*100 copies limited edition* Following the striking debut of Believe That Was Me (577 Records, 2025), Matthew Putman, Hill Greene, and Francisco Mela reunite for Bright Sun Outside, a fearless new recording that further expands their shared language of spontaneous composition and soulful listening.
Emerging from the creative orbit of 577 Records, the trio crafts a vivid and unpredictable sonic landscape where abstraction, rhythm, lyricism, and raw momentum exist in constant motion. Mela’s addition of whistle textures introduces another layer to the ensemble’s palette, weaving through Putman’s restless piano explorations and Greene’s grounded yet fluid bass lines.
While their first release captured the excitement of discovery, Bright Sun Outside reveals a group operating with even deeper trust, intuition, and openness. The performances move seamlessly between turbulence and restraint, channeling the spirit of free improvisation while maintaining an emotional clarity that feels immediate and deeply human. Echoes of Cecil Taylor and the avant-garde tradition surface throughout the album, yet the trio avoids imitation, pursuing instead a musical language entirely their own.
Putman and Greene have cultivated a close musical partnership through years of collaboration dating back to 2017, including multiple projects on 577 Records and performances with the Telepathic Band. Mela — celebrated for his work alongside McCoy Tyner, Joe Lovano, and Esperanza Spalding — continues his longstanding artistic relationship with the label through recordings, appearances at the New York Forward Festival, and the development of the Sounds of Freedom artist residency program. Recorded within the creative environment surrounding the 577 Records community, Bright Sun Outside reflects the collective spirit that has defined the label for a quarter century: adventurous music created without boundaries, expectations, or compromise. In 2026, 577 Records proudly celebrates 25 years of independent creative music and artistic collaboration.
