JazzTimes gathered Sean Mason alongside fellow pianists Lex Korten, Miki Yamanaka, and Aaron Parks for a wide-ranging roundtable on how jazz piano's language continues to evolve, timed to each artist's new release, Mason's entry being A Breath of Fresh Air. Asked about his earliest connection to the instrument, Mason traced it back to age 13, when his grandmother gave him a 44-key Casio keyboard after he was struck by Ray Charles's music in the film Ray, an introduction that led him to study everything from Bach's fugues to Art Tatum, Duke Ellington, and Thelonious Monk, with whom he shares North Carolina roots.
On the album's genesis specifically, Mason said he began writing the material in early 2024, spending the rest of that year touring extensively with his band to get comfortable with the new compositions before ever entering a studio, testing songs live on audiences and setting aside the ones that didn't land. By the time the group reached The Bunker in Brooklyn that December, the material was so thoroughly internalized that Mason described the resulting session as unusually fun and seamless.
"The album title, A Breath of Fresh Air, embodies that entire personal transformation, that feeling of finally 'coming up for air' after a challenging period." - Sean Mason
FULL CREATIVE CONTROL
Mason described this as his first fully independent release, and said he went to great lengths to make the entire project a holistic artistic achievement beyond the music itself, aligning the packaging, photography, videography, and design under one consistent creative vision. Working with a dedicated art direction and production team, he called it his first attempt at total creative control across every stage, from composition through how the album is ultimately presented.
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ALSO AVAILABLE
A Breath of Fresh Air is available on vinyl and CD, alongside full sheet music, with a discount for verified students. To stay informed about the latest releases, upcoming shows, and exclusive updates, please consider joining our mailing list.
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RESOURCES
Official Website: seanmason.net
Stream the Album: Listen on Spotify
Original Source: Read the interview on JazzTimes
