Hipness Oasis

The Mike Bogle Trio explodes with jazz energy at every turn, with a hint of Brazilian as well as Afro-Cuban flavor along the way. Mike Bogle, the prolific and versatile performer/composer, best-known for his Grammy-nominated arranging including Chick Corea's Got A Match? (recorded by an abundance of bands from NYC's Birdland Big Band to the University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band) has created a perfect storm of jazz infused tunes and songs with Hipness Oasis. Bogle unleashes his piano fury out of the gate with Acceleration, an up-tempo straight-ahead burner --and then shows dramatic contrast and incredible range with his vocal styling and sensitive keyboard touch on Mr. Sunshine. Dallas bassist Lou Harlas who has performed with the likes of Ella, Duke, Red Rodney and Cedar Walton brings the real deal to both the electric and upright basses-keepin' it deep. Ivan Torres, Brazilian-born drummer/percussionist brings not only the best of the Brazilian style to the sambas and bossa novas on the CD, but also a unique take on American straight-ahead swing that is rarely heard from anyone in the jazz drum world. Hipness Oasis represents state-of-the art straight-ahead jazz interpretation, performance and composition, plus Afro-Cuban and Brazilian influenced samba and bossa nova, combined with vivid songwriting from the pen of Mike Bogle. The Mike Bogle Trio: Mike Bogle - Piano/Vocal Lou Harlas - Bass (Upright, Electric) Ivan Torres - Drums Sam Brown - Paintings Liner Notes: Song #1, Acceleration (up tempo swing) is from my Albert's Quest Suite-- along with #5, Albert's Quest Suite which includes Questions, Thought Experiments, and Discovery (these are really just sections within Albert's Quest Suite.) If you listen, you will be able to detect when they start and end). Who's Albert? Well, it's not Fat Albert, not Prince Albert.... No! It's Albert Einstein of course. His fascinating brain found ways of reaching into the universe and solving very big questions. He was also a violinist. Song #2 Mr. Sunshine (bossa nova) explores a character who is both hip and sleek, and perhaps bitter sweet if you look below the surface. When he's not on strike, he beckons like a Hipness Oasis, in a desert of squares. The jazz world is full of such characters. Song #3, Short Flight On A Fast Broom (Up-tempo Latin), along with #9 Pensive Vampire, and #11 Pumpkin Patch, are from my Halloween Suite. The imagery is fairly self-explanatory. Song #4, Giant Raisin Waltz (medium-tempo waltz), is about hanging out, feeding stuff to ducks that tend to hassle you until you search your van for an old French Fry---or anything (in this case a Giant Raisin) that will satiate their appetite. Song #6, Just One Of Those Things (up-tempo swing). I will never forget hearing the great Betty Carter performing this at Birdland in New York City. You can't beat the songwriting craft of Cole Porter. Song #7, Fantasy For the Official South Oak Cliff Flying Sofa Contest (ECM style, medium-up), is well.... I'm not sure what it is. Oh yeah, it came to me in a dream-the imagery of the flying sofa. There's nothing quite as relaxing as cruising around the airspace of Oak Cliff in a perfectly engineered flying sofa. Song #8, I Thought About You (straight ahead swing-medium tempo), is just a great standard jazz tune. Been a favorite of mine for a while. Song #10, Cherokee (up-tempo swing, of course), is another jazz stalwart. You can't quite escape this tune if you are a jazz practitioner. And the shadow of Bird (the great Charlie Parker) looms large. Song #12, Bigger Than Dallas (medium rock/pop) is an exploration of the great art of songwriting (equal parts philosopher, wordsmith, composer, musician, therapist, etc.) Love is big, and no matter where you go, there you are! That's the Hipness Oasis rundown. Enjoy the shade and will somebody please peel me a grape? ? ***Recipe for Giant Raisin: Take a fresh apple or pear and put in your mini van around June 1st-oh yeah, make sure you are in the state of Texas where it's nice and hot in the summertime. Forget about the fruit