amuse-bouche
amuse-bouche is the dynamic collaboration of Producer/Composers Andrew Atkin, Jason Oberholtzer, and Michael Simonelli. Drawing upon classical composition, the spirit of improvisation and an ear for modern recording and production, the group's clashing of mindsets, traditions and interests inspires music which elides personal and musical boundaries. Each album is a new process and a new result; a chance to merge personalities and aesthetics, and a chance for new and exciting sounds and presentations.
amuse-bouche live sets capture spontaneous, stream of consciousness improvisations between musicians with over a decade of experience working together. Despite a largely improvised approach, the music often comes across as premeditated, wading between moments of ambience and melodicism. Each member of the trio is a proficient multi-instrumentalist and so a live performance will often involve the band switching instruments between sets or even songs. They are equally comfortable performing as a more traditional trio (grand piano, guitar, drums) as they are playing a blisteringly loud set full of noises, synthesizers and effects pedals. And so the group can sound as though it belongs performing amidst a gallery collection of Lewitt or a hall of Richard Serra sculptures, while at other times sounding fit for rock venues, churches, or even living rooms.
Très
The five tracks on Très are culled from two recording sessions from the summer of 2017. In essence, this is a live album. Each track is a first/only take — spontaneous stream of consciousness improvisations between three players who know each other well. Even so, the music often comes across as premeditated. Each track is structured according to its own unique logic and flow. Each piece abides by its own set of rules which the musicians have made up and silently agreed upon as the performance unfolds. And yet while each piece demonstrates its own self-contained style, each also sounds distinctively (both individually and as a collective) like amuse-bouche. There’s a certain immediacy and urgency of expression that can only be achieved through spontaneous improvisation, by three voices engaging in egoless dialogue, pursuant of a single musical goal. This is music that elides sonic boundaries, that walks the subtle line between ambience and melodicism, and that boldly marks a new stage in amuse-bouche’s evolution as a live band.
Split Piece
amuse-bouche's third album, Split Piece marks the first collaboration solely between members Andrew Atkin and Michael Simonelli, tracked over the course of a weekend. Short stream of consciousness performances form a wild and noir-ish narrative. The album combines the immediacy of jazz and improvised music, the logic and structural coherency of modern compositional idioms, and the textures of pop and rock music. The result is a one–of–a–kind experience with production and instrumentation sharing space and telling a complex story
Come Holy Ghost
Come Holy Ghost was written for the 150th anniversary of Trinity Church, Hartford CT. Recorded entirely on site and featuring the Trinity Church Choir, the album captures the spirit and sound of the historic building. Come Holy Ghost combines traditional Anglican choral writing with indie-rock and jazz sensibilities to form a dark and meditative exploration of spirituality.
OLIVER
amuse-bouche’s debut album combines tightly woven compositional tapestries with the harmonic and improvisatory languages of jazz and rock. A continually evolving and propulsive interplay of strings, vibraphone, piano, winds, drums, and bass.