“Purity in Isolation” was written before the pandemic about a completely different concept than the isolation we are currently too familiar with. The original scoring is for a full band of flute, alto saxophone, piano, bass, drums, and percussion. However, as I played this tune at home, practicing it for my senior recital it started to take on a new meaning. That even though we have been forced to stay apart, this isolation has forced us to come to terms with ourselves without looking through the lens of other people’s opinions, expectations, and desires. While this pandemic has been devastating for so many reasons, this is one positive that has come from it. The original version of this piece will be a part of my debut album, “Eclipse” under the pseudonym Heliosphere releasing on June 4th. Please listen to it on whatever services you use.

The song “pretending” tries to encapsulate the experiences felt immediately after heart break. Faltering after making some progress and struggling to find some stability is at the core of this performance. Give it a listen if you enjoy 80s Synth Pop, or if you need more late-night driving music!

This piece was written in the wake of the death of world-renowned pianist/keyboardist and composer Chick Corea. Following the announcement of his death on February 9th, 2021, the jazz community felt a huge loss, and many musicians composed tunes in tribute to Corea. I have composed this tune, This Is For Armando, with the purpose of it being a representation of my appreciation and admiration for his contribution to this world as both a musician and a person. The players featured on this track are Jesse Eads on bass, Adam Kormondy on piano, AJ Ocampo on drums, and myself, Matthew Nelson, on tenor saxophone.
Notes: The track is entitled This is for Armando because Armando is Corea’s real first name.