1. Break Free

2. Bridges

3. Somethin’s in the Water 

4. Fast Train

5. Piper’s Salary

6. I’m Free

7. Seconds and Inches

8. Outstretched Arm

9. Postage Due

10. Canyon

11. On Borrowed Wings (2024)

 

 

Album information

 

Musicians:

 

Fritz Gearhart—Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, 

‍    All Keyboards (piano, organ etc.), Violins/Violas (track 8,10)

Milo Fultz—Bass (track 11)

Leif Karlstrom—violin (track 11)
Sam Arnold—Bass (tracks 2, 5, 8, 9)

Eddie Ness—Bass (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10)

Don Latarski—Electric Guitars, Mandolins (2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)

Jason Palmer— Drums (all tracks)

Joe Gallo—Electric Guitar (1, 3, 6, 7)

 

Recorded mostly at Ebutass Studios

Mixing: Jon Wyman

All songs written and produced by Fritz Gearhart © ® 2025

fritzgearhart.com

 

Life leads us, sometimes gently, sometimes not. 

But man, am I grateful for the guidance. 

Fritz Gearhart

 

 

On Borrowed Wings (Revised 2024) was a reworking of lyrics 

to the earlier track recorded in 2019. Special thanks to Greg J.

 

And Then She Said

®©2025 Fritz Gearhart

 

The Musicians

 

Fritz Gearhart—Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, All Keyboards, Violins/Violas

 

 

A member of the Listening Room Network’s roster of artists, Singer-songwriter Fritz Gearhart crafts richly detailed songs full of insight and poignancy. His melodic and chordal style is infused with jazz, folk and rock elements. During his shows he performs songs with guitar and piano and also includes violin improvisation. He has four albums to his credit. His honors include selection as a semi-finalist in the 2019 International Song Competition out of 18,000 entries. An active writer and performer, he has performed around the world and taught university classes in music. Born into a musical family, his parents were both performers and teachers of classical music. In addition to his songwriting, he has performed extensively as a concert violinist. He continues to perform both classical music concerts, as well as his original material as singer-songwriter.

 

Milo Fultz—Bass 

 

With an urge to explore new and old sounds, Milo Fultz strives to work with as many styles and personalities as he can. From big bands and small jazz ensembles to pit orchestras and classical ensembles, blues, rock, funk, and soul groups to singer/songwriters, ukulele bands, and melodica duos, he finds joy in the variety and loves sharing every minute of it.

 

As an electric and upright bassist, Milo is currently performing with world chamber quartet 3 Leg Torso and Mexican folk-pop artist Edna Vazquez. He played with the blues-rock group Ty Curtis Band, who were awarded 2nd place for Best Blues Band in the 2009 International Blues Competition in Tennessee, and performed across North America, including the St. Johns Blues Festival in the Virgin Islands and the Montreal Jazz Festival. He is also a member of groove quartet YamaYama, winners of the 2013 Downbeat Student Music Award for Best Blues/Pop/Rock Group in the undergraduate division.

 

Fultz performs extensively in the classical idiom, holding positions in the Oregon Ballet Theater and the Eugene Symphony Orchestra, and formerly Principal Bass in the Boise Philharmonic. He is also bassist and a founding member of the contemporary classical group Sound of Late, which focuses on premiering new works from around the Pacific Northwest. As a soloist, he was a finalist of the 2014 Eugene Symphony Young Artists Competition, was showcased at the 2014 Oregon Bach Festival Composers Symposium as a featured performer, and performed a solo recital earlier that year which included his arrangement of Bartok's "Romanian Folk Dances" for melodica and two double basses.

 

Apart from being an active freelancer and recording musician, he is also a musical theater lover, and played in the pit orchestra of many different ballets, operas and musicals including the 2013 opera premiere, “The Canticle of the Black Madonna” in Eugene, Oregon, the award-winning 2011 production of Avenue Q at Lord Leebrick Theater, and as a section bassist in Orchestra NEXT, resident orchestra for Eugene Ballet Company.

 

Understanding the value of a healthy musical community, he has organized events that look to help build new musical relationships and inspire creative opportunities for the community as a whole; such as the “48-Hour Composition Competition”, where composers from around the country and local musicians prepare a piece of music in one day. He also is an active teacher, maintaining a position teaching bassists at Reed College and New Hope Christian College, as well as a private studio where he teaches upright and electric bass and tutors general music theory and ear training, and collaborates with schools to assist students and give lessons.

 

Milo Fultz graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelors of Music in music performance from the University of Oregon in 2014.

 

 

Leif Karlstrom—violin 

 

Artistic inspiration can come from anywhere. For Leif Karlstrom, it's volcanoes. The volcanologist-by-day, musician-by-night turns data into sound and then uses those sounds to make music. Born into a family of musicians, Karlstrom got his first violin before his first bicycle. He carried his love of music with him, but he never imagined it could play a role in his scientific study. While teaching at the University of Oregon, Karlstrom came across colleagues in earth science who were turning earthquake data into sound through a process called sonification. A light bulb went off. Couldn’t Karlstrom do the same thing with volcanoes? And what if he took it a step further to make something truly unique? The Volcano Listening Project was born. He has since made several volcanic music pieces, including one that uses data from our very own Kīlauea — "Hotel Kilauea."

"I would view the data sonification as another player in the ensemble, I guess. And so I'm reacting both to the volcano, to the data, which is ultimately the director, the conductor, but also to the other musicians because I'm reacting musically to them," he said.

Sam Arnold—Bass

 

Sam grew up playing music in the Portland music scene, and has been active as a teacher, studio musician, and performer for over half his life. His first endeavor into music occurred when he picked up the trombone in middle school band, followed by piano, bass, and guitar; all of which he still plays to this day. Sam studied music at Portland State University where he received his Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education (Hons).

 

He is an active freelance performer and recording artist, and a private teacher and clinician. He has performed and toured with groups and artists such as Celisse, Ron Artis II & The Truth, Quadeca, quickly quickly, Stelth Ulvang (The Lumineers), Y La Bamba, greaterkind, Korgy & Bass, Mbrascatu, Brian Jackson, Darrell Grant, LaRhonda Steele, Mike Phillips, Lo Steele, Mae.Sun, Sarah Clarke, Haley Johnsen, Reva Devito, Kendall Lujan, The Eugene Ballet/Orchestra Next, and Portland Summerfest Opera.Recent touring highlights includeplaying on Willie Nelson's "Outlaw Tour" and Lake Street Dive's "Good Together Tour" with Celisse, and on Joe Bonamassa's "Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea" and Dave Koz's "Somma" Cruise with Ron Artis II.

 

Sam still calls Portland his homebase but can be found touring both nationally and internationally year-round, or as a recording artist on a variety of records anytime, anywhere!

 

Eddie Ness—Bass 

 

A rising star in the bass world, Eddie Ness is a versatile and dynamic performer currently residing in the Denver area. He performs locally with several different bands and is in high demand as studio musician.  He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Colorado Boulder.  Eddie is passionate about teaching young bass players and uses his experience to guide new players in developing a strong technique and  and understanding of music theory.  He has performed with many fantastic musicians in  such as Brad Goode, Victor Mestas, John Gunther, Paa Kow, and Plain Faraday.  

 

 

 

Don Latarski—Electric Guitars, Mandolins 

 

Don Latarski grew up in a rural community about 35 miles north of Detroit, Michigan, and has been playing the guitar since 1963. After moving to Oregon at the age of 19 he began studying jazz. As a music student at the University of Oregon, he studied classical guitar and that experience led him to incorporate finger picking. His style incorporates elements of jazz, folk, and Americana. His instrument of choice is a handmade Spohn baritone acoustic guitar, which produces a deep, rich, and all-encompassing sound.

 

Most of his life has revolved around composing, practicing, teaching, recording, and performing. After graduating with a music degree he was hired to be head of guitar studies at the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance. He has authored and published 21 books on guitar instruction and recorded 17 albums, mostly of original music.

 

His passions include hiking, photography, forest bathing, and just listening to nature.

 

Known more for his jazz and blues recordings, Don Latarski creates music as a gift back to nature. Inspired by journies through the eastern part of Oregon, California, and Arizona, Don's music is a free-ranging soundscape of surprising acoustic guitar-based textures, rhythms, and melodies.

 

Vintage Guitar Magazine has described Don Latarski as " a guitarist of great taste and chops." Latarski's fluid, uniquely American style incorporates genres from jazz and blues to rockabilly and swing. 

 

Five-star review forDon Latarskiand his album River in Vintage Guitar Magazine!

 

"Gorgeous fingerstyle acoustic from the Northwest master, reflecting Latarski’s love of the outdoors. There’s an ethereal, ECM-like vibe to the nine-part “River Suite,” bringing to mind Metheny, Towner, and Abercrombie in its enchanting textures. Mesmerizing looper effects show up in “Serpentine,” while Don creates intricate harmonics patterns on “Full Circle.” Surely one of the most beautiful guitar albums of recent memory."

Pete Brown, Vintage Guitar Magazine, Dec. 2018

 

Don's releases can be heard on radio stations around the world, including the long-running NPR show Echoes. Several tracks from his three releases on Heart Dance Records can be heard on the SXM Spa Channel.

 

 

 

Joe Gallo—Electric Guitar

 

Joe Gallo is a guitarist and composer from Baltimore, Maryland who specializes in classical, jazz and rock guitar. A graduate of American University in Washington, DC, he has studied under some of the best guitar instructors in the DMV area, including Peabody alumni.

 

Before college, Joe pursued guitar intensively for over twelve years. Under the mentorship of Towson High School jazz band director David Rhen, he gained a love for jazz and funk that resulted in his admission to the Baltimore County All Honors Jazz Ensemble. This period fostered Joe's musicianship and left him with an enduring appreciation for music ed, and the inspirational role of teachers. He understands that musical concepts like improvisation can be daunting for students, and works with them to establish confidence through public recitals.

 

During his semester abroad in the Fall of 2016, Joe composed, arranged and performed original music with the help of eight peers while studying under Austrian composer Gabriele Proy. Composition is a great way to reignite one's passion, so Joe guides hisstudents to write their own music.

After relocating to Denver in 2020, Joe was introduced to the local scene by bassist and entertainmentlawyer Max Hass, with whom he founded Half Maxx, along with Teo Vanovski and Max Palzewicz. Joe is also the lead guitarist for Jason Brandt and the Build Out, Swade Brigade, and other Denver area bands. He has performed at renowned Colorado venues and festivals including Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, the Fox Theater, the Sheridan Opera House, Dazzle Denver, Roots Music Project, Denver Day of Rock, and many more. He has previously played with, or is a part time member of B Love Experience, Dzirae Gold, Cass Clayton, Ari Mellinger Cohen, Midnite Sol, Danette Hollowell and the Good Guys, and others.

 

 

 

Jason Palmer—Drums

 

Jason Palmer is a drummer, percussionist, composer, and educator living in Portland, Oregon. He is nationally active in drum set performance, with appearances at St. Peter’s Church and the Knitting Factory in New York, the Rochester Jazz Festival, the High Sierra Music Festival, the Gene Harris Jazz Festival, and the Calgary Jazz Festival. In addition, Jason acts as Department Chair of Music at Portland Community College’s Rock Creek Campus.

 

Jason attended the University of Oregon, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Percussion Performance and Jazz Studies (Magna Cum Laude), as well as a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies. Regionally, he has performed as a drummer at The Waterfront Blues Festival, the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival, the Portland Jazz Festival, the Oregon Bach Festival, the Oregon Festival of American Music, and the Oregon Coast Jazz Party. His performance and recording experience includes work with such artists as Danilo Perez, Joe Lovano, John Clayton, Ben Monder, Bobby Shew, Charles McPherson, Ron Miles, Dick Oatts, Dave Frishberg, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Zorn, Steve Wilson, Dick Hyman, Ken Peplowski, and Chuck Redd. Additionally, in 2011, Jason began his tenure as the drummer with the American Metropole Orchestra.

 

Upon moving to Portland, OR in 2011, Jason began playing regularly with many noted Portland jazz artists, including Randy Porter, George Colligan, Darrell Grant, John Gross, and Dan Balmer. Jason’s recorded work includes releases on Origin Records (Toby Koenigsberg Trio and Jim Olsen), Space Age Bachelor Pad (The Daddies), and Crescent Records (Don Latarksi and Rue De Blues). His recordings have been reviewed in Cadence, All About Jazz, and the All Music Guide.