Jason Rigby Music

MAYHEM IS OFFICIALLY RELEASED!

Mayhem is a nickname someone gave me years ago while on tour that has stuck with some on the NY jazz scene!

I guess that person thought I resembled the character in Progressive insurance ads, Mayhem. Lol!

Additionally, I guess I felt the title represents the fun interplay and unpredictability of playing duo - that mixed with us throwing synth, percussion, and electronic distortion sounds into the pot seemed appropriate.

Listen here: https://orcd.co/streammayhem

Leading my duo project, Mayhem, with Mark has been a comfortable and natural feeling experience.

Mark and I have played so much together, it didn’t really feel that different from working with him in his band, other than I was the one contributing the music.

The new record is made up of a mixture of my compositions and duo improvising, so it was a pretty effortless and no stress vibe.

I loved it and am looking forward to doing more with this project!

First photo: night off in Dublin, hanging at Whelen’s. Chris and I played a duo set on a night off in one of my top 5 favorite cities. We performed Chris’ originals, he on guitar and voice, myself on soprano.

Second photo L-R: Chris Morrissey, MG, JR post-show in Paris.

MAYHEM releases this Friday 8/22 - 🔗 in bio

The way we recorded this project really opened up a space for creativity and flow. I came in with a handful of sketches and loose compositional ideas — which turned out to be all we needed to spark the process.

A huge part of that ease comes from the years of playing experience I’ve shared with Mark. But equally important was his creative spark — his instinct to take the music in directions I hadn’t considered.

Getting into a flow state can be tough, especially with the pressure of time and the uncertainty of whether what’s recorded will hold up.

But working with people who are not only excellent at what they do but also bring a deep sense of trust and comfort… that makes all the difference.

MAYHEM out 8/22: https://orcd.co/presavemayhem

Coltrane’s Interstellar Space was a major inspiration for this project, along with the work of British electronic artists like Photek and Squarepusher.

Over the years, Mark and I developed a deep musical rapport—especially in those open moments with his jazz quartet when the orchestration would break down and it would just be the two of us.

There’s something undeniably powerful about the tenor saxophone and drums in duo form.

Of course, all of this traces back to when I joined HEERNT, with Mark and YEAH BOiii.

I played saxophone and analog synth with the band, and right from the start, it just felt necessary and natural—like stepping into something that had been waiting for me all along.

MAYHEM Album Release 8/22: https://orcd.co/presavemayhem

Since putting out my first record in 2005, I’ve grown quite a bit—not just as a musician, but as a person learning to trust my creative instincts.

With this new project MAYHEM, I feel I’ve finally embraced the courage to develop and express my ideas in my own way, without compromise.

It’s taken time, experience, and a lot of trial and error, but I’m proud of the path that’s led me here.

On Mark’s 2022 record The Sound of Listening, the track ‘The Courage to Be Free’ was dedicated to YEAH BOiii, whose unwavering commitment to staying true to himself—boldly, unapologetically, and without compromise—has been an incredible inspiration to me.

His courage reminds me that the most powerful art often comes from honoring who we are, even when it’s not the easiest path.

MAYHEM Album Release 8/22: https://orcd.co/presavemayhem

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Wow this photo of HEERNT takes me back!

There was a period of a few years when this band played regularly at many of the classic smaller NYC rock venues: Arlene’s Grocery, Pete’s Candy Store, The Living Room, The Sidewalk Cafe, Mercury Lounge, and I think this is from Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn.

YEAH BOiii and I played together in the Big Apple Circus band and really hit it off. He invited me to join his trio HEERNT with Mark Guiliana, to replace saxophonist and synth player Zac Colwell.

I loved playing with this band! Mark and YEAH BOiii’s music was so interesting and they were really supportive of me in this role. Playing with HEERNT opened me up musically to some really amazing things.

Sevensixfive is one of my favorite tracks from this new record.

We pieced it together using synth, saxophone, bass clarinet, Rhodes, Moog bass, and drums. I composed the quirky bass lines on my Prophet 6 and the task was to blend electronic and acoustic sounds in a way that works and makes sense.

Pete Min’s treatment of the bass clarinet is nothing short of brilliant, adding a subtle octave doubling effect.

I’m looking forward to playing this one in a live setting, as I feel it has a lot of room available to stretch out.

Listen on all platforms: https://orcd.co/streamsevensixfive

I would say this is my official re-emergence as a leader.

Making my first few records was a great experience, mostly due to working with my bandmates: Mike Holober on piano and Rhodes, Cameron Brown on bass, Russ Johnson on trumpet, and Mark Ferber and Gerald Cleaver on drums.

It’s incredible how working as a leader: conceptualizing, composing, rehearsing, performing, and recording can inspire artistic growth.

The most powerful growth driver though is performing live, which I’ve done extensively over the past decade, all over the world.

My last release prior to MAYHEM was in 2016, nearly 10 years ago. I feel I’ve grown a lot as a saxophonist and am very pleased with this new recording.

There are other projects I’m currently workshopping, so the plan is to keep at it.

I’ll tour starting next spring with the MAYHEM material, and am getting a new quartet with new music off the ground. More is coming!

MAYHEM Pre-Order: https://jasonrigbymusic.bandcamp.com/album/mayhem

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Recording with Pete Min was a fantastic experience. He is really the third band member with this project.

Pete had so many great ideas about layering sounds, adding parts and using electronic processing that very much shaped a lot of what you hear on the record.

His studio is in a quiet neighborhood near L.A.’s Atwater Village, has a chill vibe and is stocked with loads of different instruments, which we took full advantage of.

He has recorded tons of great records there over the years and is hugely respected in the musician community.

In addition to his vision and creativity, Pete is super fast on the board and gets amazing sounds from the instruments.

I look forward to working with him more in the future.

The latest single for MAYHEM is out now! https://tr.ee/MVP-apkOeE

I pretty consistently seek great coffee wherever I go, and touring has proven fruitful in that endeavor.

in Tokyo is a strong standout. These baristas are more scientists than tattoo-clad java slingers, wearing lab coats and keeping close observations of air humidity, water density, etc. Walking in here is like stepping into a hollowed tea room: dark wood, quiet peacefulness, and a serious dedication to achieving perfection - very Japanese. The coffee here is able to be appreciated like one would with a fine wine - fruity, earthy and complex.

in Madrid is a favorite. I love Madrid - such a great city packed with culture, impressive architecture, interesting people and great cuisine. The owners of Toma often come to our shows and are beautiful people. Their coffee is super consistent, fresh and packed with lovely flavor profile.

in Zurich is a special place. I never thought of Switzerland as a coffee haven, but Mame is one of the best spots in the world. Very consistent and the cafe has a great vibe - sitting outside in its chill neighborhood brings peacefulness to mind - a community of coffee lovers enjoying the trees and civilized living. What else could one ask for?

Another Madrid cafe - is really special. I had a super funky wet-processed pour-over that was out of this world! Really complex flavor profile - beautiful aroma, long-lasting aftertaste and beautiful acidity.

is a roaster based in Turkey, I think Istanbul. A cymbal rep came to a Mark Guiliana show we did at the Jazz Cafe in London and brought us all sample packs. This coffee is on a whole other level! KungPow roasts beans from all over the world but uses cutting-edge processing techniques incorporating lactic yeasts and double fermentation. Flavors ranging from blueberry to peach yogurt - insanely flavorful, even brewed in a hotel room (or on a train!).

Colleen and I went to high school together - she is a seriously gifted photographer and is a fiercely loyal friend.

Colleen has such a natural way with photography and somehow effortlessly manages to deal with someone like myself, who is very much NOT comfortable in front of the camera.

I learned from her a long time ago something about photography that is relatable to music: the more pictures you take, the better chance you’ll have with finding choice images.

It’s like composition: the more you do it, the more choices you’ll have for quality results.

All to say these photos are featured on my new website and you can pre-save the next single “YEAH BOiii” here: linktr.ee/jasonrigby

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