*Announcing* Jeff Parker ETA IVtet - The Way Out Of Easy
*announcing* IARC0089
Jeff Parker
ETA IVtet
The Way Out of Easy
2xLP/CD/DD out November 22, 2024
Today guitarist Jeff Parker announces The Way Out of Easy, a new album with his long-running ETA IVtet featuring saxophonist Josh Johnson (SML, Meshell Ndegeocello, Leon Bridges), bassist Anna Butterss (SML, Makaya McCraven, Daniel Villarreal), and drummer Jay Bellerose (Robert Plant, Allen Toussaint, Joe Henry), out November 22, 2024 on International Anthem / Nonesuch Records.
The Way Out of Easy is the first release by Parker and the ETA IVtet since their 2022 debut Mondays at the Enfield Tennis Academy, which was recently named one of the “Best Albums of the 2020s So Far” by Pitchfork.
((( photo by David Haskell )))
Like the critically lauded Mondays at the Enfield Tennis Academy, The Way Out of Easy is composed of recordings from Los Angeles creative music outpost ETA — a venue where Parker and this ensemble held a weekly residency from 2016 until it closed in December of 2023. Over seven years of working in that space, the ETA IVtet evolved from a band that played mostly standards into a group known for its transcendent, long-form journeys into innovative, groove-oriented minimalist and mantric improvised music. All four tracks on The Way Out of Easy come from a single night in 2023, providing an unfiltered view of the ensemble, fully in their element, embarking in linear improvisations that unfold across eighty minutes of music recorded and mixed live by engineer Bryce Gonzales.
Gonzales – who is known for the high-end audio gear he builds as Highland Dynamics, and even designed a custom mixer to be able to record this band at ETA – also wrote liner notes for The Way Out of Easy. In his notes he colors his approach: “For this band, the most important thing to consider is: not doing anything to get in the way of what they are saying to each other.” He also describes the simple schematic he created to capture the recordings – “basically only 4 level controls for one microphone per player” – which is evident in the incredibly vivid, clear and transparent sound on The Way Out of Easy.
(from Mikel Patrick Avery’s video for “Late Autumn”)
“Late Autumn”
Along with the album announcement today, lead track "Late Autumn" is available on all digital music platforms.
The opening of "Late Autumn" finds Parker swaying in alliterative, arpeggiating cycles, using just a few plucked notes as he lays a compositional foundation. At first it almost sounds like an echo of a humble tune from his 2021 solo guitar album Forfolks, but as the piece unfolds, his ensemble joins him to help build a beautifully multi-textured, gently-shifting four-dimensional construction out of a simple idea.
The seventeen minute track also comes with a full-length film by multimedia artist and musician Mikel Patrick Avery. For “Late Autumn,” Avery both created and filmed a series of improvised mechanical balancing sculptures in his Philadelphia studio.
ETA IVtet LIVE
December 2, 2024 @ Public Records
233 Butler St, Brooklyn, NY
On Monday, December 2nd, Parker and the ETA IVtet will play at Public Records in Brooklyn, NY. It's the first night of a three-night International Anthem residency (also featuring SML on December 3rd and Anna Butterss on December 4th), co-presented by Qobuz. The band will play two sets (sold separately) — tickets for the early show are available here, and tickets for the late show are available here. Tickets for both shows are also available as a bundle with the other two International Anthem residency shows here.
December 16, 2024 @ Zebulon
2478 Fletcher Dr, Los Angeles, CA
On Monday December 16th, Parker and the band host a hometown release show at Zebulon in Los Angeles, CA; tickets for that show are available here.
The Music of Jeff Parker
October 28, 2024 @ In Sheep's Clothing HQ
1460 N Sweetzer Ave, West Hollywood, CA
On Monday, October 28, In Sheep’s Clothing will host a very special event at their headquarters in West Hollywood, CA. “The Music of Jeff Parker” will feature an exclusive advance listening of The Way Out of Easy on ISC's hifi sound system, followed by a conversation between Parker and veteran music supervisor Jocelyn Brown.
The event will culminate in a performance of a broad selection of Parker’s original compositions by the trio of Gregory Uhlmann (guitar), Anna Butterss (bass), and Ben Lumsdaine (drums) – all of whom are longtime students, friends and collaborators of Parker.
** Deluxe Vinyl Package **
The Way Out Of Easy comes on two 140g vinyl LPs inside a matte laminated heavyweight gatefold jacket with brown card stock inner pockets, IARC obi strip, and poly-lined printed innersleeves. Pressed at Pallas in Germany, with lacquers cut by Daniel K at SST.
For the first pressing only, we also have a limited quantity of *Harvest Moon* color vinyl, available via our Bandcamp page.
Purchase The Way Out of Easy
as part of the
**Fall '24 Bundle**
For the fervent, faithful collector of our output.
The Way Out of Easy is part of the FALL '24 BUNDLE! Perhaps our most mondo bundle yet, this single parcel includes all SIX (6!) LPs announced across Fall 2024 – including recently announced/released albums by Anna Butterss, Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra, and Tomin. No spoilers on the rest here, but we can tell you for certain that this whole season is STACKED.
This bundle includes 5x single LP releases and 1x double LP release. Purchase gets you a bundle-exclusive discount of 10% off the LP prices, plus a 60% discount on shipping costs.
The bundle will ship from our warehouses in the US, EU and UK, but don't sleep.. the quantity available in each warehouse is limited! Early purchase is recommended to ensure the lowest possible shipping, tax, and VAT costs.
All items will ship together in one package around November 1st, so you'll be receiving half of your bundle 2-4 weeks after the initial street dates, and the other half you'll be receiving early.
Bandcamp downloads will be sent via email for all the releases by, or before, the ship date.
Order the Fall '24 Bundle on limited edition color vinyl here.
Order the Fall '24 Bundle on classic black vinyl here.
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information@intlanthem.com
For Distribution, Orders & Customer Support:
orders@intlanthem.com
