Gardens II Is the Local Album Release You've Been Waiting For

Within the layered local music scene, there is a culture of live instrumentation that brings texture and traditional skill to light. Late nights at jazz bars such as the Meadowlark cultivate experimental performances in which local musicians find community and artists to collaborate with.

Three Denver multi-instrumentalists — Matthew Abraham, Jacob Hoeffner and Cameron Stull — found their common appreciation for live performance in the underground scene and are now dropping a full-length album, Gardens II, on Friday, December 27. Despite each releasing music under their own pseudonyms — Abraham as Being Mabes, Hoeffner as skozi.b and Stull as Blossomn — their shared passion for experimentation and atmosphere made performing and recording an easy and natural experience.
Many in the modern age may see the word "experimental" in a musical description and assume a large involvement of tech or even AI. But that isn't fully the case when it comes to Gardens II, which mixes modern looping pedals and beat-making technology with classical instruments to create a distinct and addicting sound.

"Ableton is such a good creative tool, because you can do everything, but it's also a terrible creative tool, because you can do everything," Abraham quips. "It's interesting, because AI can make ambient computer sounds very easily, but it can't make drums, bass and sax recorded in a park. That kind of stuff is not easily duplicated, and it still feels very raw."

In more traditional busking fashion, the trio performed many times together on Santa Fe Drive for First Friday art walks and at Cheesman Park, crafting improvised sets that the public could observe for free. Sessions generally lasted anywhere from one to four hours, while the group's members honed their musical chemistry and adapted to the shifting energy of the space where they were playing.

"It's a time warp when we're in that space, just expressing and resonating, trying to blend into the surroundings," says Stull. "Trying to be in the moment. It's a cycle of energy, in some ways, as I guess any live show is."

Stull, who generally makes electronic and production-based music, took an exciting style shift with this project, playing exclusively on a live drum set. "Originally we had Hoeffner beatboxing, but he got tired of that," jokes Abraham.
Each live jam session they recorded consisted of the same main components: Abraham on saxophone, Hoeffner on bass and Stull on drums. With the help of a few looping pedals, lots of microphones and the magic of a Cheesman Park sunset, one of the most textural albums you will hear this year was born in one recording.

"The actual making of the album was taking this hour of performance material and cutting it down to the highlights," says Abraham. "We didn't really change it, we established it. It's an amalgamation of different moments."

This project will follow up previous album Gardens, released in 2023 under Abraham's moniker Being Mabes, and is part two of a trilogy, with Gardens III already in the works. Despite the longevity of their work together, these three artists shy away from more traditional band patterns, or even a band name. Gardens II will be available under each member's pseudonym. 

In addition to experimental recording practices and style, the musicians also endeavor to make their concerts unique. With a preference for performing in public places — a past show was held between hairdressing chairs at Rebel Salon — there is no limit to what space their music will grace next. 

"A lot of people love setting up a room for a show. It enables you to combine passions from different people," says Hoeffner. This interaction with fans, artists and community members is a key piece of what keeps the trio playing together.

To celebrate this album release, Abraham, Hoeffner and Stull will be playing a live house show on Friday, January 31. The members ask that any experimental-jazz enthusiasts looking to attend reach out directly on social media for the show's address and time. With lots of practice playing in unconventional spaces, this house show is sure to have a calculated and curated atmosphere.

"It's more of an intentional setting of the space, not just a one-size-fits-all type of thing," says Stull.

Gardens II will be available on all streaming platforms on Friday, December 27.