A mainstay on the Los Angeles jazz scene for years, drummer and composer Chris Wabich joins forces with Josh Nelson (piano) and Dan Lutz (bass) for an album of sublime, instrumental jazz. Some notable influences here include ethereal vibes of legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans, Peanuts theme-maker Vince “Cast Your Fate To The Wind” Guaraldi and even some of Dave Brubeck’s vintage piano jazz to name a few. The difference here is that that 1978 (steep) is described by the artist as being “an immersive song cycle, capturing the essence of intrinsic positivity”.

Running 40 minutes, 1978 (steep) is totally relaxing and impressionistic New Age sounding jazz in places especially compared to mainstream bop jazz and fusion. It’s worth noting that Wabich has also worked in the past with songwriter poet Leonard Cohen and Sting, and the quiet introspection is quite apparent in the music on 1978 (steep).

Wabich has worked and recorded with numerous musicians and has recorded several albums under his own name including Optirhythm (2020) and The Notes (2022). The chemistry between Wabich, Nelson and Lutz is quite remarkable and start to finish the album will leave you in a peaceful state. Jazzers and music fans into modern-day composing jazz drummers will certainly want to give a listen to 1978 (steep) by Chris Wabich & company. 

 

RMR speaks with Chris Wabich

 

RMR: Why did you call your album 1978 (steep) and what does it signify? Also how did you team up with Josh Nelson and Dan Lutz and how would you describe the chemistry between you, Josh and Dan? You composed the music. Being a drummer you must also have a keen ear for writing music. How did you translate the charts, melodic ideas to the other players especially the piano player.

Chris Wabich: The 1978 title came symbolically from a batch of tea I found in an old, messy tea shop in Taiwan run by an old messy man! The original tea master made the tea in 1978 from a tree that was over 100 years old in 1978, meaning by the time I had it, the tree was well over 150 years old.

As I composed the new album, which is really more EMO Wabs on the piano vibe, I was consuming this tea and it really struck me that once this tea is gone, it’s really really gone! It’s not anything you can ever get back. We all have to live in the moment. It made me double down on what can I do to contribute something positive.

Dan, Josh and I have played together in so many situations over the last 30 years, but never as an actual trio. We all agreed this is our “time off from work” project. Freedom to exist in the music with good friends and artistic warriors.

I’ve been a music director and arranger for years, writing and arranging charts for lots of scenarios. I made the charts as bare bones as possible aka “lead sheets”. Melody and chords without a bunch of extra instructions. I’m a real stickler for writing charts that are readable the first time! Knowing Josh and Dan would interpret them, I wasn’t worried about the outcome. Really excellent surprises and contributions.

The main consideration was the sound of that piano, and writing specifically for acoustic instruments. It’s an old thing, and a difficult thing. It takes a lot of patience to play this way. Being gadget and EFX pedal free, it keeps the listener following the events without distraction. It’s the reason we left a lot of intentional space. What a luxury.

The other overlay was making vinyl. It made production decisions more clear. The songs are presented as a concise melodic and sonic set. We can leave them and go full blown epic for the live shows.

 

RMR: How long have you been playing drums and what drum kit are you playing on your new album 1978 (steep)? Do you have an endorsement with a drum company? What drummers and musicians inspired you start play music and record and can you cite a few albums that inspired you as a budding musician?

Chris Wabich: Playing drums since I was 6 years old. For the last 25 years, I’ve collaborated with Cadeson drums and Turkish cymbals, resulting in my own designs with both companies. Cadeson is a custom company that for years made their own… everything! Especially the shells. I was able to get them to make hybrid shells with reinforcement hoops. A drum tech buddy of mine, Toby Harwell first suggested the idea. Through a couple of revisions, I got them to make the body of the shell really thin with multiple layers of .75mm plies. This shell update resulted in drums that speak at full tone when played extremely soft. Unique only to Cadeson… Long discussion!

One of the early sets with this shell type was sent to review for Modern Drummer. The owner, Ron Spagnardi kept that one kit in his office to play until he passed away. Out of the thousands of kits sent to them for review he didn’t keep any of them. He said “I don’t know, there’s just something about this one kit”

For “1978”, the sonic palette was very much intentional. Given that Tritone studio is regarded as “best piano in town”, and a sound I’m really familiar with from working there a lot, I wanted everything to harmonize with that epic tone that engineer, Talley Sherwood captures. I used drums that have the lowest sonic floor and the cymbals that have high atmospheric tones (like stars). And Dan’s bass tone and approach is rock solid. Talley said is the warmest trio he’s recorded. I got paranoid in mixing stage and pulled out all the classic piano trios for comparison. Can’t say we outplayed anyone, but we damn out sonic-ed ‘em! You can’t hide anything in playing ballads. It’s a long discussion, and my choices are super intentional for this specific vibe.

Albums and musicians that inspire. Short list: 1960’s Wayne Shorter, Monk. 1970’s Jarrett, the Canterbury prog bands, Tower of Power. 1980’s World Jazz era, laco tayfa, Ivo Papasov, the bikutsi bands of Cameroon, NAXOS label panoramas. 1990’s, no one to this day has out hipped Squarepusher or out swung the Roots. 2000’s, Mehldau. 2010’s the L.A. contingencies that led up to Kendrick (Piano bar, Katisse band alum, Thundercat, Kamasi etc) 2020’s, can’t say yet, we’re in it

 

RMR: Tell us about your other albums. You also recently released The Notes and Optirhythm. Can you compare those albums with 1978 (steep), from a compositional standpoint and in the way they were recorded. So 1978 (steep) is your first trio album and what other artists have you recorded with? 

Chris Wabich: I keep saying “this next record is my 30th debut album” Reason being the distribution formats have changed every 10 years since the 1980’s, so entire libraries have been shifted and missed per generation. I’m not sure whether to wait out the death of Spotify to stream the old catalog elsewhere, but for now, the NFT based Nina site seems a good place to host the old stuff while band camp is okay for newer releases. Notable old records I’ve made up on Nina include a Bill Evans tribute with Larry Koonse produced by Bill’s widow, Nenette, and Mark Murphy’s last studio recording. Mark… so, so great!

Optirhythm was THE pandemic record. I was on lockdown, stuck between being house trapped in L.A. due to the curfews and being stuck with a minimal remote tracking rig in rural NC. I wrote the whole thing in about 10 days and had the roster of legends contribute the replacement tracks. It was a favorite by Baked Potato staff. They played on every set break for 2 years.

The Notes melodic and harmonic palette focuses on common humanistic problem solving. The writing was EMO Wabs on the piano, but the outcome was more hard hitting L.A. fusion because in 2022 everyone was ready to get out there and get back to smashing.

Other artist I’ve recorded with. I really need to make a Wiki page because it’s only getting harder to keep track of with the remote tracking being so common. Sticking to Summer 2025, I enjoyed contributing to Chet Baker, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Brian Keane, Jeff Narell, John Ballinger, Evan Hause, Craig Cammell, Melissa Collins, Brad Dutz, Kirkwood Coakley, Yoonseung Cho, Duane Allen/Dave Goldberg, Runa Viggen, Allen Hinds, and Tomer David. I may have forgotten something, apologies!

Really always enjoy working with my community, both known artists and creative behind the scenes people. Great to be around such hard working artists.

 

RMR: 1978 (steep) is very relaxing to listen to. How would you describe your musical frame of mind on the album and did you have parameters during the writing and recording process? I almost thought it was New Age flavored. Did Vince Guaraldi, Bill Evans and other artists inspire you on 1978 (steep)?

Chris Wabich: It’s several things. As I mentioned, EMO Wabs at the piano. Bill Evans ballad harmony minus ii/V language. Early Windham Hill records. Also Keith Jarrett Koln concert. Not trying to create pop music, but taking from rock harmony and stable rhythms.

Overall the connective thread is locations and events surrounding tea. Seems simple, but tea farms can be at the top of mountains where the weather changes every 30 minutes. Taking time out to have a special tea (like 1978) is an introspective process. The listener can transport to their own place of solace. Check out of reality, or check in with the music and find the good notes.

 

RMR: Tell us about living and working in Los Angeles these days. Are you from L.A. and what other cities do you like to visit and perform in?

Chris Wabich: Been in L.A. for 35 years now. Originally from Asheville NC. Lately it’s been a flood of sessions. From full albums to remote tracking to arranging. This summer, 2025 I tracked 3 full albums and 12 other artists’ tracks between tours. Really great way to spend time and avoid getting sunburned - the “studio tan”

Cities… there is always something cool to discover about all of them if you’re aware. I never have enough time. I’m getting better about booking an extra day at the end of a tour just to walk around with nothing planned. Recent cities with the extra day are Athens, Thessaloniki, Asian side of Istanbul, Ankara, Shanghai, Tainan, and Bangkok

 

RMR: What plans do you have for 2025 and beyond as far as composing, recording and performing in the coming months and into 2026? Will there be another album coming from you in 2026?

Chris Wabich: Ideally I’ll have a bunch coming out. I once did a “5 CD release” show at Baked Potato. 5 CDs I was involved in hit the finish line within a month of each other… I’m really close to that again. Notable upcoming is Dimitris Mahlis’ new record. Dimi playing oud, an ancient string instrument and Jerry Watts on electric bass. Great material written by Dimi and getting on 30 years of the trio playing together. Definitely setting aside time for more composing. No deadline on that process.