Grand melodies, shifting textures, and thick rhythms radiate from Todd Sickafoose's music. On Tiny Resistors, the bassist/composer matches his 8-piece New York band with a pair of guests, Andrew Bird and Ani DiFranco, to create a jazz record with the muscle and scope of an indie-rock orchestra. Throughout its 68 minutes of music, the record evokes images: the mysterious flora of a future epoch, the revelation of a secret message scribbled in invisible ink, an exodus of buzzing bees, and the silent sadness of an underwater piano, drowned in the waters of Lake Pontchartrain. It is these visions, and others, that inspire the 11 original compositions on Tiny Resistors, Sickafoose's third and most lushly-produced release to date. This is music from a thinker whom the San Francisco Chronicle calls "A captivating improviser, imaginative composer, and master of collaboration."

credits

Shane Endsley - trumpet
Ben Wendel - tenor sax, bassoon
Alan Ferber - trombone
Skerik - baritone sax (5, 8)
Adam Levy - guitar (L), acoustic guitar
Mike Gamble - guitar (R), effects
Allison Miller - drums (2-3, 11) & percussion (5-10)
Simon Lott - drums (1, 4-10) & percussion (2-3, 11)
Andrew Bird - violin & looping, whistling
Ani DiFranco - voice, telephone mic, electric ukulele (4)
Todd Sickafoose - acoustic & electric bass, piano, wurlitzer, vibraphone, marimba, bells, celeste, accordion through a leslie.

Produced by Todd Sickafoose.
Executive Producer – Jeff Gauthier.
Recorded by Andy Taub at Brooklyn Recording (Brooklyn NY).
Additional recording by Mark Greenberg at Mayfair Recording (Chicago IL), Mike Napolitano at the Nappy Dugout (New Orleans LA), and Todd Sickafoose at Earycanal (Brooklyn NY).
Mixed by Todd Sickafoose at Earycanal.
Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (New Windsor NY). Original artwork by Grady McFerrin.

Released June 10 2008 on Cryptogramophone.