CARRTOONS Locks In With Kiefer and Nate Smith in FATHERS’ Full Wonderland Park Set

FATHERS have shared their full Live At Wonderland Park performance, and this one is a vibe from the opening shot. The trio is dressed to the nines and the room is a throwback to a Sinatra era lounge.  The video was inspired by the Bill Evans Trio’s 1972 appearance on The Jazz Set, giving Kiefer Shackelford, Nate Smith, and Ben Carr a beautifully staged setting for these stripped back arrangements.

Carr, better known as CARRTOONS, keeps it classic with a Fender Precision Bass. There is also an Ampeg B 15 sitting in the background, which fits the visual perfectly. More importantly, his playing is fantastic. He moves between warm melodic fills, thick pocket lines, and subtle rhythmic ideas.  The twenty six minute feature mixes live performances with brief interview segments.  Kenneth Blume, formerly known as Kenny Beats, produced the session and serves as the group’s creative director.

The chemistry between the musicians has been developing for several years. Smith first assembled the core trio for his 2023 residency at the Montreal Jazz Festival. Tours of the United States and Japan followed, giving Carr, Kiefer, and Smith time to grow as a working group.  Their self titled Blue Note debut came together almost by accident. Blume invited the musicians to his Putnam Hill studio in Los Angeles to test a newly built recording console. Over the next forty eight hours, they created the eight tracks that became FATHERS.

Sharp suits, vintage gear, incredible players, and a whole lot of pocket. What more do you need?