Group Therapy (2011)

Group Therapy features guitarist David Phelps, bassist Dean Johnson, drummer Tony Moreno, and Wilensky on tenor saxophone. This project celebrates several gifts we often take for granted: spontaneous collective improvisation; harmony in discord; the moment.

“. . . uncanny group empathy.” –Jazz Times (October, 2011)

It’s a pleasure to hear musicians of this caliber interpret my compositions: every time we play, the possibilities multiply. After our first rehearsal, I had to reassess many of my assumptions – an inevitable part of a healthy creative process, and a sign that I had called the right players. By the time we hit the studio, we were a band.

Group Therapy was recorded March 21, 2011 at Charlestown Road Studios in Hampton, New Jersey by Paul Wickcliffe. The CD includes 8 new original compositions, a new take on Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile,” and a version of “Downtown” featuring Tony Moreno that’s decidedly more downtown New York than the original. A few of the compositions employ open structures, and I’m inspired by the results. If you’re a fan of any of the individual members of this band, this CD will become an indispensable part of your collection. If this is the first time you’ve heard these guys, this could be the beginning of a beautiful thing!