ChrisBoernerMusic.com

courtesy of Heed Online

What do you think of when you think of Jazz? Just thinking of the word can take you into a variety of possibilities. There are really very few constraints to the genre. Even with it’s long history, jazz is arguably still in its infancy with lots of room for innovation and exploration.

Featuring the talent of Chris Boerner on an eight string guitar, Matt Douglas on woodwinds, and Nick Baglio on drums and piano, The Hot at Nights is difficult to lock into one specific sub genre because their sound incorporates some of the basic elements of jazz, but lends itself to that innovation and exploration.

Released on July 12, 2011, The Hot at Nights’ new release, Nice Talk, is telling a story, (quite an intriguing one, actually) to anyone who will listen. The album plays out like a symphony with movements that are designed to take you through a series of experiences. One of the greatest rewards to the listener is the way that the music can move you in so many ways without the need to make that your primary intention.

While Nice Talk is definitely modern in its tone and production value, it is reflective of pioneers like Miles Davis (“Miles Runs the Voodoo Down” on Bitches Brew). It is also reminiscent of the instrumentals of jazz influenced English rock band, Soft Machine (“Kings and Queens” on Fourth).

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via Giant Step

Foreign Exchange guitarist Chris Boerner has just released a new project with his own group, The Hot at Nights. The debut album is called Nice Talk and features Boerner playing an 8-string guitar with Matt Douglas on woodwinds and Nick Baglio on drums. Recorded throughout the course of “many sweltering evenings” in Raleigh, North Carolina, The Hot at Nights blend classic jazz improvisation with funk, pop, rock, and of course, your healthy dose of soul. Ready yourself for some groovy instrumental jazz sounds that traverse the globe.

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via 365 Albums a Year Radio

The Hot @ Nights – Come On! Feel the Illinoise • As I have written before on this site, I like Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois. A lot. Every song is masterfully crafted, touchingly written and, perhaps most importantly, tastefully arranged. Such perfectly written songs are easy prey for a cover, and as of now the world’s collection of Illinois covers holds quantity way above quality—just ask the hundreds of indistinguishable capo’d covers of “Chicago” on YouTube. Thankfully, it seems like the Hot @ Nights have made a very important contribution to changing that ratio. The jazz trio, led by Foreign Exchange affiliate Chris Boerner, plays an exciting version of “Come On! Feel The Illinoise,” which will be featured on their debut album, Nice Talk, available later this summer.

Keeping the song grounded to its source material, Matt Douglas, who plays woodwinds for the trio, chimes in the original 5/4 woodwind melody before he, locked in synch with Boerner and drummer Chris Baglio completely flip the feel of the track. Baglio’s attention grabbing, yet reserved drumming may be the most impressive element of this song, but Douglas’ soaring improvisation is hefty competition. The trio plays things groove-heavy but the atmospheres that they conjure up can be light as a feather. These musicians clearly know their way around a staff, and have the taste and keen sense for melody that any great jazz musician needs to truly excel. -Jack B.

Have to thank my man Nicolay for this one…

via cmj.com

The Hot At Nights (Raleigh, NC) is the group of guitarist/producer Chris Boerner. Boerner plays guitar on our records and in our live band, and he mixed and mastered our current live CD/DVD, Dear Friends: An Evening With The Foreign Exchange, a recording of an acoustic full-band performance that took place earlier this year in Durham, NC. In his own group, he plays eight-string guitar (!) alongside Matt Douglas on woodwinds and Nick Baglio on drums. They play melodic instrumental jazz with a heavy groove.

Here’s the band performing a cover of Radiohead’s “House Of Cards.”

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