Zofco Records announces the February 18, 2003 release of David Zoffer & Adam Larrabee's debut CD Courage in Closeness: Live in Boston, recorded at two concert halls of the New England Conservatory. A collection of lyrical piano/guitar duets, Courage in Closeness illustrates the strong chemistry that Zoffer and Larrabee have enjoyed during their ten-year musical partnership. From Zoffer's bluesy "For JMZ" (which he wrote for his jazz-loving father) to Larrabee's impressionistic "Escape Artist," the Boston-based improvisers have no problem finding common ground as musicians, composers and arrangers. And yet, Pittsburgh native Zoffer (who has lived in Boston since 1994) is quick to point out that he and Larrabee (a native of Connecticut) come from two very different musical backgrounds. "I come from a somewhat greasier background than Adam," explains the 31-year-old Zoffer, whose favorite pianists include James Booker and Gene Harris. "Being from Pittsburgh, I come out of a tradition of bluesy players like Erroll Garner, George Benson, Stanley Turrentine, Ahmad Jamal, Art Blakey and Ray Brown. Adam, I think, is coming from a more ethereal place; when we met, he was more into Pat Metheny, John Abercrombie and a lot of the ECM stuff. We meld our influences to fit the needs of each composition, and the process stretches us. For us, the excitement comes from the experience of jointly cooking up a new vibe specific to each piece." Courage in Closeness showcases Zoffer and Larrabee's consistently melodic performances on pieces such as Zoffer's funky "Here Comes Spider," the mysterious "Phillipe's Vibe" and Larrabee's haunting "Seasonal Beards" (a tango-minded offering that was influenced by Argentina's famous Astor Piazzolla). In addition to songs penned by the duo, the CD features "Chopin Noc-turned" (which was arranged by Zoffer but is based on classical great Frédéric Chopin's "Eb Major Nocturne") and Scott Joplin's "Solace." The latter is a ragtime standard that goes back to 1909, but what Zoffer and Larrabee do to "Solace" isn't traditional ragtime - in their hands, "Solace" becomes a jazz performance that draws on guitarist Bill Frisell's sparseness as well as James Booker's earthy New Orleans piano.

The fact that Zoffer and Larrabee interpret a ragtime piece and a classical piece on the same album is a perfect example of their eclectic outlook. Although Courage in Closeness is very much a jazz album, neither Zoffer nor Larrabee are jazz snobs - quite the contrary. Zoffer's taste in music ranges from Oscar Peterson to the Police to A Tribe Called Quest to Igor Stravinsky; Larrabee (who also plays banjo and mandolin) appreciates everyone from John Scofield to Frank Zappa to Dmitri Shostakovich to Bela Fleck. When Zoffer isn't performing duets with Larrabee, he leads a Boston-based funk-rock band called the David Zoffer Differential. In the jazz field, Zoffer has also worked with Eddie Gomez, Don Alias, Harry Connick, Don Byron and many other well-known improvisers. Larrabee, meanwhile, has performed with major jazzmen like Dave Holland and Jimmy Heath but has also been employed as a sideman by rocker Bruce Hornsby. This CD brings together this musical breadth, while showcasing their composing and arranging abilities. Zoffer asserts: "The depth of feeling and personal sound on this record comes not only from the rapport that Adam I have as musicians, but also, from our love of composing and arranging. Courage in Closeness has the sort of cohesive group sound that we strive for."

Zoffer grew up listening to Gene Harris and Erroll Garner with his dad, performing jazz in Pittsburgh clubs, and playing Led Zepplin and Santana with his brother. Larrabee grew up listening to David Grisman and the Allman Brothers, playing bluegrass with his dad and performing classic rock in clubs with his stepfather. Today, the duo share their eclectic passion for performing and composition with the students at the New England Conservatory, where they are both on faculty and Zoffer is a Department Chair.

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