Liner Notes
by Antoine Drye
“Oblation - the act of offering, as in a spiritual/religious manner
providence - timely preparation for future eventualities
‘Oblation’ is the intention and ‘providence’ is the causality
Retreat To Beauty simply describes my approach to dealing with adversity, in this case specifically, all the adverse impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The album is dedicated to my wife of 22 years for consistently supporting my musical efforts and path, as well as my old friend, pianist and composer Jonathan Lefcoski (1974-2014). In addition to writing the first and last tracks, titled 37 and Image respectively, Lefcoski also wrote the reharmonization of Send In the Clowns that Raz beautifully arranged.
Many musicians on this recording are people I’ve grown up w/literally or at least in this music. John Ellis was my roommate in boarding school, Donald Edwards taught at my university and eventually we played together with Wessell Anderson. Ben, I first saw on David Sanborn’s show when I was a kid in highschool. Marika and I toured with Taylor Mac. She was responsible for assembling the string section. My gratitude for that is endless. They came in and played everything beautifully (3 times to get full orchestra effect) in one day. Amazing!!!
Backstory: while attending North Carolina School of the Arts as a high school junior, I walked into the dorm room of Geoff Clapp (drums) and heard Clifford Brown w/Strings playing. The song was Laura. My dreams in music, and therefore my path, changed in that moment from wanting to be a classical trumpet player to wanting to play what I heard Brown doing.
Since that day, I’ve worked consistently toward the goal of making the record you have before you. Providence!
During the lockdown, Isaac texted me that he’d brushed off his Logic Pro software and orchestral arranging chops and sent me a few clips of beautifully orchestrated songs of his. In that moment, it clicked and I realized he could help bring my goal to reality and thus began the journey of my retreat to beauty. I looked away from all the sadness, isolation, despair, uncertainty and the many other feelings those circumstances placed on folks, and instead, chose to counter it all with something of pure beauty. It is my hope that this music will inspire love, happiness and hopefulness.
Intro skit - actor Vondie Curtis Hall plays the dad (me) taking his daughter (Lily, my daughter) to hear a blend of European style music (classical) and Black American Music (aka BAM).
37 by my friend Jonathan Lefcoski (1974-2014) Michael Jackson’s Human Nature was his inspiration for this song.
Isfahan by Billy Strayhorn. Like Ellington, Strayhorn is one of my favorite composers. “A city of poetic beauty” is how Ellington described the song. Ours is a tribute to the strength of all Iranian women currently protesting for their rights to live free of discriminatory rules like hijabs being mandatory for women.
Friend by Antoine Drye/Donald Edwards, is simply a song of acceptance. Through the 8 bar melody, each musician is afforded the opportunity to express it as they wish, then, to further elaborate w/another chorus. In the end, we all come together, as friends do!
When It’s Sleepy Time Down South takes me back to the beginning of my learning journey in this music. Wynton Marsalis encouraged me to study the complete history of the music. Me being me, I started at the beginning. This was also Pops’ theme song.
Oblation is always my intention when I play. It’s an offering from my most humble, proud, compassionate, loving, truthful, beautiful self.
The Peacocks by Jimmy Rowles is simply one of the most beautiful Melodies I’ve ever heard. I first heard Branford Marsalis’s rendition. Later, Stan Getz’s rendition w/Jimmy Rowles haunted me. I finally felt ready for this one.
Reflections, by the inimitable Thelonious Monk (another favorite composer of mine), who’s music helped teach me to swing because many of his melodies have a natural penchant for this rhythmic feel, is just a beautiful song I love that I play to honor him, as well as to play in the walking ballad style, which enjoy. Sullivan plays a Monkish-style solo, and by that I mean completely original, full of blues and swing, soulful and playful. I too was having a really great chops day and decided to play a high note to end.
Send In The Clowns by Stephen Sondheim, was beautifully reharmonized by Lefcoski. Eat your heart out Barbara!
Laura by Raskin and Mercer, is the song I heard Clifford Brown playing w/strings in 1988 that inspired me to work toward doing this project. Having learned so much bebop language from Brownie, in addition to his sound, which has been the main inspiration for mine, I wanted to honor all that, especially toward the end.
Goodbye by Gordon Jenkins is a tribute to Wynton Marsalis and Frank Sinatra, both of whom have inspired me by their sensibilities and sounds. I love the darkness and sadness of this song.
Image by Lefcoski is the bookend dedication to my old friend and a tribute to our beginnings at North Carolina School of the Arts, along w/John Ellis, who opens the song on clarinet.
Ringing In The Bells by Kim Kalesti is a beautiful song I first heard in a video Kim made. Though I’m not a religious person, I embrace the loving spirit religion can bring to people. Though it doesn’t mention it, to me, this song is perfect for the Xmas holidays. Her voice is angelic! The trumpet choir section is meant to mimic a community choir singing carols in the neighborhood.”
by Isaac Raz
“It is our collective right and responsibility as Americans (some believe) to live, preserve and advance the culture left to us by our predecessors. One cardinal component of western culture is our contribution to the vast world of music, through our Great American Songbook.
As an educator, I have endeavored to play and teach such timeless melodies from the 1920’s, through to the 60’s, to listeners and learners alike, from adult-aged, all the way to kindergarten. I hope the next generation of music lovers, players and performers will grow up hearing, loving, learning and sharing these songs, like we all did, in order to preserve the living legacy of this music, our unique contribution to world culture early in the 20th century.
Toward this end, Antoine Drye and I have strived to preserve the classic style of landmark orchestral recordings of iconic instrumentalists in Black American Music, like Clifford Brown, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, Cannonball Adderly and Charlie Parker, while at the same time adding new and original melodies we hope will be perceived as a natural extension and continuation of the style as a living creative framework, and not just a conserved legacy.
To accomplish this, it was vitally important that the irreplaceable feeling of a live performance with a full orchestra be the gold standard for this project. While many modern day artists utilize excellent, high-quality string samples, sometimes even mixed with live over-dubbed performances by real musicians in the studio, there simply is no substitute for the communal experience of a large ensemble of musicians performing a work together, nor the sound. It is the cumulative effect of community and artistry that cannot be replaced by any technology, and is the only way to truly give this style its due. Please enjoy ‘Retreat To Beauty’ Antoine Drye with strings, Oblation Vol. III: Providence!”