New album features original jazz tunes by Hatamiya

Trombonist and composer Jon Hatamiya, a 2010 graduate of Davis High School, has six tunes on a newly released album by the recently formed group XD 7. Hatamiya also plays trombone on the album.

He and fellow 2010 DHS Jazz Band alumni played a reunion concert Saturday at the Brunelle Performance Hall at DHS, to benefit DHS band programs.

“XD 7 started out as a reading session at the Manhattan School of Music,” Hatamiya said, where he is a third-year student. The reading included “a bunch of my good friends who also happened to be great musicians. We enjoyed that session so much that we started to get together on a regular basis and read some more original compositions, and the reading sessions became rehearsals, and a group of musician friends became a band.

“The members of XD 7 come from all over the United States, and consequently bring in a variety of cultural and musical influences and perspectives,” Hatamiya added.

In addition to Hatamiya, the performers — all students at the Manhattan School of Music — are Patrick Bartley, alto/soprano saxophones; Xavier Del Castillo, tenor saxophone; Gabe Schnider, guitar; Kevin Bernstein, piano; Max Calkin, acoustic/electric basses; and John Spencer. drums.

The production costs associated with recording and producing the album were funded through a drive on the kickstarter.com website; the band sought to raise $5,000 and ended up raising $6,388 from 87 backers. The album was recorded at Tedesco Studios in Paramus, N.J., in May, and it was released as a CD on Dec. 14.

Hatamiya’s original tunes have titles like “Revengeful Lobster,” “How Things Change,” “Fool Manchool,” “Fighting the Fight,” “Distance” and “Unsaid.”

The album is dedicated to Hatamiya’s late mother, Nancy, who died in May.

“She was able to hear the tracks right out of the studio and we were lucky enough to get her stamp of approval,” Hatamiya said.

The album — titled “XD 7″ — is available as a digital download, and can be ordered as a CD through the band’s website, www.xd7band.com. There is also a Facebook page, www.facebook.com/xd7band.

— Reach Jeff Hudson at jhudson@davisenterprise.net or 530-747-8055.