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1.         Traveling with Gregg  7:38

2.         Rue de Royal  7:05

3.         13th Century Lion  5:19

4.         Ducks Night Out  6:21

5.         Catalyst  7:53

6.         Cidade  6:58

7.         Savana   8:53

8.         The Stray Moonduck  8:51

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The album will be available on all major record sites May 1st, 2025. For pre-release sales visit  Gregg Hill Jazz Store

 

DAVE SHARP WORLDS QUARTET & ELDEN KELLY​

For every household name in music, there are countless creative musicians who remain largely unrecognized. The Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet is composed of such exceptional artists, and this year marks a decade of their work together as one of the most intriguing yet under appreciated world music groups on the scene today.

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Catalyst brings together the voices of the group in a world-meets-jazz interpretation of compositions by Gregg Hill, executive producer of Cold Plunge Records. I have worked with Mr. Hill as his musical transcriptionist for over a decade and have played alongside my friends in the Worlds Quartet for many years. When the opportunity arose to record these compositions, I decided to take a fresh approach, arranging them with the unique voices of the Worlds Quartet in mind.

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The arranging process became almost a co-composition, involving the addition of entirely new sections, transformations of original melodies, and reimagining of the tunes through the lens of different musical traditions. When these arrangements premiered in the summer of 2024 at Jazz Ascona in Switzerland, the audience’s enthusiastic response confirmed our vision. After completing studio tracking, the result was a journey through moods and narratives—a true catalyst for exploring new arrangements that showcase the unique artistry of these musicians.

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Along with my friends in the Worlds Quartet, I have long been fascinated by improvisation across genres, particularly how it intersects with and traverses different musical traditions. While Gregg Hill is often recognized as a jazz composer, this recording highlights the adaptability of his music in a setting influenced by global styles.

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The musicians of the Worlds Quartet each bring a distinct background and artistry to the project:

Born in Yerevan, Armenia, virtuoso violinist Henrik Karapetyan infuses the group with classical mastery and a deep understanding of various idioms, including Hungarian Romani music. His distinctive melodic voice recalls the styles of Roby Lakatos, Gilles Apap, and Taraf de Haidouks, seamlessly blending with classical influences.

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Igor Houwat, a Brazilian-born oud player of Lebanese descent, originally trained as a classical saxophonist in Paris before dedicating himself to the oud in 2008 to reconnect with his Lebanese heritage. Mentored by Detroit’s legendary Lebanese oud player Karim Bader, Igor’s wide-ranging influences—including jazz and flamenco—have shaped a unique improvisational style that sets him apart in the world of oud performance.

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Percussionist Mike List brings a global sensibility to the group, incorporating Middle Eastern frame drums, Indian tabla, and traditional drum kit into his playing. His instruments reflect the group’s diverse influences, and his textural range perfectly complements the Quartet’s varied repertoire. Inspired by Jamey Haddad’s cross-cultural approach, Mike has studied Middle Eastern percussion, tabla with masters in India, and classical percussion in his home state of Michigan. His deeply skilled playing consistently serves the music, elevating and enhancing each composition.

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For decades bassist, bandleader, and creative director Dave Sharp has led ensembles exploring jazz infused with world influences. While living in San Francisco in the 90s, Dave studied at the Ali Akbar College of Music, an experience that deepened his passion for global music traditions and set him on a path of exploration in jazz, improvisation, and world music. Born in Detroit, Michigan, he draws inspiration from the city’s rich musical heritage and has collaborated with many internationally-recognized world music artists like Cheikh Lo (Senegal), Pandit Samar Saha (India) and Jonita Gandhi (India).

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Several core members of the Quartet also perform with the klezmer band Klezmephonic. Having played with them on these shows, I incorporated a Manouche (gypsy jazz) and old-world style into the arrangements to highlight Henrik’s incredible command of both classical and Armenian musical traditions. This influence is evident on Ducks Night Out, which imagines a night on the town, passing through various clubs where different styles of music are playing—reflected in the shifting rhythmic feels and moods of each improvised solo.

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Traveling with Gregg embraces the concept of musical exploration, drawing inspiration from exotic-sounding scales and referencing Indian-fusion groups like Shakti.

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Rue De Royal, originally inspired by New Orleans, embarks on a transatlantic musical journey. Like other pieces on Catalyst, it was first premiered at Jazz Ascona, a festival in Switzerland’s sister city to New Orleans. Blending Hungarian jazz-style violin with oud textures felt like the perfect complement to this European festival, which celebrates diverse influences.

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13th Century Lion leans into a prog-rock sensibility, earning the band’s affectionate nicknames of “Spinal Tap Jazz” or “Hobbit Rock,” with the tongue-in-cheek alternate title Ode to Stonehenge. Written in 5/4 or 10/8 time, depending on interpretation, the piece reflects the group’s playful, adventurous spirit.

Cidade (Portuguese for “City”) was originally titled City Life. In its reimagined form, it nods to the melodic lyricism of Brazilian music but eschews traditional bossa or samba rhythms, instead taking on a chamber-classical ballad treatment.

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Catalyst’s arrangement is transformed by Latin-influenced music styles and its 5/4 time signature brings it closer to something from the Chick Corea catalog.

Savana Variations draws from West African rhythms while incorporating elements of minimalist composers like Steve Reich and the sound of the Pat Metheny Group.

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The Stray Moonduck is best described as a sort of “deranged tabla tango.”

 

Together, the album serves as a cinematic celebration of the collaboration between the Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet and Gregg Hill. I was thrilled to work with my friends on this special project, and we look forward to more collaborations in the future. Thank you for listening—if this music moves you, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

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—Elden Kelly, February 1, 2025
Boulder, Colorado

 

 

Elden Kelly grew up in northwestern Vermont and holds a Master’s in Musicology from Michigan State University and a Bachelor’s from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. He first met and played with Dave Sharp and members of the Worlds Quartet in 2011 and has been Gregg Hill’s musical transcriptionist since 2013. In his sound universe, classical and flamenco guitar influences combine with jazz, and true mastery of fretless guitars which evoke Blues, Indian, Eastern sounds and beyond. His artistry has been recognized by guitarists such as Fareed Haque, Lionel Loueke and Bill Frisell.  

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DAVE SHARP WORLDS QUARTET

Henrik Karapetyan,  Violin

Igor Houwat,  Oud

Dave Sharp,  Bass

Elden Kelly,  Fretted/Fretless Guitar, Guitar Synth, Bass On #5)

Mike List, Percussion

 

All compositions by Gregg Hill (Gregg Hill Publishing, LLC)

Arranged by Elden Kelly (Elden Kelly Music, ASCAP)

Recorded at Troubadour Studios Lansing, Michigan, October 2024

Engineered by Corey Derushia

Mixed at Willis Sound by Ben Lorenz & Dave Sharp

Co-Produced by Elden Kelly, Dave Sharp & Gregg Hill

Mastered by Gregg Leonard

Front Cover art by Frank Whipple

Album Design by Lynne Brown

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