Desert Passes – Now in digital pre-order! – International Release date: February 28, 2025

Pasadena, California based US Master bassist Putter Smith strikes again with “Desert Passes”, his second Masterpiece on GAM RECORDS!

For this new album “Desert Passes”, bass wizard Smith surrounded himself with a group of younger highly individual instrumentalists to create a real band sound, at once warm, light, subdued and fiery.

Under his guidance, and after watching together the classic Jacques Tati movie “Mr.Hulot’ Holiday”, the four of them explored, revealed, and organically interacted on a surprising repertoire mostly made up of originals (including Putter’s re-invention of Béla Bartók’s Peasant Song melody), besides the last piece, which is no other than a Left Coast version of the theme-song from “Mr. Hulot”‘s soundtrack.

The album was recorded by the great Nolan Shaheed at his studio in Pasadena on a warm Southern California afternoon.

Here is pure jazz, with a high dosage of freshness, originality, humor, and Putter Smith’s unique approach to music writing, playing, to life in general.

Cover photo © Eddie Lee – Sligo, Ireland.