Cradle Song, is the Unified Jazz Ensemble’s eighth recording. The UJE’s repertoire changes and grows with the input of the band members, and the music you hear on this recording came about through years of ensemble direction, as well as individual input. Following nearly 20 years of performance experience, this album represents the unique sound and playing style of four diverse and seasoned musicians. Tim Stanley, a Grammy award-winning trumpet and flugelhorn player, joins the group for the first time in this recording. Dominic Smith, one of the most in-demand drummers in the D.C./Baltimore area, grounds the album along with John Pineda, UJE’s set-the-groove bassist for more than 15 years. Mike Noonan, UJE’s founding leader and award-winning performer, plays vibraphone and composed all tracks on the album. While the styles vary from the Latin-influenced “Broken Tango, Broken Heart” to the Slavic sound of “Folk Song # 8,” all tracks feature solid ensemble playing, stellar solos, and melodic tunes that are likely to leave listeners humming hours later. “We’ve been working towards this album, really, for 20 years. The compositions have been maturing since the group formed, and just within the past two years we’ve found a solid direction and groove with the band, honed through frequent opportunities to play together,” said Noonan. “We knew it was time to capture what we’re doing, and share it with the broadest audience possible.” Recorded in Annapolis, MD on September 21, 2009 by Medford Canby, Front and Center Live Recording, frontandcenter@verizon.net. Mixed by Medford and the UJE and mastered by Bill Wolf. Produced by the Unified Jazz Ensemble. Mike Noonan plays and endorses mallets by Innovative Percussion, Nashville, TN. CD Design and “Pre-Aviary Cradle” photo by Kari Watts. UJE photos by Larry Melton. Thanks to our families, friends, fans and supporters, Brian and Sarah Cahalan and the staff at 49 West. The Unified Jazz Ensemble (UJE), based in Annapolis, Maryland, is dedicated to bringing the best of jazz to audiences of all ages. Founded in 1992 as the first jazz group in the National Endowment for the Arts Rural Residency Arts Initiative, the UJE has performed across the United States and internationally, engaging listeners in innovative performances of jazz standards and original compositions. UJE live performances in the D.C. metro area have included appearances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Strathmore Hall, the Smithsonian Jazz Café, and Blues Alley. The group performs their original compositions and classic jazz standards weekly on Tuesday nights at the 49 West Café in Annapolis. One of just eight music ensembles nationwide to receive a 2010 Chamber Music America Residency Partnership Grant, the UJE’s performances in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. communities and schools are supported by CMA, funded through the generosity of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Learn more at www.unifiedjazz.com.