This project started in 1992 based on my trio 'Papa Carlo', with Steve Magnusson on guitar and Chris Bekker on electric bass.  The three of us were also the rhythm section of 'Tibetan Dixie'.

We worked on a concept of 'slow music', improvised music that would evolve slowly and use minimal, but evocative ideas.

I had been working on a double bass drum set-up - albeit not in the jazz-rock or speed metal vein - and had developed a system of rhythmic and melodic patterns.

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In 1992 Rhythms Magazine held a competition for unsigned bands, the prize being one day of recording at Platinum Studios, one of the top Melbourne Recording Studios (now Sing Sing South).

In a circular historical twist, Dave Flett, who designed my own studio, Pughouse Studios, had been the designer of Platinum Studios.  Something I didn't become aware of 20 years after recording there.

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We sent in a cassette tape - I can't remember where or how we recorded it - and won!

'Papa Carlo' recorded about 15 tracks plus 5 or 6 drum solos in one day with engineer Chris Corr on 16 March 1994.

Listening to the rough mixes I kept hearing an additional voice - maybe a horn player.

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One of the last recordings I was involved in before moving to Australia had been with the wonderful Italian trumpet player, Enrico Rava.

I decided to ask him if he would be interested to play on this album.

Communication was slower then:

Audio was exchanged by sending cassette tapes through the mail, the internet was a fairly new thing and emails quite unheard of, phone calls were expensive.

I remember that I communicated with Enrico via Fax: At agreed times I would send a fax to the newsagent in the town where Enrico lived and he would go and pick it up.

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Enrico listened and said he would be happy to record.

We agreed on a fee and found a time when we were both in Berlin, where we recorded in the studio of my publisher, BIT in Tempelhof. 

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It was an awesome experience, watching a jazz legend performing at his brilliant best.

After approaching two tracks in the familiar fashion of listening to the track and then recording a couple takes, Enrico announced 'Don't play the track first, just hit record.'  Enrico also decided that he would play the fluegelhorn instead of the trumpet.

All remaining tracks on the album were recorded in this way with Enrico just playing one take without listening to the track first. All his takes were recorded in less than three hours.

A true master.

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This album is now available for the first time as download in a newly mixed and mastered version on BandCamp.  There you will also find the trio only tracks on a separate album.