Tony Overwater (bass), Michael Moore (reeds), Atzko Kohashi (piano)

Tony Overwater (bass), Michael Moore (reeds), Atzko Kohashi (piano)

"Art is not simply an act of creation, but a journey of discovery." This idea, though its origins remain unclear, is often associated with the philosophies of Pablo Picasso and Wassily Kandinsky. It reflects the belief that art is not an act of creating something new out of nothing, but rather a process of discovering something that already exists—in yourself, in the material, or in the world. Art, in that sense, is a journey of discovery. This idea resonates with our approach to this album. It is about finding new beauty in something already familiar. Just as painters repeatedly depict the same subject from different perspectives, we revisited a beloved piece of music, examining it from multiple angles to discover new surprises. This journey of rediscovery formed the basis of this album.

At the heart of this project is "I Loves You, Porgy," a timeless composition from George Gershwin's 1935 folk opera Porgy and Bess. Its melody, constructed from just five simple notes, is unforgettable—a testament to Gershwin's genius. Inspired by its charm, we decided to center our album around this piece. While "I Loves You, Porgy" has been a staple for countless jazz musicians, our approach wasn't simply to improvise on it. Instead, we sought to create "variants"—transformative interpretations that drew from this iconic piece. It's a unique exploration, inspired by George Gershwin. Gershwin himself immersed himself in the vernacular music of Charleston, South Carolina, where the story is set, when composing Porgy and Bess. We, too, immersed ourselves in his original score and were struck by its simplicity and ingenuity. Using that simplicity as a foundation, we reinterpreted the melody, harmonic structure, tonality, and rhythm, weaving our own ideas into it. Each resulting piece has its own character, yet is intrinsically linked to "I Loves You, Porgy." After years of performing primarily as a piano-bass duo—at national and international jazz festivals, tours internationally, and the release of two acclaimed albums, Crescent (2022) and A Drum Thing (2023)—we felt it was time to add other voices to our sound.

For this recording, we were fortunate to have two exceptional musicians with us: Michael Moore, an acclaimed reed player, and Sebastiaan Kaptein, an excellent drummer. Their contributions brought a new freedom and vibrancy to the music, allowing Porgy to resonate with a rich palette of colors and textures. Just as people reveal different facets from different perspectives, so too does music. With this album, we hope listeners will encounter many "Porgys," each with their own unique voice and emotion. https://

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