Tom Dempsey/Tim Ferguson Group

The New York City based duo of guitarist Tom Dempsey and bassist Tim Ferguson have been playing and recording together for close to twenty years. While they have performed together in various formats from trio to sextet, including Dempsey’s 1998 recording “Blues in The Slope” and their co-led 2002 Quartet CD “Perspectives,” the foundation of this musical relationship has always been playing duo. For their new recording “What’s Going On,” Tom and Tim return to this unique format for a collection of stellar performances. This CD features a rich array of compositions from some of the jazz world’s best known composers, as well as two original compositions penned by Dempsey and one by Ferguson.As Tom and Tim state in their liner notes, “Both of us have a real affinity for playing duo. This recording helped stretch our creativity and musicianship, both individually and as a duo. As we began preparing, it became apparent that after playing together all of these years, we have developed a unique identity as a group. Capturing the feeling of playing live, coupled with the repertoire we chose, proved to be challenging and in the end, very rewarding. Between the compositions, the arrangements, and the performance, this recording represents a fresh treatment of these songs that pays tribute to these great composers.” The choice of tunes and the sensitivity of the performances give the listener an insight into the artists’ varied stylistic interests as well as their musical depth. From the American songbook standard “Stardust”, to jazz classics like Billy Strayhorn’s “Isfahan,” the soulful spiritual “Deep River” and the classic Marvin Gaye soul anthem “What’s Going On,” this CD captures the ear from the beginning and takes the listener on a fascinating and fulfilling musical journey.