Ben Macy Trio
From Scratch
© 2002 Ben Macy
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A relaxed but purposeful jazz trio. "The pianist [Ben Macy] pens hushed instrumentals that are coolly rippling, deeply reflective, and can stretch out like a dream on the horizon." - Willamette Week
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While Ben started playing piano at age 5 under the watchful glare of his mother, it wasn't until his sophomore year in college that he discovered the world of jazz. Together with two friends, neither of which had played jazz before either, Ben bought a fake book and started writing songs. Two years later, the boys released their first album, appropriately titled “From Scratch”. Recorded live in the studio in 2002, this early collection of Ben Macy Trio songs is eclectic, accessible, and full of energy: a young trio archiving their discoveries and explorations of the jazz world.
"Anyone with a taste for good jazz would be interested in what his trio is doing." - Bend Bulletin
Spending 3 days in the studio yielded 12 complete songs, which the trio whittled down to 9 which they felt represented both where they came from musically, and where they hoped to go in the future. Starting with the "Inconsistent Blues”, a song that would go on to be one of Ben’s signature pieces, the trio showed that it was always ready to deconstruct “traditional” jazz in ways that were still very respectful to the songs. This approach shows most clearly in the trio’s cover of “My Favorite Things”, which features changing time signatures and a tight, but free arrangement.
"Macy's original compositions and taste in covers gives the new group a solid foundation from which to branch out." -The Oregonian
The Ben Macy Trio performed a sold-out show at Portland, Oregon’s famous Jazz de Opus to celebrate their CD’s release. Sadly, about 6 months after this album’s release, both Matt Markell (bass) and Seth Tippin (drums) decided to continue their graduate work in psychology, leaving Ben to recruit new musicians for his group. However, this album still stands as a celebration of friendship, youth, and the joy of learning something new.