CREDITS
Executive Producers: Luis Giraldo and Cory Weeds
Produced by Cory Weeds
Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, January 28th 2022
Engineered by Maureen Sickler
Mixed and Mastered by Shawn Pierce
Photography by Cory Weeds
Design and Layout by Perry Chua

MUSICIANS
Luis Giraldo: Voice
Bria Skonberg: Voice and trumpet (tracks 2 and 8)
Ben Paterson: Hammond B3 Organ
Ed Cherry: Guitar
Jason Tiemann: Drums

Years ago, Ben Paterson came to Frankie’s Jazz Club in Vancouver to play with Cory Weeds. While enjoying the set, Cory asked me to join them on stage for a tune. I didn’t know Ben personally then, but at that very moment, I knew I wanted to someday record an album with him. This began my being a pain in Cory’s ass for years about producing a record for me.

In late 2021, we found ourselves booking flights and hotels to fly out to New York City at the end of January 2022 to go into Rudy Van Gelder studio for two days to record with Ben. I pitched Cory and Ben on doing not one but two albums: organ trio and piano trio. Ben agreed, and here is the result of day one.

Drummer Jason Tiemann and guitarist Ed Cherry complete the rhythm section, and Jason opens the album with a silky fill on “Sometimes I’m Happy.” This track’s energy really sets the tone for the album.

Now a New Yorker, Bria Skonberg and I played together in Vancouver years ago, and when I pitched the idea of collaborating on a couple of tracks, she agreed. Bria brings her sultry voice and delicious trumpet-playing to Moonglow, which is also the first single.

Back in 2013, I was obsessed with a rendition of “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” Fred Hersch had done. I emailed him out of the blue (we’ve never met), and he returned the lead sheet of his arrangement. Wow! We adapted this arrangement for our version.

Inspired by Joey DeFrancesco, I included “What Now, My Love?” It’s an absolute tragedy that Joey would pass away later that year. This track reminds me of him.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve kept a list of Doris Day tunes that I’d one day record as a tribute. “Ready, Willing, and Able” is one of those tunes. I wanted to keep the energy and fun of her version—the band really hit it out of the park.

There’s a Small Hotel was a tune I’d wanted to do for a while, which we did as a straight-ahead swing tune. For the second Rodgers and Hart tune, we did Where or When. It’s a song I played regularly with the Dal Richards orchestra in Vancouver and one of Dal’s favourites. Ben had the idea of switching up the feel to a Bossa Nova, which turned out beautifully.

Bria joins me again on “What Can I Say After I Say I’m Sorry.” She plays a killer trumpet solo, and the band really swings.

To close off the album is another track off my Doris Day wish list, “Hold Me in Your Arms.” It’s a beautiful ballad we did as a waltz and features all the guys doing some gang vocals even, don’t blink or you’ll miss it!

I’m so grateful to everyone involved. There was a lot of love and musicianship put into this album, and I hope you enjoy it. My sincere thanks to Cory for making this dream a reality and to Shawn Pierce for the love on the mixing and mastering.