DRAGON SUITE
Release Date: March 14th, 2025
All compositions by Joe Fiedler (Joe Fiedler Music-BMI)
Recorded November 5 & 6, 2024 Firehouse 12 (New Haven, CT)
Engineered by Greg DiCrosta
Mixed and mastered by Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Studios
Design credit: Jamie Breiwick, B Side Graphics
SHIRES TROMBONES and GREG BLACK MOUTHPIECES
“What Herb Said” is dedicated to the memory of my friend and fellow brass adventurer, Herb Robertson
Joe Fiedler Trio 2.0, comprised of the imaginative, adventurous and prodigious trombonist, composer and bandleader, Joe Fiedler, first-call guitarist Pete McCann and uber-creative drummer Michael Sarin, proudly present an expressive tour-de-force, which finds these three co-conspirators stretching their melodic and harmonic range, traversing sundry rhythmic trails, and generally sticking their necks out musically, resulting in the singular new album, Dragon Suite
After almost two decades of leading his various trios (documented on I’m In, Plays The Music of Albert Mangelsdorff, The Crab and Sacred Chrome Orb), Fiedler finds the format still bears fruit, and remains a configuration which enables him and his collaborators to fully explore and express themselves through Fiedler’s compositions. With Fiedler, we are treated to more of his extended techniques on trombone, not to mention his inviting open and muted sounds. Dragon Suite offers up nine new Fiedler compositions with a twist, a foray into the bass-less trio world.
Fiedler has always been intrigued by bass-less ensembles, especially trios, and relished the challenge the musicians face without that sonic foundation and pulse; each player taking on a much greater role within the music. "Over the years I have been drawn to bass-less trios led by notables such as Paul Motion, Ray Anderson and Ron Miles. I love to study the creative strategies employed for their unique line-ups. However, the trio that really made me want to add my name to the list was Dave Douglas’ Tiny Bell Trio," explains Fiedler. "For me, the biggest difference was in that it wasn’t just amazing improvisors playing a tune together, but a fully orchestrated ensemble with specific arrangements - yet leaving room for each personality to insert their individual musical identity."
When setting out to write this music for Dragon Suite, Tiny Bell Trio, became somewhat of a template for Fiedler. And given that each player would need to carry a larger load - especially with this very challenging music, Fiedler composed every note specifically for his cohorts in The Joe Fiedler Trio 2.0, guitarist Pete McCann, and drummer Michael Sarin. "Both incredible musicians, but somewhat more importantly for this project, trusted friends," stated Fiedler.