At World's Edge

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|quote =Hearing the news that At World's Edge was nominated elated me beyond words. I felt particularly grateful for the validation of the incomparable contributions all the musicians, singers and engineers made to the record. I just wish my father would have lived long enough to share this special honor with me.|source =—Philippe Saisse when asked about his reaction to receiving the Grammy nomination.{{cite web|url=http://news.allaboutjazz.com/philippe-saisse-is-on-top-of-world-with-first-ever-grammy-nod-for-best-jazz-album-at-worlds-edge-dedicated-to-late-father.php?width=1024|title=Philippe Saisse is on Top of World with First Ever Grammy Nod for Best Jazz Album "At World's Edge", Dedicated to Late Father|last=Ricci|first=Michael|date=17 December 2009|publisher=All About Jazz|accessdate=22 March 2016|archive-date=3 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403154031/http://news.allaboutjazz.com/philippe-saisse-is-on-top-of-world-with-first-ever-grammy-nod-for-best-jazz-album-at-worlds-edge-dedicated-to-late-father.php?width=1024|url-status=live}}|align =left|qalign=center|width =40%|quoted = 1|salign =left}}

Philippe Saisse dedicated At World's Edge to his late father Maurice Saisse. This album has African and Latin influences.

The album was nominated for the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-03-la-et-grammy-jazz3-2009dec03-story.html|title=Solid choices in Grammy jazz nominations|last=Barton|first=Chris|date=3 December 2009|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=30 April 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110511201545/http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/03/entertainment/la-et-grammy-jazz3-2009dec03| archive-date= 11 May 2011 | url-status= live}} but lost to the Joe Zawinul album 75.{{cite news|url=http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2010/jan/31/bc-mus-grammys-jazzla-_-entertainment-300-words/?entertainment&national-entertainment|title=Familiar names dot jazz categories|last=Barton|first=Chris|date=31 January 2010|work=The Victoria Advocate|accessdate=30 April 2011| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110512013534/http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2010/jan/31/bc-mus-grammys-jazzla-_-entertainment-300-words/?entertainment&national-entertainment| archivedate= 12 May 2011 | url-status= live}} This was Saisse's first Grammy nomination. The other nominees were Urbanus by Stefon Harris, Sounding Point by Julian Lage, and Big Neighborhood by Mike Stern.{{cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/a-look-at-this-years-grammy-award-jazz-nominees--82727857/162233.html |title=A Look at This Year's Grammy Award Jazz Nominees |last=Levine |first=Doug |date=26 January 2010 |publisher=Voice of America |access-date=30 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511180455/http://www.voanews.com/english/news/arts-and-entertainment/A-Look-at-This-Years-Grammy-Award-Jazz-Nominees--82727857.html |archive-date=11 May 2011 |url-status=live }}

Work on the album began in Saisse's Scarsdale, New York basement studio, but he had to relocate to Los Angeles after a flood destroyed the studio. The album's core musicians, drummer Simon Phillips, bassist Pino Palladino, and guitarist Jeff Golub, recorded with Saisse in Los Angeles, but not all of the album was recorded on site. The guest musicians recorded their parts where ever they were, then sent them to Saisse who produced the pieces together. The work was then sent to Tokyo where engineer Goh Hotoda completed the mixing.{{cite web|url=http://facilities.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=602709|title=Koch Records to Release New Album by Jazz Great Philippe Saisse|date=9 December 2008|publisher=Marketwire|accessdate=30 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930055838/http://facilities.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=602709|archive-date=30 September 2011|url-status=usurped}}

Saisse's mid-recording forced cross-country move was the inspiration for much of the album.{{cite AV media notes |title=At World's Edge|others=Philippe Saisse|year=2009|type=CD liner|publisher=Koch|id=0198877}} "Billy's Blues", which features Jason Golley on both trumpet and flugelhorn, was inspired by Saisse's friend Bill Howell. Saisse stayed with Howell prior to his move west, the location of Howell's home was the inspiration for the track "Topanga Moon Dance". The album opens with "From Nowhere to Now Here", the piece tells the story of his journey west.{{cite web|url=http://www.jazzreview.com/cd/review-20500.html |title=CD Review of Philippe Saisse - At World's Edge on Koch Records |last=Parrish |first=Randall |publisher=jazzreview.com |accessdate=30 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126133450/http://www.jazzreview.com/cd/review-20500.html |archivedate=26 November 2009 }} The track "Assante Sana" exemplifies Saisse's world view of music. This Latin flavored piece feature the vocals of Angélique Kidjo from Benin, Africa.

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Jonathan Widran of Allmusic called At World's Edge "one of the most exciting and explosive contemporary jazz sets of 2009". Randall Parrish called the album "a highly entertaining and engaging work" and closed his review with "[o]nly a true accomplished master such as Philippe Saisse could nimbly pull this expression of contemporary jazz together so marvelously."

1. "From Nowhere to Now Here (Intro)" (Philippe Saisse) 1:16
2. "From Nowhere to Now Here" (Saisse) 4:11
3. "The Rover" (Saisse) 3:59
4. "Billy's Blues" (Saisse) 4:21
5. "At World's Edge" (Saisse) 4:12
6. "Monday Afternoon" (Saisse) 5:31
7. "Assante Sana" (Angélique Kidjo, Saisse) 3:45
8. "Roppongi Blues" (Saisse) 6:29
9. "Through Tainted Glass" (Saisse) 3:41
10. "Topanga Moon Dance" (Saisse) 6:25
11. "Junto" (Saisse) 2:40
12. "At World's Edge" [Vocal Version] (David Rice, Saisse) 4:12

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• Philippe Saisse – keyboards, piano, producer
• Simon Phillips – drums, Audio engineer, mixing
• Pino Palladino – bass
• Jeff Golub – guitar, engineer

• Jeff Beal – flugelhorn, trumpet, engineer
• Michael Davis – trombone
• Marc Antoine – acoustic guitar
• Kirk Whalum – tenor saxophone, engineer
• Lenny Castro – percussion
• Angélique Kidjo – vocals
• Annas Allaf – guitar, oud, engineer
• Jason C. Golley – trumpet, flugelhorn
• David Finck – acoustic bass, engineer, audio production
• Jasmine Roy – vocals
• Scooter Warner – drums, engineer

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• Roy Hendrickson – producer, engineer
• Goh Hotoda – engineer, mixing, audio production
• Ramon Hervey II – executive producer
• Francois Boutault – engineer
• Javier García – engineer
• Ronald Jenkins – engineer
• Daniel Meron – engineer
• Doug Schwartz – mastering
• Andy Snitzer – engineer
• Jake Wherry – engineer
• Christian "Wicked" Wicht – engineer
• Erik Zobler – engineer
• Alice Butts – art direction, design
• Sunny Bak – photography

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Category:2009 albums

Category:Philippe Saisse albums

Category:E1 Music albums