Andrew Rathbun: tenor & soprano saxophone
Gary Versace: piano
John Hébert: bass
Tom Rainey: drums

Saxophonist, composer, and Toronto native Andrew Rathbun has achieved a rare depth of lyricism and compositional intelligence in 20 years as a recording artist; Ben Ratliff of the New York Times described Rathbun as “an industrious saxophonist and imaginative composer-arranger.” Voted as a “Rising Star” in the 2018 and 2022 Downbeat Critics Polls, he has documented his stirring original music with a series acclaimed recordings, on the Challenge, Fresh Sound and Steeplechase labels, and has collaborated with musicians like Kenny Wheeler, Billy Hart, Ben Monder and Luciana Souza. His latest  Steeplechase recording The Speed of Timeis a compelling addition to an already impressive body of work.

Reflecting on his newest recording, Rathbun remarked that “I’ve always been fascinated by how my perception of time can change, sometimes crawling at a snail’s pace, while at other times it races ahead with abandon. 

“The pieces on Speed of Timeare all connected with how the world has unfolded over the past few years. They are not necessarily “pandemic pieces,” per se, but influenced by the strange fluctuations of my perception of time during that period and beyond. 

“I have been integrating more metric ideas into my writing, while maintaining a harmonic language that is evocative yet abstract. 

“These musicians are some of the most important players on the New York scene, and I feel very fortunate to have known and worked with them for such a long time. They brought all this music to life, and made vital contributions to this recording. Each one is a singular voice on their instrument and they all bring such creativity and spontaneity to everything that they play.”

“A crafty saxophonist and composer whose ambitious work over the past decade has eluded the wider recognition it deserves.” 

-The New Yorker 

andrewrathbun.com

steeplechase.dk

Release Date: Friday, September 15th 2023 on Steeplechase Records