Jensen Engineering

Jensen Engineering
RITTERMAN EP

Release date: 12/01/2021

Slow & Steady Records announces the release of Jensen Engineering’s surprise year-end RITTERMAN EP, the first of a series of EPs, which sees Bay Area-based multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Jonathan Seiberich turning his focus to beat production. The creation of RITTERMAN EP began during the height of the pandemic, when Seiberlich watched a series of drum beats and samples that friend and San Francisco-based drummer Blake Ritterman posted to Instagram during quarantine. Seiberlich got the drum tracks from Ritterman, added tuba, trombone, guitar, piano, voice, samples, and even some flute. As each track evolved and took on its own identity, Seiberlich reached out to some of his favorite emcees and instrumentalists.

The EP begins with a frenzied “Agent Orange”, featuring West Coast keyboardist Javier Santiago, before settling into the slumpy “Harvey’s Hop”, with a verse from Atlanta-based emcee Breathless. “Thrive” starts with a sampled dialogue before launching into a verse from Oakland-based drummer/rapper Darian Gray. The closing track, “Flightless Bird” features prolific Oakland-based rapper Mani Draper, a vocal hook by Seiberlich, and ends with an uplifting solo from saxophonist Thomas Occhuito.

According to Seiberlich, RITTERMAN EP emerged from an inner-dialogue sparked by the pandemic. “With all gigs cancelled, I had to decide whether or not what made me a musician was working, making money performing, or if making music was an inherent part of who I am. I started this project to prove to myself that I make music because that’s just who I am.” Seiberlich intends to continue this journey in his forthcoming EPs.

Produced by Jonathan Seiberlich
Vocals: Breathless, Darian Gray, Mani Draper
Synthesizer: Javier Santiago
Saxophone: Tommy Oschiutto
Drums: Blake Ritterman
Master: Myles Boisen