Mike DiRubbo - Way Out Northwest

2026

In the summer of 2024, Mike booked some West Coast dates, so we set up a weekend at Frankie’s Jazz Club with Tilden. During that weekend we discussed the possibility of recording in further detail. While recording in New York might have been the obvious choice it was Mike who floated the idea of recording with the Vancouver rhythm section that he played with.
One of the things I’m most proud of is showcasing Vancouver musicians. Sometimes New York players come in, play, then head home. Other times, real connections form—leading to lasting collaborations. Documenting this music in Vancouver says a lot about how Mike feels about these musicians.

The rhythm section—Jodi, Tilden, and Jesse—was an easy choice: musicians connected not just by years of playing together, but by deep trust and respect. As Mike puts it, there’s “a family vibe”—built over decades, going back to The Cellar. “Individually they are world-class musicians,” he says, “and also kind, generous people—and that comes through in the music.” That connection is evident throughout the album, recorded quickly and organically after three nights of live performance. “We recorded the entire album in about four or five hours on the Monday after the gigs,” he recalls—a testament to both preparation and chemistry.
The album is deeply personal, with tributes to mentors and close musical companions. “Jim was like a musical big brother to me,” he says of Jim Rotondi, whose sudden passing left a lasting impact. The composition “Jimbo” serves as both tribute and gratitude, acknowledging not only their relationship but also Rotondi’s early support—particularly through the Criss Cross recording Reverence, which led to Mike’s own recording contract.

“One for Mabes” honors Harold Mabern, another pivotal figure. “My first trip to Vancouver was with Harold,” Mike recalls. “I’m blessed to have spent so much time around him.” That sense of lineage continues with “Song for My Queen,” by pianist Hotep Galeta, an often overlooked but deeply influential mentor during Mike’s time at the Hartt School.
Despite these reflections, the music itself is firmly rooted in the present. All the compositions are original, shaped through an intuitive process. “Early on as a student, Jackie McLean urged me to write my own music, way before I understood harmony the way I do now. You grow into it like you grow into everything else in life if you are blessed to be around long enough.” Of his process he explains “A lot of what I write comes from the piano, and then I develop melodies on the saxophone.” Ideas are gathered over time— “bits and pieces.”
His influences span from John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, and Joe Henderson to Duke Ellington, while also drawing from contemporaries like Steve Davis and Kurt Rosenwinkel. Still, his approach is guided less by theory than by instinct: “I try to let my ear be the judge.”
What emerges from this recording is more than a collection of compositions—it’s a document of connection: between musicians, past and present, intention and spontaneity. It captures a moment shaped by trust, experience, and the simple but profound act of listening.