"A soulful musical collage arranged for little big band portraying unique compositions of abstract melodies, thick harmonies and meaningful lyrics through the styles of swing, funk and reggae."


BIO... The Jeff Riley Jazz Suite is a jazz fusion band that incorporates a handful of horns with vocals. The group also uses both an upright bass and an electric bass and multiple keyboards, depending on the tune, with the drum grooves frequently changing. The project started more than a decade ago in Cincinnati and will continue expanding for decades into the future. Each performance is like a big family reunion of friends and songs, new and old.

HISTORY OF THE Jazz Suite Orchestra (JSO)... Here is how it all started: The *12-tone row “T for Tyka,” named after Steven Kortyka, was created, performed and analyzed for Orchestration class at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. The presentation included colorful paintings, detailed diagrams and a dramatic story with a funny dialogue. The project quickly grew into a soulful musical collage arranged for a little big band portraying unique compositions of abstract melodies, thick harmonies and meaningful lyrics through the styles of swing, funk and reggae. The Jazz Suite debuted in CCM’s Watson Hall on January 17, 2002, as a birthday present to Jeff’s father and has continued to expand, integrating dozens of talented musicians relaying the message of love, laughter, self-expression and peace.

The second full performance of the suite took place July 7, 2007, across bowling lanes on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago, IL, with members of the Low Down Brass Band. Friends and family were celebrating a family reunion and the birth of Jeff's daughter, Stella. This is when “Reggae Soul,” written 15 years earlier as "Smooth Soul," made it's debut in the Suite.

The third performance of the suite was the making of the CD in Boulder, CO, featuring outstanding musicians from around the country. Helping to keep a life-long project fresh and new, Shane Jonas wrote the lyrics to “Breezin’ ‘Way” only days before recording, Steve Kortyka helped write the melody “Homeostasis” earlier that summer and “Reggae Soul” was arranged just before the start of the production.

All songs written, arranged and produced by Jeff Riley with the exception of:
Tree (written by Riley/Kortyka) and Breezin’ ‘Way (written by Riley/Jonas)

Recorded live on August 27-28, 2010 by Geoff Gray and Ben Fausch at Far & Away Studios, Boulder, CO

Mastered by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering, Boulder CO
ENGINEERING NOTE: The venerable Pultec EQP 1A3 was used for the Jeff Riley Jazz Suite CD’s mastering. This was the first CD to use the new equipment at Airshow Mastering. David Glasser was the engineer. This particular pair are mastering versions with click stops on the knobs for reproducibility. The record was mixed to tape at 15 ips using a CCIR curve on a Studer 1/2" machine.

"Currently our project has emerged onto the St. Louis scene. We are extremely excited to have started a series of shows beginning at The Gramophone last July, followed by Robbie's House of Jazz in August and The Chapel in January 2012. The Jazz Suite will continue growing and a second album is in the works with new songs. We've also had a series of shows for bringing Music Education to Under-Priveleged Children of St. Louis."

ABOUT THE COMPOSER... Saxophonist Jeff Riley (1978) was raised in West Carrollton, Ohio and graduated from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor of Music performance in jazz studies as well as earning a teaching certificate followed by years devoted to education. He recently finished writing a fictional autobiography and now plays music around the St. Louis area.

*A 12-tone row is a melody that has all 12 chromatic notes played before anyone of them can be repeated.
**Complete lyrics and notes are printed in the CD booklet and recorded in the book "Dream Crushers."

Detail from the CD from a painting by Sussock (Jeff's mom's mom :)

Copyright Jeff Riley Jazz Suite MMXI. All rights reserved.


"The most peaceful place you will ever find is within your own self. Trying to find it anywhere else is futile. Remember, with our thoughts,we make our world. You change everything around you by first changing your self."