A "Jazz Fusion" band, that sounded similar to
"Happy the Man" and Chick Corea's "Return to Forever"
developed in Annapolis during the early 80's. Playing primarily
original music Tangent appeared at festivals, parks, and clubs around
the Baltimore - Washington area for several years. Tangent opened
for Dexter Gordon at Dupont Park, Jimmy McGriff at the Cellar Door
and played at colleges in Maryland, Deleware, Pensylvania and New York.

Over the years the ensemble was re-grouped several times. Twenty plus players went through Tangent and the constant personel change was ultimately it's demise. There were three incarnations of the band that were especially productive and recorded, gigged, traveled etc... I have taken the recording sessions of these three seperate Tangent entities... edited, remastered and put the cream of the crop on a CD collection titled "Tangent" available by contacting Paul Phillips

Ensamble One Buzz Lerch - Keys, Byron Mcwilliams - Drums, Richard Armentrout - Guitar, Don Stapleson - Sax/Flute, Paul Phillips - Bass. Our first session was done at Ray Tilkens studio "Ambient" This was the early phase of Tangent... we struggled with material. The only song from that session that I thought captured our real sound was "Icarus" by Ralph Towner. Even though the band was working alot we didn't have very many original songs and the sound was losing focus. Rick and I decided to flat out stop working and start writing material.

Ensamble Two

Buzz Lerch - Keys,
Richard Armentrout - Guitar,
Joe McIntyre - Marimba/Percussion,
Don Stapleson - Sax/Flute,
Steve Reppert - Drums
Paul Phillips - Bass

After writing like crazy monkeys and working on production
for 6 or 7 months we felt the band was ready. Back to the
studio we went, this time Track Studios in Silver Spring.

This version of Tangent was probably the most successful and
more of a concert band. Although we played some clubs we mostly played
Colleges and had the pleasure of opening for Dexter Gordon at
Dupont Park and Jimmy McGriff at The Cellar Door.

The College circuit left everbody disenchanted. The money was great but
frequently the Colleges wouldn't even advertise that there was live
music happening - we became tired of playing to empty rooms,
tension and tempers flared, the band fell apart.

Ensemble Three

Paul Phillips - Bass,
Byron McWilliams - Drums,
Richard Armentrout - Guitar,
Tom Hollowell -Keys


It had become increasingly difficult to make money playing jazz
so this was the streamlined version of the band. We recorded at Skeebie Studio
in Aspen Hill - Kevin Morales was the engineer. Kevin was also one of
the many drummers that played with Tangent.

This version of Tangent played concerts and occasionally clubs
mostly in the Annapolis area - King of France Tavern, City Docks etc...
Struggling with our identity in a market where Jazz Fusion was dying
we added vocals to our sound which was dumb since, at least at the time,
none of us could sing worth a damn. On a positive note the band was
writing music like crazy and for the first time the material
was written by all of us collectively.

Misc Pics

Listen to the "Tangent" CD online with Real Audio

Video Command Armentrout,Lerch Once in a Lifetime Phillips,Armentrout The Whale Hunt Armentrout The Connection Phillips,Armentrout Riding High Hollowell Liars Moon Hollowell,Armentrout Heebie Jeebies Hollowell,Armentrout,McWilliams,Phillips Insect Love Song Hollowell,Armentrout,Mcwilliams,Phillips Icarus Ralph Towner