Ariel Pink Collaborates With Local Jazz Family For New Recordings

As it turns out, there's more to Mesquite than going to the rodeo and spending your weekend cruising up and down Galloway Avenue. Back in February, super- and ever-buzzing freak folker Ariel Pink decided to visit the East Dallas suburb to record a handful of songs at Klearlight Studio with some help from local jazz band, Added Pizzazz.

A shortened version of one of the songs they recorded, "Hot Body Rub," ended up as the first track on Ariel Pink's critically acclaimed new record, Before Today. Some of the remaining songs will end up on a 12-inch vinyl EP called Ariel Pink With Added Pizzazz, set for release on July 9. 

You might recognize the players in Added Pizzazz--Jim Lehnert, Tamara Cauble of Telegraph Canyon and Polyphonic Spree, and avant-garde jazz family Aaron, Dennis and Stephan Gonzalez of the DOMA-nominated Yells At Eels and Akkolyte. Or you might remember Aaron and Dennis' first collaboration with Ariel Pink, Shits and Giggles, which yielded an LP titled Trick Or Treat nearly two years ago.

"Shits and Giggles was a collaboration between [Vas Deferens Organization] and Ariel Pink," said Aaron Gonzalez over the phone yesterday afternoon. "We were only guests on that album. Later, we went in to the studio with Ariel with us as the band and Vas Deferens Organization producing the project."

The Gonzalez family has a really interesting musical story--of which you will hear more in the coming weeks. Until then, enjoy the above video, which documents their collaboration with Ariel Pink, which you can preview right here.