Mike Boone is a known force in the Philly jazz scene and beyond. Within that scene, he is known as a bass player, band leader, and mentor. I have observed Mike in all of those roles. And while Mike’s keen musical ear is well documented, what most probably don’t know is his finely tuned ear for audio production. Over the course of the year making “Enjoying the View,” I got to appreciate the full spectrum of Boone, from wise sage to jokester, from obscure reference metaphorical maker to serious music producer.
Speaking of metaphors, there are many used over and over again to describe the process of making an album. One such trope is comparing this process to a birth. In my case, however, there was a literal connection. We began Mike’s album in July of 2022. My daughter was born in August of 2022. I worked with Mike over the course of the last year to refine, polish, and if you’ll allow it, nurture the album until it became complete.
Mike decided to produce one tune in my daughter’s name, to draw the lines between the two processes. And while he is certainly El Hefe bassista, Mike asked me to play bass on this tune. What started as a field recording from a gig turned into a multi-layered production with a call and response poem and musical answers.
Listening to “Enjoying the View” will not give you a complete picture of the multi-faceted character of Mike Boone. But it will give you a glimpse into this musical mind who has so much to offer, and who seemingly only wants to share his gift with everyone around him. Thanks, Mike.