The Mighty Mighty is a dazzling, joyful, and innovative ensemble of mighty instrumental musicians — Nolan Gasser (piano, composer), Tim Ries (reeds), Matt Szemela (violin), Dimitris Mahlis (oud, guitars), Eva Scow (mandolin), Jamey Haddad (percussion), Carlitos del Puerto (bass), and Gary Novack (drums). These players have worked regularly with the most celebrated artists of our time, including the Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Steve Miller, Chick Corea, Sting, Robben Ford, George Benson, among many others. 

The band — and their debut recording, BORDER CROSSING — are the inspiration of Dr. Nolan Gasser, acclaimed composer, pianist, and Pandora musicologist. The songs on the album blend a set of distinctive “global music” styles — North African, West African, Middle Eastern, Turkish, Andalusian, Hungarian, Celtic, etc. — with the grooves, harmonies, and improvisational freedom of rock and jazz. It was produced by multi-Grammy Award winner Gregg Field, engineered by the legendary Ed Cherney, and mastered by multi-Grammy Award winner Paul Blakemore. 

The album — to be released on February 19, 2023, on the prestigious ArtistShare label — also features two vocal tracks, with lyrics by Mindi Dickstein: “Now is the Time”, on the climate crisis, recorded by Guadeloupean vocalist Malika Tirolien; and “The Brighter Side”, on the migration crisis, recorded by Irish vocalist Orlah Fallon. 

All tracks are composed by Dr. Gasser, aside from an arrangement of The Beatles’ “She Said, She Said”, along with two bonus tracks from the band’s live show in spring 2021 at SF Jazz: Duke Ellington’s “Caravan” and the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter”. The music of BORDER CROSSING explores the exotic and alluring scales & meters of diverse ethnic styles, superimposed onto a canvas blending rich formal designs, hard-driving grooves, and ample space for creative and virtuosic improvisation. 

To pre-order BORDER CROSSING — and for access to exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes discussions, and unique musical explorations tied to the album — be sure to visit and participate in The Mighty Mighty Experience on ArtistShare.