"Equally fluent on trumpet and flugelhorn, Brian Groder is a venerated composer, trumpeter, and ensemble leader that has been cited as one of the most original jazz voices of his generation." — Keith Hannaleck, All That Jazz
"[Tonino Miano] is highly recommended for any and all who want to hear the music of tomorrow – today!" — Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation Nation
The Fluid Density project is spontaneous improvisational piano-trumpet duet interpretations of modern classical new music. There are no written scores, outlines or overdubs, just the exchanged words between takes, exploring the improvisational possibilities of 20th century & contemporary classical music. Along with creating and improvising new music along classical lines with jazz sensibilities, Brian and Tonino honor the key motifs of great composers by leaping off compositions by Stravinski, Bartok and Berg. Fluid Density will also expand beyond the duet model by adding like-minded solo instruments when the mood, and the player, is right.
"The best improvised music creates a country and culture in the mind, one that lasts until the disc or concert ends, populated by performers and audience, compressing space and history. Tonino Miano and Brian Groder create their imaginative, polyglot space with hints of the familiar: the rigorous structures of Schoenberg, the savage attacks of Bartok, the irreverent interrogations of Rzewski, the multicultural funk of early Weather Report, the suave colors of Duke Ellington. The country of FluiDensity is humane, quick-thinking, playful, fleet, inquisitive, earthy. Miano and Groder are deeply learned and skillful musicians, but when they play, all one hears is the sound of a beautiful, fascinating place to visit." - George Grella