Alexander Claffy – Standards: What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? CD

CD in 8-panel digipak featuring liner notes by Ron Carter and photography by Tayla Nebesky and Anna Yatskevich.

“In either a break with contemporary jazz practices of adherence to original compositions, or a throwback to old school celebration of standards, bassist Alexander Claffy’s newest release on SMK Jazz will intrigue music lovers. WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE is a collection of diverse songs with interesting arrangements.”
— Robbie Gerson, Audiophile Audition

“A brilliant bricolage and multifaceted concept album running the arc of romance and dissolution.”
— Dan Bilawsky, JazzTimes

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STANDARDS: WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE? by bass phenom Alexander Claffy features a collection of familiar standards spanning several generations, from the American Songbook tradition to mid-20th century jazz classics to a Beatles favorite. Following his debut album, with its focus on a blend of contemporary soul and hip hop influences, it would be tempting to contrast the two projects as a looking forward/looking back dichotomy. This new album defies such easy categorization, however, with deeply personal readings that update timeless melodies with an utterly timely approach.

Claffy’s collaborators fit a similar cross-generational model: the core of the band features two longtime inspirations who have helped pave the way for the bassist’s forward-looking vision, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel and pianist Dave Kikoski, as well as the acclaimed saxophonist Joel Frahm. The line-up is rounded out by a number of Claffy’s up-and-coming peers, including drummers Adam Arruda, Mark Whitfield Jr. and Aaron Kimmel, trumpeter Benny Benack III, and vocalist Veronica Swift.

Since arriving in NYC, Claffy has worked with a staggering array of artists spanning generations and styles: elders like Jimmy Cobb, Louis Hayes, George Coleman and Harold Mabern as well as modern and rising stars including Christian Scott, Roy Hargrove, Jeremy Pelt, Chris Botti and Joey Alexander. He’s also an in-demand member of a game-changing generation that includes many of his guests on WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE? along with the likes of Sullivan Fortner, Emmet Cohen and lifelong friend Justin Faulkner.

released November 2, 2018

Alexander Claffy – bass
Kurt Rosenwinkel – guitar
David Kikoski – piano
Adam Arruda – drums (1,3 & 5)
Mark Whitfield Jr – drums (2 & 8)
Aaron Kimmel – drums (4, 6 & 7)
Joel Frahm – tenor saxophone (2, 6 & 7)
Benny Benack III – trumpet (6 & 7)
Veronica Swift – vocals (9)

Recorded January 31, 2018, Big Orange Sheep Studios, Brooklyn, NY

Produced by Alexander Claffy and Michael Perez-Cisneros
Associate Producers: Paul Stache and Damon Smith
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Michael Perez-Cisneros
Additional Engineering by Alex Haley and Alan Benjamini
Photography by Tayla Nebesky
Studio Photography by Anna Yatskevich
Cover design by Chris Baliwas

Executive Producers: Frank Christopher and Paul Stache