Adobe On The Gobi liner notes…

This four CD set is the culmination of many years primarily listening to and playing recorded music for people. My appreciation for live music in performance is also very important, and sounds offered in the moment are the most telling aspect of anyone’s emotional and spiritual existence.

So I hope this effort will hold a place in your heart. It reflects influential figures in my musical development, but is in all respects music as shared with other like minded individuals. It combines my love for all pianists, drummers and percussionists no matter the discipline. Specifically it is made with high art musicians in mind, such as the ECM label artists, Brian Eno, Jon Hassell, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Sun Ra, Steve Reich and M'Boom in particular.

It has been my dream to produce this recording. Adobe On The Gobi, and as the title implies, it is a multi-cultural project, combining music from the Middle East, Latin America and Africa with creative improvised music, electronics and jazz. These recordings feature musicians I have known and collaborated with, based in my longtime hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan. My good friend, bassist/composer/bandleader Dave Sharp is helping me with production.

I have to acknowledge my teachers – Janet Hertler, Hal Brown, Steve Gustin, Bill Barrett, William D. Revelli, Morris Lawrence, Roy Brooks, all the wonderful players I’ve been fortunate enough to collaborate with, and the thousands of musicians I’ve heard, conversed with or rubbed elbows. Thank you for every precious, memorable moment. I also thank those who have taught me that I studied, but never formally studied with, like Ron Brooks, George Davidson, Dennis Tini, Ed Sarath, Jumma Santos, Kenn Cox, Geri Allen, John Coltrane, Max Roach, Arwulf Arwulf. Bill Heid, Ted Harley, Lars Bjorn, Jim Gallert, Nancy Davis, Marvin “Doc” Halladay, the U-Michigan, Michigan State and Wayne State faculty and staff, and especially the people associated with the Creative Music Studio like Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry and Karl Berger, who are the main impetus behind making this music. I’m most thankful to my late father Gust Nastos and grandfather George Lutz – that’s where the G comes from.

I thank with much love and respect the financial contributors from my Kickstarter campaign to this effort. It could not have been done without the help of Katie Geddes, who is a great musician in her own right, and someone who deserves all the credit for helping me make this project possible. The generous backers also include Mary Ann Trainor, Roseanna Vitro, Dan Gunning, David Swan, Alan Goldsmith, Scott Hanley, Michael Erlewine, Ann Braithwaite, Elizabeth Sulzby, Dennis Huibregtse, Roseanna Vitro, Jim Quinlan, Rob Herman, Mary Sapienza, Ron & Robin Sober, Davi Napoleon, Rolf Wucherer, R.J. Spangler, Luis Torregrosa, Ken Kozora, Shawn Pollack, Brandon Krueger, Carl Michel, John Churchville, Ralph McKee, Ingrid Racine, Dave Sharp, Tom “Thump” Simonian, Al Campbell, and Angela Craft.

The beautiful art work is by Margaret Ann Squires, who teaches in the West Bloomfield school district, and works in many media formats, including photography, painting, and the graphic design you see here. She is so gifted, and shares her talent with her students, family and friends every day.

I also thank Nancy Calvin-Naylor, daughter of guitarist, instructor and music service owner Ray Naylor, whose understanding, support and caring cannot be measured by mere words. Her deeds that back-up this kind of help and partnership, made this music real and substantive. Also thanks to Dana W. Foster, Jon Krosnick, Kathy & Alex Heaney, my long list of radio collaborators over the years, Harold Swan, Tony Dixon and Ray Brockette of WDEE-TV.com, and everyone who has touched my life - you know who you are.

Finally, thanks to the musicians who allowed me to play alongside them. They include Don Edwards, Bill Heid, David Stearns, Andy Nielsen, Vincent York, Cass Harris, Paul VornHagen, Jaribu Shahid, Harvey Reed, Horace Frazier, especially longtime bassist Rob Crozier, Mark Kirschenmann, Kelly McDermott, John Churchville, Dustin Krcatovich and Tatsuya Nakatani and among others.

Finally, a few truisms…

”If you don’t live it, it doesn’t come out (of your horn)”
“Once music is in the air, it’s gone, it can never be recaptured”
“There’s a big difference between music and the music business.”
“Great music is created, not produced”
“We should never bleach music to the point where we can’t see the colors of the rainbow”
“There’s no accounting for taste, but there is accounting for no taste.”

You dig???
Michael G. Nastos