The Upside Of Down, by Joe Alterman

The Upside Of Down

by Joe Alterman

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ginsing Woohoo! Oh my goodness, the moment I heard this I was smiling. It is so much fun and fun is important. I wish more musicians got that. I can't stop moving to his beautiful playing. My audience is going to love this album. More than that, they are going to go crazy over it.

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6 Panel Digipak

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The Upside Of Down *Signed CD*
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6 Panel Digipak signed by Joe Alterman

Includes unlimited streaming of The Upside Of Down via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.	The Smudge 05:46	buy track
2.	Pretty Eyes, Pretty Smile 07:03	buy track
3.	Ose Shalom 07:43	buy track
4.	Time After Time 06:51	buy track
5.	The First Night Home 05:54	buy track
6.	Pure Imagination 06:02	buy track
7.	The Last Time I Saw You 06:11	buy track
8.	Funny Girl 06:03	buy track
9.	The Upside Of Down 05:03	buy track
10.	Days Of Wine And Roses 05:45	buy track
11.	Don't Forget To Love Yourself 03:14	buy track
12.	Gus Gus 06:30	buy track
13.	Like Someone In Love (Bandcamp Bonus Track) 05:36
14.	Nina Never Knew (Bandcamp Bonus Track) 07:53

about

Atlanta native Joe Alterman expresses a certain upbeat naivete, with a broad smile and bright eyes that make you feel welcome. One would not guess that this is a man hailed by greats; Ramsey Lewis describes his piano playing as ‘a joy to behold’, Les McCann states ‘As a man and musician he is already a giant’. Journalist Nat Hentoff championed three of Alterman’s albums, as well as his writing (Joe wrote liner notes to three Wynton Marsalis/JALC albums, calling one of Joe’s columns “one of the very best pieces on the essence of jazz, the spirit of jazz, that I’ve ever read, and I’m not exaggerating.”

Joe Alterman began at NYU with a BA and Masters in Jazz Piano, followed by performances with Houston Person, Les McCann, Dick Gregory, and Ramsey Lewis. Downbeat describes his sound as ‘ rooted in the blues, and with a touch reminiscent of the great pianists of the 1950s—Red Garland, Ahmad Jamal, Bill Evans. It is clear Joe hits all of the necessary points for Jazz critics and fans alike.

But there is more to the story, of course. The twenty-first century has thus far seen yet another transition for this thing called Jazz. In one moment we see the push and pull between tradition and progression, and in another we see Pop and Hip-Hop musicians emulating and sampling. In Joe Alterman we find none of this struggle; the music just sounds good. Our conscious faculties are instantly disabled as we tap our feet, feeling the intent and joy of his playing. An old classic is new when you feel good in the moment.

This fresh and joyful intent is captured on Joe Alterman’s new release The Upside Of Down. Taken from two live shows at Birdland in November 2019 and February 2020, the album reminds us of a not-too-distant time when we gathered and danced. Joined by Nathaniel Schroeder on bass and Marlon Patton on drums, Alterman cruises gently and delightedly through timeless selections from Less McCann, Oscar Peterson, Henry Mancini and more, with some of his compositions in the mix.

credits

released August 13, 2021

Joe Alterman - Piano
Nathaniel Schroeder - Bass
Marlon Patton - Drums

Recorded at Birdland on 11/14/2019 and 2/21-22/2020 by Rob Polanco & Taylor Ryan
Engineered, Mixed and Masted by Gopal Swamy

Photography by Fran Kaufman
Graphic Design by Beryl Firestone Memberg

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Joe Alterman Atlanta, Georgia

joealtermanmusic.com

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