THE HOWLAND/IMBODEN PROJECT: Live At The Baked Potato

The Howland/Imboden Project

Live At The Baked Potato

© 2004 The Howland/Imboden Project (647987186022)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

All instrumental heavy jazz fusion featuring members of the band Chicago.

notes

A note from guitarist Keith Howland:

During the summer of 2001 while on the road with Chicago, drummer Tris Imboden and myself (Keith Howland) decided to put together an album (CD I suppose) of instrumental fusion music that was to be called "The Howland/Imboden Project". We had already tracked one instrumental tune (Fallin' In A Hole) which was sort of the seed that became the forthcoming record. Into the studio we went that fall and calling upon all of our musician friends and also our Chicago bandmates we completed "The Howland/Imboden Project" CD and released it right here on CDBaby (where it's still available by the way) in October of 2001. Well, over the next couple of years we talked and threatened to play some of the music live but never seemed to put it together. Then one day in the fall of 2003 I received a call from a friend inquiring if the Project would be interested in playing a benefit concert in LA for a worthy cause. Well, we accepted the offer and decided to take the opportunity to play the benefit but to also book a gig the following night at the world famous jazz club "The Baked Potato" in North Hollywood. I've seen many amazing musicians in that little windowless club that seats about 75 people including Larry Carlton, Steve Lukather, Michael Landau, Allan Holdsworth, Greg Mathieson and the late great Jeff Porcaro just to name a few. We knew that bassist Lance Morrison was a lock for the 3rd member of the live band but we needed someone who could come in and really cover lots of musical bases and also elevate the improvisation side to a level worthy of The Baked Potato name. Well, we found him in keyboardist Steve Weingart who most know from his work with the amazing Dave Weckl Band. Now that the band was in place, we scheduled a rehearsal for the day of the benefit and each of us started working on the material on our own time. Leading up to the shows, I waffled on whether to bring along some recording gear to document the performances but decided in the end to go forward with the plan. Well, the rehearsal was decent, the benefit was better, but the Potato gig really had some magic moments. The band was still having to pay attention to arrangements as well as just remembering melodies and changes but everyone was listening to each other and the improvisation and interaction was inspiring. After listening to the recordings of that night, you could really hear the excitement and fun that we were all having as well as the sound of that tiny magical room. At that point I started to ask myself whether we should go ahead and release our first gig (well second I guess) as a live album or if we should do more shows and see if we could do better. Could we perform some of the Xs and Os of the tunes better? Sure we could. Could we recapture the magic of our first gig at the Baked Potato? Probably not. So with that, I present to you The Howland/Imboden Project "Live At The Baked Potato" and hope that you can feel the energy of that night in the recording. I know I sure can!

reviews

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  • Love it!!!
    author: Denise Reiland

    Keith and Tris are awesome!!!!!!!! You really get to hear their style!!!!

  • Fantastic!
    author: Holly Henrey

    This CD was even better than I had hoped. I can't wait for more great music from Keith and Tris. They are the real deal, talented and innovative, musically adventurous and fun.

  • Keith totally ROCKS!
    author: Melinda Miller

    One again Maestro Howland shows us why he's been with Chicago longer than any other guitar player. I love his playing and I love his style...Hopefully the rest of his cds which I've ordered come in the mail today...Always on time like CD Baby promises!

  • Great instrumental!!!
    author: Joy-Marie

    Fabulous, so much more than I expected and I expected alot!!!! If you like a great instrumental guitar band, you will LOVE this!

  • author: BOUGER.Eric

    It's a fantastic record .he must known all over the world Eric BOUGER from france

  • Incredible fun!
    author: Steve Gledhill, Naperville, IL

    This is great instrumental rock 'n' roll fun! These are excellent musicians that you can't really appreciate until you take them out of the pop element (Chicago) where in this setting they play and treat the listener to something special. If they replaced the occasional synthesizer sounds (too 80s) with more B3 organ, and if the recording wasn't so warm in its tonal texture, this would definitely rate as a 5 star CD. It is musically a great time.

  • Good teamwork
    author: Robert Hofstede

    Even as the first one this cd is fantastic. Who could ask for more with these great guitarist an drummer of Chicago.

  • great CD ...
    author: TT

    ... but it would be even more interesting if there would be another solo instrument e.g. a saxophone. I think the CD would get more versatile.

  • I Love this CD
    author: Sean Crosby

    This is a great Fusion CD. If you like the Trio style of Drummer, Guitarist and Bassist then you will enjoy this CD. I have not stopped listening to it yet. It takes you on a nice ride through some up-tempo grooves to some slow blues that you can almost feel yourself in a smoky night club with the guys on stage. Great. When is the next one!!!!

  • A CD you will listen to over and over again
    author: Lincoln Frazier

    I knew Tris Imboden was a good drummer. After seeing him with Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire this summer, I can tell you that he is right there with Vinnie Colautia and Dennis Chambers. Together with Howland they have a great band. This is money well spent.

  • More than the sum of its parts!
    author: Preston Frazier

    If you know Howland and Imboden just from Chicago, this CD will be a shock. Chicago fans already know Howland is an able singer and good guitarist. They also know Tris Imboden is a great drummer. This live albyn (and their first studio release) show off awesome chops and excellent writing...now if Chicago can harness these gigantic talents.

  • Nice, driving sound!
    author: Sergey Khachaturian

    Wonderful music to kick back and enjoy with your eyes half-close. Thanks, guys! I liked it!

  • Great Cd
    author: Pb

    Great Live CD,,if you like Keith Howlands guitar playing you'll love him on this CD.

  • Great handmade and powerful music
    author: Georg Pilger

    These guys have the groove! The way they celebrate the music by using only the voice of their instruments is great. No sequencer or overdubbing-overkill - this is pure music from the heart.

  • This is awesome material. The best since Landau's Tales.....
    author: Frank van Wijk
  • good but not as good as the original
    author: Bill Ritter

    Talent is there. But, recording quality of live couls be better.

  • Excellent! Great Musicianship
    author: Paul B

    Great sounding music. Very gifted musicians. What a pleasure to listen to.

  • The CD is Fantastic
    author: Ken Tedesco
  • very energetic, excellent musicianship.
    author: woody bluezz moore

    everything great about cd except talking between songs was impossible to hear. excellent musicianship. great listening cd. will look forward to more in future. highly recommend to everyone who likes good music.

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