UPCOMING ALBUM release 3.6.26!
ESOTERIC
GRAFFITI
Jason Rigby Announces New MAYHEM Companion Duo Release with Mark Guiliana
Jason Rigby will release a second recording from his MAYHEM duo project with acclaimed drummer Mark Guiliana. Titled Esoteric Graffiti, the album features two extended pieces and will be released on March 6, 2026 via Endectomorph Music.
Rigby and Guiliana are longtime collaborators, and Esoteric Graffiti continues their deep musical dialogue, emphasizing spontaneous composition, textural exploration, and expansive improvisation. The recording captures the duo pushing their shared language further, blending raw energy with nuanced sonic detail.
In celebration of the new release, Rigby will perform this music with Mark Guiliana and bassist Chris Morrissey in select East-coast cities in early March, expanding the MAYHEM project into a dynamic live setting.
Esoteric Graffiti marks a bold new chapter for the MAYHEM project, highlighting both musicians’ commitment to risk-taking and creative exploration.
MAYHEM
Duo project with acclaimed drummer Mark Guiliana now available.
Bandcamp - order digital downloads and high-quality vinyl.
Jason Rigby breaks new ground with his latest duo recording MAYHEM, featuring Grammy-award winning drummer Mark Guiliana. Crafted specifically for vinyl format, this innovative project marks a bold evolution from Rigby’s acoustic jazz roots, blending electronic and acoustic instruments to create a hybrid musical texture. After collaborating for over a decade as a core member of Guiliana’s Jazz Quartet, Rigby ventures into uncharted territory with this groundbreaking set of music. The album combines Rigby’s original compositions with improvised pieces layered through collaboration with sound engineer Pete Min. Some tracks feature streamlined tenor and drum improvisations, while others incorporate analog synthesizer, keyboards, electronic processing, and various percussion instruments, showcasing a vibrant soundscape filled with unexpected textures and rhythms.
Album Cover Photography & Design : Colleen Chrzanowski
NYC-based saxophonist and composer.
Earthy sound, deep groove, harmonic exploration, organic creativity.
“American saxophonist/composer Jason Rigby has this spontaneous capacity to adapt his way of playing to different styles and moods. Rigby leads with resolve, evincing an outgoing posture, compositional bravura, and laudable flair for exploration.”
- London Jazz News
“There’s a breathy tone, some of the Coltrane to Pharaoh preach, and seemingly boundless chops. (That breathy tone in part is particularly attractive; the Michael Brecker/Jan Garbarek ‘glossy’ lineage is cool too, but sometimes I crave something darker and fuzzier).”
- Ethan Iverson
“Rigby’s burly tone and searching improvisations recall the expressionistic flights of Ornette Coleman and Joe Henderson.”
- John Murph, DownBeat Magazine
“The warmth of Rigby’s tone and the rigor of his ideas come across even in the stormiest free blowing.”
- David R. Adler, Stereophile
A non-conformist in the jazz and modern music world who has carved his own path STEEPED IN AUTHENTICITY AND UNIQUENESS.
events
Feb. 28 — Barrymore Film Center
[FORT LEE, NJ]
RIN SEO COLLECTIVE
7:30pm
MARCH 2026 —East Coast Tour ***JASON RIGBY - MAYHEM***
March 4 — Towson University Center for the Performing Arts
[TOWSON, MD]
JASON RIGBY - MAYHEM
with:
MARK GUILIANA - drums
CHRIS MORRISSEY - bass
8pm
March 5 — Solar Myth - Ars Nova Workshop
[PHILADELPHIA, PA]
JASON RIGBY - MAYHEM
with:
MARK GUILIANA - drums
CHRIS MORRISSEY - bass
8pm
March 6 — The Jazz Gallery — NEW Record Release — “Esoteric Graffiti” (Endectomorph Records)
[NYC, NY]
JASON RIGBY - MAYHEM
with:
MARK GUILIANA - drums
CHRIS MORRISSEY - bass
8pm
March 7 — The Falcon
[Marlboro, NY]
JASON RIGBY - MAYHEM
with:
MARK GUILIANA - drums
CHRIS MORRISSEY - bass
8pm
March 21 — Vermont Jazz Center
[Brattleboro, VT]
CAMERON BROWN & DANNIE’S CALYPSO
w/ Dave Ballou - trumpet, Lisa Parrott - saxophones, Tony Jefferson - drums
8pm
March 26 — Smalls
[NYC, NY]
MATT PAVOLKA NEW QUINTET
w/ Dave Smith - trumpet, Santiago Liebson - piano, Ele Howell - drums
9pm & 10:30pm
April 3— Nublu Jazz Festival - Studio 151
[NYC, NY]
JASON RIGBY QUARTET
w/ Martha Kato - piano, Eivind Opsvik - bass, Mike Kuhl - drums
9:30pm
April 6 — TU Murray Jazz Residency: bassist Drew Gress
[Towson, MD]
w/ Drew Gress - bass, Dave Ballou - trumpet, John Lee - guitar, Mike Kuhl - drums
8:00pm
April 18 — The Jazz Gallery
[NYC, NY]
w/ Shayna Steele, David Cook, Alan Ferber
8:00pm
May 5 — Village Vanguard
[NYC, NY]
Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet
w/ Mark Guiliana - drums, Chris Morrissey - bass
8:00pm & 10:30pm
May 6
NYC, NY — Village Vanguard
Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet
w/ Mark Guiliana - drums, Chris Morrissey - bass
8:00pm & 10:30pm
May 7
NYC, NY — Village Vanguard
Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet
w/ Mark Guiliana - drums, Chris Morrissey - bass
8:00pm & 10:30pm
May 8
NYC, NY — Village Vanguard
Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet
w/ Mark Guiliana - drums, Chris Morrissey - bass
8:00pm & 10:30pm
May 9
NYC, NY — Village Vanguard
Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet
w/ Mark Guiliana - drums, Chris Morrissey - bass
8:00pm & 10:30pm
May 10
NYC, NY — Village Vanguard
Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet
w/ Mark Guiliana - drums, Chris Morrissey - bass
8:00pm & 10:30pm
ABOUT
Photography : Colleen Chrzanowski
Jason Rigby commands a voice on the saxophone that is both compelling and unmistakably his own. Renowned for his individuality and Zen-inspired artistic approach, Rigby brings a fresh, expressive spirit to today’s music landscape. His wide-ranging work spans analog synthesizers, woodwinds, and percussion, often weaving together textural experimentation with deeply rooted improvisational skill.
He has performed across the globe at premier venues and appears on multiple Grammy-nominated recordings. In addition to leading his own innovative ensembles, Rigby is a frequent collaborator, contributing to musical icons such as the queen of soul Aretha Franklin, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and jazz bassist legend Cameron Brown. For the past decade, he has been a vital force in drummer/composer Mark Guiliana’s groups, including the Jazz Quartet, Space Heroes, and BEAT Music. His latest project, MAYHEM, is a duo collaboration with Guiliana, recorded in Los Angeles by Pete Min, highlighting their deep musical chemistry and commitment to sonic exploration.
Jason currently performs in groups led by David Cook, Mike Holober, Miho Hazama, Jeff Davis, Matt Aronoff, Jared Schonig and Jihye Lee. He has also been a member of bands led by Mike Baggetta, Michael Formanek, Chris Morrissey, Eivind Opsvik, George Schuller, Kris Davis, David Binney, Alan Ferber, Asuka Kakitani and Darcy James Argue.
MaKING MAYHEM
“Photographer/video maker Charlie Weinmann visited us in the studio on the second day of recording my new album MAYHEM and captured footage of some of our creative process. Both Mark and Pete were instrumental in the resulting recording, offering essential vision and creativity throughout.
We went into the studio with a handful of my compositions and a carful loaded with instruments: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, flute, drums, cymbals, African drums, gongs, various percussion and a Prophet 6 analog synthesizer. We took advantage of Pete Min’s studio instruments and recorded Rhodes electric piano, acoustic piano, treated miniature piano, pump organ, celeste, Moog bass, and various signal processors. I’m excited about what we created and can’t wait to share it with everyone!”
Photography :
Colleen Chrzanowski