplay, fervent reviews and major festival and club dates put Under The Lake on the national map. But then real life and parenthood set in and Tipp found it difficult to keep the unit together. After a decade of dormancy, they reunited to play Tipp's 40th birthday, leading to their third album, 2007's "People Together." Again, the members drifted apart and Tipp didn't record as Under The Lake until a couple years ago on "Jazz, Groove & Attitude," using entirely new personnel. On "Your Horizon Too," the core four from the first two decades of the band reconnected. The magnetic bond and chemistry remain strong as evidenced on their latest offering.
"Your Horizon Too" contains the following songs:
"It's Your Horizon Too"
"People Make The World Go 'Round"
"Bridgetown"
"Wishing It All Away"
"Last Week"
"Side Two"
"You Forgot Your Ticket"
"Diego Nuevo"
"Josie"
"This One Too"
"Trip To The Grove"
"Stealing The Night"
Radio Edits:
"It's Your Horizon Too"
"Side Two"
"This One Too"
For more information, please visit https://www.underthelake.com.
