I’ll never forget the day when the talented composer, Kyle Saulnier, called me on the phone to tell me how much he was enjoying my 2008 album, Atticus. I was shocked and flattered when he suggested that he would like to arrange the entire album for his 20-piece group, the Awakening Orchestra. Our first opportunity to perform Kyle’s imaginative and brilliant arrangements came in 2012 and then again in 2015 at ShapeShifter Lab in Brooklyn. We intended to record it and shoot a video for documentation only; however, the end product turned out so well that Kyle decided to release it as a live album. The recording features incredible playing from some of NYC’s best young jazz musicians. I’m extremely proud of how the performance went. Awakening Orchestra member and guitarist Michael MacAllister did a beautiful job mixing the album at Creekside Sound. The album was released on Biophilia Records, an exciting new music label that collaborates with organizations that promote conservation, sustainability and outreach initiatives.