The Fertile Soil Suite - I J C O
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Gigs
Albums
“Pretzel Letters” (2025) is a collection of love letters to family members, with songs inspired by memories of growing up with two brothers and two sisters in Iowa. Mike Conrad is joined once again by Chicago bassist Katie Ernst (Iron & Wine, Twin Talk) and Cassius Goens III (top-call drummer in Indianapolis). The music ranges from high-energy tunes like “Slasher” to introspective ballads on the Fender Rhodes (“That’s Done / Reset”) to the joyful swing of “Maddle’s Prattles” (written for Conrad’s daughter).
Mike Conrad believes that the bonds formed through musical experiences can be incredibly strong and enduring. For his debut jazz trio album, Conrad wanted to reconnect with some of his favorite musicians from his past to bring eight of his original tunes to life. Chicago bassist Katie Ernst lends her lyrical, buoyant approach to the project. She and Conrad go way back, having met at a jazz camp in high school, and they both have a connection to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. Over ten years after Indianapolis-based drummer Cassius Goens III released his album “Transition” with Conrad on piano, he rejoins Conrad to bring both fire and sensitivity to this 2022 release.
Like any great trio, the unique musical personality of each player shines through while simultaneously uniting to create a cohesive and exciting group sound.
The "Fertile Soil Suite" celebrates Iowa with original music inspired by unique aspects of the state, performed by Iowa's top jazz musicians.
Through this project, Mike Conrad and the Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra want to show people in Iowa and beyond that they don’t always need to look to New York City or Chicago for beautiful, high-quality, creative music. There are amazing artists and musicians doing incredible things right here.
The All Angles Orchestra recorded a full-length album of amazing music featuring Alex Sipiagin.
The CD is available on the Outside In Music record label.
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Check out our promo video and/or our music video!
Don't forget about the COLOSSUS album, released in 2013. This recording features original music by Mike Conrad, Dave Chisholm, and Levi Saelua, played by an amazing group of musicians who met at the Eastman School of Music.
Get it on CD Baby, iTunes, Amazon, or directly from this site.
