Peripheral Vision - We've Got Nothing (2023)

Peripheral Vision is one of the most exciting and innovative jazz quartets on the international jazz scene. Based in Toronto, Canada, the group is co-lead by long-time musical collaborators guitarist Don Scott and bassist Michael Herring. They have assembled a synergistic musical unit designed to push the boundaries of jazz while engaging the listener with a grooving, toe-tapping immediacy. Their distinctive musical voice bridges tradition and innovation, with deeply felt influences ranging from jazz, rock, classical, and improv, with a focus on dynamic group interaction.

We’ve Got Nothing is Peripheral Vision’s 2nd live album, and 6th full length release. It is a thrilling celebration of the band’s 15 years together, and marks the first time in their long creative history that Scott and Herring have co-written music together. The project was conceived during the pandemic as a way to create collaboratively; thankfully, pandemic restrictions were lifted in time for them to work together in person. They were eventually able to debut their new music at the return of their long-running monthly series at The Tranzac, one of Toronto’s most important creative music hubs. The concert series was recorded over the course of four months between January to April 2023 by Peripheral Vision’s long-time co-producer/mad scientist Jean Martin (Barnyard Records). The album is a collection of the band’s finest performances from the series, with each piece accompanied by live video filmed and edited by Good Job Hi Five (the creative team of Brittany Farhat & Matt Fong).

Once again, Peripheral Vision has mined the intricacies of their collective neuroses for inspiration. We’ve Got Nothing is about the constantly pressing search for new sources of creativity - especially on the heels of the disruption of the pandemic. Scott and Herring drew on a range of influences for the record: Comedian Stewart Lee’s musings on lost creativity and his deft (and hilarious) incorporation of his anxiety into his routine; the influential bassist Dave Holland’s thoughts on achieving balance in life; and most importantly, the band’s 15 year history of playing and traveling together. The original working title for this project was Telling Tales Out Of School, a phrase they often use in their “Comedy Vehicle” (aka their tour van) while encouraging a policy of “Full Disclosure,” which may, on occasion, require invoking the “Cone Of Silence.”