Mike Casey – Universal Gratitude
‘Universal Gratitude” (Release Date: 06 August 2024) is the fourth single from ‘Valencia’, acclaimed saxophonist, composer and bandleader Mike Casey‘s forthcoming 9th release as an artist, written & recorded while a master’s student in Spain.
Weaving a lush tapestry of influences (Peruvian Landó, Spanish Tangos, Brazilian– esque harmony) w/ cajon, percussion, harp, bass, tenor sax – composed & recorded for this instrumentation in 2019 within the iconic architecture of Valencia Spain‘s City of Arts & Sciences while a masters student at Berklee’s selective new program there – this is one of Mike’s most pensive, vulnerable compositions yet.
“That year abroad in Valencia Spain was easily one of the best years of my life in so many ways. I wrote this song in a single day at a time that I was feeling particularly grateful for everybody and everything in life up to and during that point and remember the music just pouring out of me as I began to reflect.”
In Mike’s words
While there is a prior released “(Trio – Live)” version available from Mike’s Live EP “In The Before”- recorded from Mike’s final pre covid show late Feb 2020 and released in spring 2023 – this “new” quartet studio version with harp was recorded prior in spring 2019 and composed originally for the format, only later being adapted for sax/bass/drums trio.
Los Angeles-based Mike Casey is a saxophone-focused recording artist, producer & composer who creates across many musical landscapes, not strictly limiting himself to whatever one may think is or isn’t “jazz”. Rather, his catalog and artistic practice seamlessly stretches across a plethora of jazz styles from post-bop to electronic fusion, with influences as varied as dubstep, drum’n’bass, funk, R&B, hip hop, concepts & styles from around the world – balancing an avant-garde, relentless creative spirit with relatable, poetic melodic sensibilities, a focus on cinematic tension/release, and a firm belief that rhythm is the most powerful force in music.
A rare case in the context of today’s scene, Mike’s instrumental music has moved audiences and had widespread industry support both within the jazz community as well as far outside of it – for example placements in the top 10 NETFLIX show “Spy Ops” recent Fortnite video game official Playstation playlist, video collaborations w/ phonk icon Ryan Celsius, interview on BBC mixed-genre shows with Amelia Poamz + BBC 6 airplay on their mainstream ‘New Music Fix’, BBC jazz shows + similar for NPR (airplay on both Morning Edition + Jazz Night in America) and even mainstream radios like Triple J, RTE, RTBF & more.
