Edward Blankman - Cape Cod Cottage (LP, Album) (M / M)

Media Condition: Mint (M)
Sleeve Condition: Mint (M)

Cape Cod. 1973. Welcome to the world of Edward Blankman, a retired dentist who wrote elegant, minimalist jazz in obscurity circa 1970.

At least that’s the story. In truth, Edward Blankman’s Cape Cod Cottage is the 2021 concept album from Echo Park composer Brendan Eder.

A tender, wistful follow up to 2020’s To Mix With Time, the Cape Cod Cottage sound evokes the spirit of Erik Satie, Miles Davis with Gil Evans, and Stevie Wonder, balanced with the accessibility of 1960s lounge-exotica.

Eder created Blankman’s story to channel his own grief, with bittersweet tenderness. Read the liner notes (or watch the mini-doc), and you’ll be transported to the quiet shores of Cape Cod, where a lonely retiree mourns his late wife, Natalie, with walks in nature and evenings at his Wurlitzer.

The story is brought to life with a meticulously crafted package sporting classic liner notes, faux 1970s photographs documenting Edward with the musicians (taken during the actual session), a make-believe jazz label, and a commissioned oil painting of Edward’scottage.

Eder brought together a dream line up with a ton of chemistry for the project; drummer Christian Euman (Jacob Collier), saxophonist Josh Johnson (Jeff Parker, Leon Bridges), and bassist Alex Boneham (Billy Childs), who all studied together at the Hancock Institute of Jazz. Rounding out the group is flutist Sarah Robinson, a recurring player in Eder’s ensemble, and Edward Blankman (Brendan) on the Wurlitzer.

The cast was booked for a single date with coveted engineer Michael Harris (Kamasi Washington, Angel Olsen) at famed Electro-Vox Recording Studios. To create realism for Edward’s story, the charts were purposefully withheld from the musicians until they arrived at the studio. The result is an authentic and natural performance delivered by players at the top of their game, captured on lauded vintage equipment including the legendary Neve-8028 console.

Release Notes

Tracklisting:

A1: Tuesday at the Pond

A2: Cape Cod Cottage

A3: Sunlight Through the Leaves

A4: Where Else

A5: New Dreams

A6: Up

A7: Discovery At The Beach

A8: Three

A9: Theme

A10: Snowing

B1: Retirement

B2: Your Bliss

B3: Overgrown Garden

B4: Four

B5: Lullaby

B6: West Coast

B7: Memories

B8: Waltz

B9: Heat

B10: Greeting Visual

B11: Natalie

Country: UK

Released: 2022

Notes:

Barcode and Other Identifiers: WS011

Barcode 810017647903