Fortune's Miles Productions
10-101

Copyright 2010
Fortune's Miles Productions
All rights reserved

Our self-titled CD album Fortune Smiles is available from Amazon

We've recorded eight of our favorite tunes, covering a broad range of styles in our repertoire and including two originals (preview clips are available from the Amazon album page, the full album is approximately one hour in length):

Ivory Coast - David Samuels
Walden - Dan Krimm
Ana Maria - Wayne Shorter
Mixing - Airto Moreira
The Jody Grind - Horace Silver
Freedom Jazz Dance - Eddie Harris
Last Time - Gary Monheit
Killer Joe - Benny Golson

Credits:
Produced by Ted Nirgiotis and Fortune Smiles
Recorded April 4, 2010 at Bellboy Recording, Richmond, CA
Recording/Mixing Engineer: Dave Bell
Assistant Engineer: Daniel Rodrigues
Mastering: Miriam Kolar
Art Design: Dan Krimm

Album Notes

Featuring Ted Nirgiotis on guitar, Leonard Sklar on tenor sax, Gary Monheit on piano, Dan Krimm on fretless electric bass and Matt Willis on drums, Fortune Smiles draws on its members' experience in a wide variety of musical forms, including classical, progressive, rock, Caribbean and Latin jazz (plus stylistic flavors gathered from around the world such as Indian and Hawaiian) to create a unique and eclectic jazz sound.

This self-titled album includes a selection of the band's favorite tunes from the repertoire, showcasing a journey through a range of moods, textures, and styles.

The album begins with a tune drawn from Dave Samuels' Caribbean Jazz Project: Ivory Coast, a rollicking 6-meter groove with roots in West African music, treated with fresh western harmonies and modal solo sections. Following that is Walden by bassist Dan Krimm, a lilting jazz waltz with an airy melody flying over a series of constantly modulating keys, resting occasionally on modal vamps.

Next up is Wayne Shorter's touching homage to his wife Ana Maria, who was tragically lost aboard TWA flight 800. A poignant solo piano introduction by Gary Monheit leads to a gentle Latin-flavored groove with a melody both hopeful and admiring, but repeatedly interrupted by an ominous section filled with harmonic tension and sharp rock-based drums. Then comes Airto Moreira's spirited 7-meter samba Mixing to lift the energy with a trundling groove punctuated by a sharp rhythmic motif played by the band in tight unison.

The program continues with The Jody Grind, a classic Horace Silver Latin-rock 12-bar blues head, on which the band settles into a steady dance beat with everyone getting a chance to offer their improvisational comments. That's followed by Eddie Harris' popular jam tune Freedom Jazz Dance, with a soft-funk groove that evolves over an extended modal exploration.

The penultimate track is Gary Monheit's nostalgic ballad Last Time, introduced with another contemplative solo piano invention, and leading to a smoky melody seemingly reflecting on the intersection of past, present and future, ending with a pending "dominant 11th" chord as if delaying a final parting. Finally, a rousing salsa version of Benny Golson's iconic Killer Joe cleanses the palette with a toe-tapping, hip-swinging party twist on the old cool classic, with a tight-pop ending to leave the listener tidily resolved.