Living Bridge

Jazz project from Chicago, Illinois. Chicago saxophonist Artie Black and guitarist Jeff Swanson formed the group Living Bridge in 2013 to connect their experiences as composers, improvisers, and people. This release through ears & eyes Records marks their debut recording as a group. Black and Swanson first collaborated in a trio inspired by the recordings of Jimmy Giuffre and Jim Hall, where they quickly began to develop the musical rapport that led to Living Bridge. The first performances of the band Living Bridge happened at a weekly Chicago jam session in 2013, where the group worked as the house band for around 6 months. John Sims provided the final piece of the puzzle on bass. The major impetus for this recording was a Midwest tour the band completed in early 2015. Playing together each night and traveling together for an extended time brought new energy and natural growth to the music. After returning to Chicago, the recording process was smooth and documented the music that had been happening during the tour. The album features eight new compositions from Swanson and Black, and presents the simmering intensity that characterizes Living Bridge’s music. A concentrated energy, rather than an outward spread, is a defining trait of the sound they continue to develop.