Image by Tokio Aoyama 2022
Quarantine Dreams Press Release: For Immediate Release July 1, 2022
Sam Hirsh drops second album “Quarantine Dreams”
LOS ANGELES, July 2022-
Written by Sam Hirsh and produced by Hirsh and Daniel Weidlein at BioSoul Music Studio, “Quarantine Dreams” portrays Hirsh and friends’ individual and collective emotional stirrings from the past two and a half years. The musical musings and dreamlike songs meld genres and pull from a variety of sounds and influences, ranging from sparse, acoustic instrumentation to heavily produced hip-hop and neo-soul tracks.
Hirsh’s second album, ‘Quarantine Dreams’ blends Hirsh’s melodic songwriting and soulful jazz sensibilities with Daniel Weidlein’s deep production knowledge and innovative tracking approaches. It features lyric writing and vocals by Amber Navran, freestyle rapping by Harry Mack, gospel choir arranging by Marcus Pettit and an array of other all-star instrumentalists and singers from Sam's community. ‘Quarantine Dreams’ captures the immense talent of the Los Angeles music scene through a song-journey written in these transformative, traumatic, beautiful and energizing times.
Press Release 2020: “Quite Frankly Introducing Sam Hirsh”
Sam Hirsh Releases Quite Frankly, His Stunning Debut Album as a Bandleader, on February 7th, 2020. Renowned Tenor Saxophonist Ralph Moore Featured.
Pianist, composer and educator Sam Hirsh is pleased to release Quite Frankly, his debut album as a bandleader, out February 7th. The album was recorded to celebrate the pianist’s thirtieth birthday and tenth year as a staple musician in the jazz scene in Los Angeles. Joined by a bicoastal cadre of world-class improvisers, Hirsh introduces a set of original tunes inspired mostly by family and friends. On this release, Hirsh is accompanied by bassist John Webber, drummer Kevin Kanner, and renowned saxophonist Ralph Moore. Berkeley-based writer Andrew Gilbert notes that the music’s “open-hearted emotional immediacy is as striking as the trio’s relaxed cohesion.”
Having been called a “seasoned artist with a preternaturally old soul,” Sam Hirsh delivers a thoughtful album of original material with strong ties to the lineage of jazz on Quite Frankly. Hirsh notes, “I think a lot about keeping the tradition of this music alive, but in my own unique way. This project marks the beginning of what I hope will be an evolving life long journey.”
Hirsh’s frequent collaborator Ralph Moore is best known for his work with Horace Silver, Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Haynes and Freddie Hubbard. Hirsh recalls when he nervously invited Moore to perform with his band at The Lighthouse. “Ralph has played with me many times now and we’ve become good friends. I’ll never forget when he said he ‘hears where I’m coming from’ when he plays my tunes.”
Quite Frankly strikes a personal chord with Hirsh, with meaningful dedications behind the vast majority of tracks on this release. The title track itself is dedicated to Hirsh’s late friend Frank Ambrose, an older retired truck driver who would often listen to Sam perform in his earlier years. The bright swing of the tune was inspired by Ambrose’s collection of swing records which he introduced to Hirsh in his formative years. The gospel-tinged melody gives way to Hirsh’s first solo on the album, displaying the young pianist’s stunning facility on the keys, a soulful sound harkening back to the stylings of Cedar Walton.
Hirsh’s father is a bebop saxophone player from Chicago, living in Portland, Oregon. Sam grew up playing in his father’s band, and composed the tune “Pop’s Delight” with his father in mind. “He hipped me to my favorite pianist Cedar Walton when I was young,” Hirsh recollects, “one record in particular: ‘Just One of Those Nights’ live at the vanguard with Cedar, David Williams, Billy Higgins and Ralph Moore. Ralph is my dad’s favorite living tenor player, so to have Ralph play this melody on my debut record was very special.” The track features a solo by Moore, masterfully displaying his melodic invention on what Hirsh refers to as “fun changes to blow on.”
“Look For the Silver Lining” is the sole standard performed on this album. Jerome Kern’s masterpiece is interpreted as a beautiful, reflective ballad played in a trio context. Inspired by Chet Baker’s rendition of this piece, Hirsh’s performance is every bit as lyrical and uplifting; while also demonstrating the profound interplay between the bandleader and his rhythm section. Hirsh’s mid-tempo blues “No C!” is the perfect outfit for Ralph Moore’s muscular tenor sax sound to soar over a spirited trio. Hirsh remarks that this particular high-energy track has become his theme song of sorts; the title refers to the spelling of the artist’s last name which “everyone always spells Hirsch”. This ebullient track, and seminal release go far to place the name “Hirsh” among those at the very frontline of the jazz idiom.