Yes, and...
a collection of "percussion plus" solos
Meet the Performers // Track List // About the Record // Cmntx Records

Yes, and… I didn’t actually know that this was a phrase drawn from improv theatre until a dear friend of mine wrote an essay about it. Yes, her essay alluded to the phrase’s relationship to theatre. And she focused more on how we could all aspire to include a little more “yes, and” and a little less “yes, but” in our lives. Yes, and it hadn’t occurred to me until reading her essay that a tiny conjunction could make such a profound difference in the way we approach the world.

To me, “Yes, and” demonstrates a willingness to be open, exploratory, inclusive, collaborative, and playful. It relies on a sense of flow and emphasizes the process over the product. It does not make saying “no” any easier. Yes, and it is for all of these reasons that it is the perfect title for this album.

To start, percussionists are the quintessential “yes, and” performers. Save for logistical impossibilities, I have rarely heard a percussionist say “no” to exploring new sounds and instrument combinations. We don’t have nearly the historical breadth of music written for us as our string, piano, and voice colleagues, for example, which also helps with avoiding precedents of what denotes a “standard” percussion solo. Besides, it’s just downright fun to do things like visit a you-pick junkyard, hardware store, or thrift store for new sounds! That said, every track on this record adds a “plus” element to the solo, including the use of electronics, speaking, humming, singing, and creating instrument combinations to enhance the available range for the performer. Yes, I could have written just for the double seconds steel pans… and, why not extend the upper register with a tenor pan?! Yes, percussionists have plenty of technical work to keep track of in a solo… and, we also have access to our breath and voice to include an additional human element.

In the spirit of “yes, and,” it was imperative to me that this ten-track album include recordings from ten different performers. Not only was this to highlight the incredible work of my friends and colleagues and to take some of the spotlight off of myself (that part is very true…), but many of the folks on this record are at similar professional stages in our careers, and an album credit can look really good for a tenure portfolio, job application, CV, etc. In a world that often appears cutthroat and competitive, especially with building a profession in the arts, I wanted this project to demonstrate the power of community and collaboration. Furthermore, this record would not have happened without the community of over 70 sources who contributed financially through grants and a crowdfunding campaign. Projects like this always need a community to make it happen.

Yes, creating an album is quite an undertaking, and there are also many obstacles that can get in the way of sticking to a particular timeline. Planning for this record began in early 2022. The initial timeline was approximated for a spring 2023 release date. Then, a summer 2023 release date. And then fall 2023. And, and… you get the point. At the same time, releasing the record in late 2025, nearly four years after the initial planning, reminds me that many of the finest things in life take time. Coordinating travel and recording schedules for ten performers from across the US is already a heavy (and incredibly worthwhile) lift, not to mention composing two new works for the album and spending scores of hours with Gavin Ryan on edits and mixing (Gavin is the superhero behind this entire record, by the way. None of this would have been possible without his expertise, patience, and unbelievable collection of gear). It is also worth noting that both Gavin and I were working towards our DMA degrees as this album was being developed, so we both had a number of projects to juggle and prioritize. This is just another example of how yes + and = making peace with the flow. 

Yes…

…this album experienced quite the journey to get to what you are listening to now…

…and…

…it was totally worth it.

Thank you for listening and going on this journey with me.

-Alexis C. Lamb (2025)