Ritual

"Ritual," Caleb Wheeler Curtis’ sixth album as a leader, showcases the multi-instrumentalist’s compositions and unique vision for an expanded ensemble that, along with his stritch, features flute, guitar, and piano. The group is composed of fantastic interpreters and virtuosos, together for the first time under Caleb’s direction. The sonic landscape for the songs travels from the serene to the transformational, and celebrates the ritual and practice of communal music making. With Ritual, the follow-up to the critically acclaimed albums HEATMAP, and The True Story of Bears and the Invention of the Battery, Caleb leaves no doubt that he is one of the most interesting and compelling saxophonists of the 2020s. Caleb Wheeler Curtis – stritch, trumpet (9), soprano saxophone (8), sopranino saxophone (9) Hery Paz – tenor saxophone (2, 3, 4, 9), flute (6, 7) Emmanuel Michael – guitar Orrin Evans – piano (3, 4, 5, 6) Vicente Archer – double bass Michael Sarin – drums All songs by Caleb Wheeler Curtis (CAC Music Publishing, BMI) Executive Produced by Chris Leon, Andrew Horowitz, Coyle Girelli, Julian Shore Produced by Caleb Wheeler Curtis and Julian Shore Recorded October 13, 2025 at The Samurai Hotel, Astoria, NY Engineered by Eric Elterman Assistant Engineer Grady Bajorek Edited by Eric Elterman at Boomtown, Brooklyn, NY Mixed and Mastered by Chris Leon at The Vesper Sky Room, Arinsal, Andorra Artwork and design by Nico Raddatz