—
Sometimes a song and its recording take on entirely different lives. I originally wrote this song when I was 15, but it wasn’t appropriate for any of my bands at the time, so it sat untouched for years. Around 7 years later, I found myself lucky enough to be in a trio Jason Burger on drums and Zack Rosen on bass. Overwhelmed with their caliber of musicianship, I found myself out of ideas for the band to play, so into my archive I went…
Zack was immediately drawn to this song, which I insisted did not need bass. However, his enthusiasm and sheer talent was enough to convince me otherwise. Zack had a way of overplaying in a supporting role, which is something I’ve still yet to encounter in another bass player. He’d play something flashy and unexpected, yet somehow understated. To this day, I listen back to improvised sessions Zack played on for inspiration. The three of us continued to play over the years, but eventually the project fizzled.
After Zack passed in 2018, we all began thinking of ways to honor his life and memory after his passing, and I immediately thought of this song. It’s become a monument to Zack for me; when I hear it I see Zack hopped up on 10 bags of green tea, his bass strapped to him like a machine, bouncing and smiling along the way. I immediately thought of Dan Knobler, a dear friend, amazing guitarist, producer, and all-around mensch to help realize this song into a recording that Zack would be proud of. The resulting session in Nashville in February 2020 was easily one of the brightest moments in an otherwise dark year. It felt great to reconnect with Zack’s community and complete a song we never had a chance to finish together.
After our session, I felt content putting this song back in my archive, serving as a private memory for those involved. However, a year later, we’ve decided to release the song in honor of Zack’s memory and to raise money for a cause Zack was passionate about.
I feel privileged to be a member of Zack’s musical orbit and am particularly thankful to Jason and Dan for their performances, arrangements, compositions, recording, and more musical contributions than I can list in a single paragraph. Most importantly, they helped me remember and celebrate Zack’s quirks, talents, and deep connection to community.
– Jesse Kranzler
credits
released March 5, 2021
—
Jesse Kranzler – guitars, bass, composition
Jason Burger – drums & percussion
Dan Knobler – synths
Recorded & mixed by Dan Knobler at Goosehead Palace in Nashville, TN
Mastered by Jacob Blumburg
Album art by Carrie Crowell