Emergency Exit
Emergency Exit reunites Throttle Elevator Music with legendary saxophonist Kamasi Washington and virtuoso trumpet player Erik Jekabson for an outstanding sixth recording on Wide Hive Records. Containing six new songs and four alternate versions - Emergency Exit has great energy and amazing musicianship.
Also featuring core Throttle members, songwriters Matt Montgomery and Gregory Howe on many instruments, Mike Hughes and Lumpy on drums, Ross Howe on guitar, Kasey Knudsen on alto saxophone and Mike Blankenship on organ.
Mostly recorded between 2001 and 2014, Kamasi's tone is young and hungry, sometimes sweet like Eddie Harris then as aggressive as Pharaoh.
Track Listing:
1 Sublime in the Base 2.23
2 Third Reflection 5.08
3. Jagged Reform 2.44
4 Another Moth Drawn to City Light 3.58
5 Second Breather 4.28
6 Innerspatial Search 3.28
7 Rattle Thicket 2.18
8 Art of the Warrior 4.23
9 Surrender at Station Three 1.48
10 Marching Instructions 3.48
All over this record is that primitive, rock-soul groove that harks back to
an analog-drenched 60s-early 70s feeling. In mixing soul horns with
undiluted rock and rock guitars and bass, Throttle Elevator Music makes no
compromise between the two opposing force; they just serve up heaping
helpings of both, like on “Art of the Warrior,” where both the guitar and
the horns roar.
Erik Jekabson
Erik Jekabson is a freelance trumpet player, composer, arranger and educator living in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has toured with Illinois Jacquet, John Mayer, Galactic, and has performed on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with David Letterman.
Gregory Howe
Gregory Howe founded Wide Hive Records in 1996. While primarily active as producer, mixer, and composer, Howe also performs guitar, synthesizer, turntable, voice and percussion on many recordings. From 1996 to 2024 Howe recorded and released albums for Throttle Elevator Music with Kamasi Washington, Roscoe Mitchell, Mike Clark, Dissent, Erik Jekabson, Calvin Keys, Phil Ranelin (Pharoah Sanders, Henry Franklin, Big Black), Wide Hive Players and the incomparable artist and guitarist Larry Coryell.
Kamasi Washington
Kamasi Washington is featured Saxophonist on Both Throttle Elevator Music and Phil Ranelin's Perseverance. Also as a composer Kamasi has scored for several films including Stacey Peralta's recent Independant Lens feature: Crips and Bloods: Made In America.
Kasey Knudsen
Kasey Knudsen is a San Francisco-based saxophonist, composer, and educator and leader of the KK Group, a septet focusing on original music and arrangements. She also co-leads The Permanent Wave Ensemble, an octet dedicated to performing and arranging the music of Carla Bley; The RW3 Trio along with bay area drummer Jon Arkin; and The Holly Martins with vocalist Lorin Benedict and guitarist Eric Vogler.
Matt Montgomery
Matt Montgomery plays the bass, writes music, and plays piano/keyboards. He has performed and/or recorded with Faye Carol, Calvin Keys, Larry Coryell, Mark Levine, Phil Ranelin, singer/songwriters Cass McCombs, Greg Ashley, Adam Stephens (of Two Gallants), Grammy-winning producer Joe Chiccarelli, and many more.
Mike Blankenship
Mike Blankenship is a Bay Area based keyboardist and artist currently composing and performing regularly with Michael Franti and Spearhead. He has also written and performed with Sheila E., Lauryn Hill and Ledisi.
Throttle Elevator Music featuring Kamasi Washington
Kamasi’s melodic tonality melds nicely into the electric undercurrent laid down by punk drummer/guitarist Lumpy (Mike Hughes), Wide Hive Player’s bassist/keyboardist/composer Matt Montgomery, and Wide Hive Players composer/engineer/producer Gregory Howe.
Lumpy
Mike Hughes
Ross Howe