2012: Tony Passarell’s Thin Air Orchestra

Tony Passarell: conductor, sax, cornet, piano & percussion
Randy McKean: clarinet, alto sax
Vinny Golia: woodwinds
Keith Kelly: soprano & tenor sax
John Vaughn: baritone sax
Cory Wright: woodwinds
Ken Kawamura: c-melody sax
Rent Romus: alto sax
Tom Djll: trumpet
Murray Campbell: viola
Keith Cary: cello
Mike Turgeon: acoustic bass
Gerry Pineda: acoustic bass
Ross Hammond: electric guitar
Dax Compise: drum kit, percussion
with special guests
Loren Benedict: voice
Emily Hay: flute, voice

In 2009, Sacramento based musician Tony Passarell was offered a chance to create a project he'd imagined for nearly twenty years. When Ross Hammond curator of Sacramento's In The Flow Festival called to ask if Passarell had any big ideas on how to end that years festival he knew it was time for him to bring his vision to life. Combining over fifteen musicians collectively improvising with only simple hand signals as their guide the Thin Air Orchestra was born. Dipping into the pool of improvisers from many backgrounds he'd met over the years, Passarell was genuinely surprised by the players interested in pursuing the project. ""The trust factor is huge in this sort of undertaking.... When the call went out, people responded."" Now in it's fourth year, Thin Air Orchestra has had the opportunity to perform with such inspiring musicians as Roscoe Mitchell, Oliver Lake and Vinny Golia. An exciting CD from 2010 documents this group in full form.

Artist (photo by Photographer)