Venissa Santi – Big Stuff (2013)

I had been playing with Venissa Santi for a few years at this point. The band had changed it’s lineup from time to time, but it always had Francois Zayas on drums and percusssion, and who wrote some of the most incredibly complex and original arrangements that I’ve ever played. Francois is from Cuba and his music can be described as something like a cuban Frank Zappa. We toured and played a lot of shows with this music. We ended up recording at Daoud Shaw’s studio (Radio Active Productions) and John Stenger was on piano. John and I were maybe the most constant members of the group. Playing this music for him was right in his wheelhouse which makes him an insanely talented musician. For as complex as the arrangements were on this recording, it’s amazing how Venissa just glides over top seemingly completely comfortable and in control. This was a very special record and I’m grateful to have been on it.