New Detroit Recording Session: June 19, 2026

Ben Hall has called it a residency, and that seems true.  Since I got to Detroit on Sunday, June 14th, the time has been filled with rehearsals, performances, recording sessions, composing.  Friday was no exception- Ben put together the beginning of a new ensemble with Zekkereya El-magharbel (trombone), Cyrus Pireh (guitar), and me on baritone sax. 

The construction of the material was unique to my experience.  Often musicians bring compositions to a rehearsal or recording with perhaps a lead sheet for all instruments, or separate parts based on instrumentation, but rarely creating a specific part for the drummer.  Often, drummers are given a description of the kind of playing needed or left to their own devices to “find a part”.  The pieces Ben created are built from the percussion part first.  

He composed about a dozen unique drum melodies for surdo, congas, cymbals, and other percussion, that he would play for the group.  After presenting one of these pieces, he’d suggest who he’d like to start with the drums and perhaps how active that part should be.  From there it was up to the other two musicians to find their own zone of activity, with the basic conception built around representing three lines of parallel tempo between the players to coincide with the drums.  Aside from Ben’s part, the other instrumentalists were “instant composers”; the standard practice of learning new material had been reversed.

Over the course of just a few hours this new ensemble recorded lots of material, with only a couple pieces played more than once, tracks that will the basis of the band’s next steps.  Quite a remarkable achievement considering its special conception and that Zekkereya and I had never played together before, let alone recorded.  As we discussed during a break in the session, conversation can be part of the composition process.  And selecting which musicians should be involved in a project can be as well.  Yesterday, both were key to the success of this music.