Thomas Morgan: Around You Is A Forest
Loveland Music (LLM029)
Release date: November 7, 2025
Pre-save: lnk.to/AroundYouIsaForest
The long-awaited debut album from bassist-composer Thomas Morgan is a lush, layered journey through ambient textures and open improvisation. Featuring an all-star cast—Bill Frisell, Craig Taborn, Ambrose Akinmusire, Immanuel Wilkins, Henry Threadgill, Dan Weiss, and Gerald Cleaver—the record is both spacious and intricate, with Morgan’s own virtual instrument WOODS shaping its organic feel. The inclusion of poet Gary Snyder’s voice adds another dimension to this environmental soundscape. Around You Is A Forest is co-produced by David Breskin and Jakob Bro and represents a bold statement from one of jazz’s most revered collaborators stepping fully into the spotlight.
Credits:
Thomas Morgan: Double Bass
Dan Weiss: Tabla
Craig Taborn: Farfisa Organ, Fender Rhodes, Synthesizers, Field Recordings
Gerald Cleaver: Drums
Henry Threadgill: Flute, Bass Flute
Ambrose Akinmusire: Trumpet
Bill Frisell: Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Immanuel Wilkins: Alto Saxophone
Gary Snyder: Voice
The WOODS virtual instrument, programmed by Thomas Morgan, appears on all tracks.
Produced by David Breskin, Thomas Morgan and Jakob Bro
Recorded October 14, 2024 (tracks 1, 2, 7), by Philip Weinrobe at Figure 8 Recording with assistant engineer Tyler Hicks; August 30, 2024 (track 4), by David Luke at Opus Studios; April 14, 2024 (track 5) and November 26, 2024 (track 8), by Michael Coleman at Figure 8 Recording; and October 30, 2024 (track 6), by Adam Muñoz at Opus Studios
Edited by Nate Mendelsohn, Joseph Branciforte, Emi Makabe and Thomas Morgan
Mixed by Joseph Branciforte at Greyfade Studio Mastered by David Elberling at the Village Studio B
Artwork by Tal R Cover design by Claus Due Studio
Ambrose Akinmusire appears courtesy of Nonesuch Records Bill Frisell appears courtesy of Blue Note Records Immanuel Wilkins appears courtesy of Blue Note Records Audio recording of Gary Snyder courtesy of NPR
Gary Snyder, "Here" from This Present Moment: New Poems. Copyright (C) 2012 by Gary Snyder. Used with the permission of The Permissions Company, LLC on behalf of Counterpoint Press, counterpointpress.com
Thanks to Emi Makabe, David Breskin, Jakob Bro, Loveland Music, Bill Frisell, Gary Snyder, Henry Threadgill, Gerald Cleaver, Craig Taborn, Dan Weiss, Ambrose Akinmusire, Immanuel Wilkins, Ethan Iverson, Shuja Haider, Betto Arcos, Toshie Makabe, Christopher Morgan and Carol Morgan
This album was made possible by the generous support of The Shifting Foundation
Supported by The Danish Arts Foundation & KODA.
