I am proud to introduce Don’t Call it Jazz listeners to his new local jazz quintet, Stubborn Moth. A mix of ISU students, alumni, and staff, Stubborn Moth is a modern jazz group who play a mix of innovative original compositions with carefully curated classic songs from the past. The band features host Jon Armstrong on the tenor saxophone, Reese Thompson on guitar, James Breker on bass, Gabriel Lowman on keyboards, and Stephen McMichael on the drum set.
It has been a real joy to put this band together so that I can perform more locally. So many times I head out of town to play, but as City Creek Records and the ISU Commercial Music program continue to grow, it feels right to focus more of my creative and artistic energy here in Pocatello alongside what we’re building here. I am grateful to these musicians in Stubborn Moth for playing so well, and putting so much effort into the band.
We will be performing live on Friday September 1st at Station Square from 5-9pm for Pocatello’s First Friday Art Walk. There is no cover charge, and I want to invite all of our listeners to come check out this new group!
For this episode we’ll listen to a few songs that were recorded live by Mike Smith at the City Creek Records launch concert at Station Square last spring, as well as some of my original compositions from a recent project, The Meadowlark Sessions, that the band has learned.
Link to Stubborn Moth’s original performance at the City Creek Records Launch Party:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFJD0_GX9wA&feature=youtu.be
Link to Jon Armstrong’s Meadowlark Sessions video series:
- “Stubborn Moth”
Composed by Gabriel Lowman
Performed by Stubborn Moth
City Creek Records Launch Party @ Station Square, April 7th 2023
- “Pools”
Composed by Don Grolnick
Transcribed and Charted by James Breker
Performed by Stubborn Moth
City Creek Records Launch Party @ Station Square, April 7th 2023
- “100 South”
Composed by Jon Armstrong
Performed by Jon Armstrong on tenor saxophone and electric guitar, Michael “Tiny” Lindsay on electric bass, and Tarik Abouzeid on drum set
The Meadowlark Sessions, 2022
- “Both Jeans”
Composed by Jon Armstrong
Performed by Jon Armstrong on tenor saxophone and electric bass, Gary Fukushima on keyboards, and Kobie Watkins on drum set
The Meadowlark Sessions, 2022
- “Papa Papa Papa, But It Is”
Composed by Jon Armstrong
Performed by Jon Armstrong on tenor saxophone, oud, percussion, keyboards, and electric bass, Sheela Bringi on bansuri flute, and Cory Beers on cimbalom
The Meadowlark Sessions, 2022
- “Watermelon Man”
Composed by Herbie Hancock
Performed by Stubborn Moth
City Creek Records Launch Party @ Station Square, April 7th 2023
