The Tiner/Phillips/Schoenbeck Trio was formed in 2002, and since then has performed at Rocco, the Smell, the Open Gate New Music Series, line space line at the Salvation Theater in Los Angeles, The Jazz House in Berkeley, as well as at the 3rd Annual CalArts Creative Music Festival organized by Wadada Leo Smith. They have been called “a trio of increasingly visible local edge danglers” by the LA Weekly, and have been gathering international radio play and critical attention with their current CD release, Breathe In, Feed Out (pfMENTUM CD014). The trio performs original compositions, commissioned works, and improvisations that explore the subtle sonic spaces of their unusual instrumentation. Members of the group are prolific on the West Coast creative music scene, and each have worked with notable artists which include Nels Cline, Wadada Leo Smith, Vinny Golia, Alex Cline, Leroy Jenkins, Anthony Braxton, Gerry Hemingway, G.E. Stinson, and Harris Eisenstadt.

CRITICAL PRAISE for Breathe In, Feed Out...

"While they have their overt moments (the sprung rhythms of 'Winddrone, Water Drying,' the bumptious clatter of 'Metal Skin' and 'Force a Smooth Thing'), these ten tracks form a set of carefully considered studies, one that imposes a welcome, reflective mood upon the listener. 'They Mistook Time for Line,' one of the track titles, could almost be a group manifesto. Tiner's trumpet and flugelhorn work is both conversational and eliptical, much like Bill Dixon's in its unhurried examination of space. The guitarist and bassoonist work similar paths, reacting to each other with a slight narrative push here, a noisy squiggle there; 'Force a Smooth Thing' is a tour-de-force of guitar/electronics helter play, while Schoenbeck's command of her difficult, ghetto-ized instrument is admirably full and entertaining... Well-executed ferocity aside, it's the quietly entrancing moments of tracks like 'A Wind Shift,' 'Road From Kumasi,' and 'Like Red Flowers' that draw the listener in to this trio's fascinating sound world. Hope there's more to come."
-Larry Nai, Cadence Magazine

“Wonderful...it's a minimalist approach that never loses its quiet, stretching atmosphere and stark, naked beauty. Never too chaotic, it is a spacey, moody, somewhat dark and at times noisy minimalism that seeks to bring life to the barren, lonesome, jagged landscapes of its photography.”
-Jeramy Ponder, Jackal Blaster Webzine

“Creative and imaginative...The three artists present a purity of sound that is basic, interesting, and honest.”
-The Critical Review Service

“This excellent CD is all about atmospheric experimentation. The members of the trio play their instruments to compliment one another, so this is not a slugfest of blaring trumpet and lead guitar solos. As a matter of fact, the bassoon, played by Sara Schoenbeck, is an instrument I wish more jazz musicians would incorporate into their music. Essentially, the bassoon becomes a replacement for the traditional bass parts and possesses a very different textural feel which allows for greater flexibility. Another avenue of exploration that the experimental jazz genre needs to take a hold of is electronic media. Guitarist Noah Phillips uses everything from controlled feedback and various electronic sound effects including, I think, a bowed guitar. These effects modernize the sound, without trashing the jazz roots of the compositions. Kris Tiner’s subdued trumpet and flugelhorn tends to carry most of the melodies throughout. “Force A Smooth Thing” is a fine example of the potential for experimental electronic music within the jazz medium. As far as I am concerned, this is experimental contemporary jazz at its best. I hope to hear more of this type of music in the near future. ”
-Michael Casano, JazzReview.com

"Kris Tiner (trumpet), Noah Phillips (guitar), and Sara Schoenbeck (bassoon) fashion moody, thoughtful music that delivers unexpected warmth and familiarity. Phillips' stretchy metal dominates 'Skujellifeddy.' Tiner and Schoenbeck play long unisons while Phillips buzzes and shreds. Spontaneous instrument sounds and noises open, 'Winddrone, Water Drying,' which shifts into high gear. The trio strikes gold on Tiner's 'Road from Kumaasi.' Phillips repeats a simple, hopeful figure and Tiner laces it with expressive, melodically strong variations. Schoenbeck follows, like her fellows, exploiting her instrument's richest range, shaping, bending, rounding notes. The intriguing 'They Mistook Time For Line,' features an oozing solo from Phillips, soon joined by Tiner's tart mute. All three explore raw, ragged tones to start 'Force a Smooth Thing.' Phillips employs a number of effects boxes to achieve sounds unintended by their designers. With their first release, Tiner, Phillips, and Schoenbeck establish themselves as sound scientists of the heart."
-Rex Butters, All About Jazz Los Angeles

"Les trois voix; cuivre, bois et cordes renvoient aux pupitres traditionnels de l'orchestre, ce n'est peut-être pas un hasard sur ce label qui cherche des voies nouvelles sans tourner le dos au passé. Ni suite d'improvisations libres ni système de thèmes et de variations, l'enregistrement est une organisation intrigante et intriquée. Le trompettiste, Kris Tiner, architecte principal du groupe, posséde à la base une sorte de sonorité blanche qui permet toutes les colorations. Il approche parfois sa trompette presque comme une flûte ou évoque le jazz avec goût. Sarah Schoenbeck joue du basson d'une manière déliée et aérienne, souvent au service des autres à la façon d'une basse, son unique solo fait regretter sa discrétion. Noah Phillips multiplie les sonorités à tel point qu'il se fait oublier en tant qu'instrumentiste. Les tempi modérés des dix morceaux de durée très variable permettent à chaque musicien d'écouter les autres et d'adapter ce qu'il désire à ce que font ses partenaires. Si on entend distinctement des parties écrites dans les trois morceaux composés par Tiner, l'architecture complexe des sept autres, que l'on constate au fur et à mesure des écoutes, est le résultat d'interactions improvisées. Chaque son semble joué en pleine conscience, sans recours à l'excitation ou la transe. La musique réconcilie en actes l'écrit, l'improvisé, sons classiques, bruitistes, ou venus de 'l'impro-jazz' dans une improvisation méditée sans sauvagerie ni esthétisme. C'est une de ces musiques qui prennent peu à peu leur auditeur et dans lesquelles tout devient nécessaire. Le travail des musiciens et le montage final de Tiner et Kaiser, bâtit un cd d'une grande rigueur globale et qui étonne en semblant toujours échapper à l'écoute. A mesure qu'on s'en approche, la musique du trio découvre sa nature labyrinthique."
-Noel Tachet, Improjazz Magazine (Blois, France)

“From L.A. or thereabouts, a nice improvising trio that keeps to a gentler sound with the occasional electronic burst...A bit of a chamber-jazz feel with good stretches of exporatory improvising.”
-Craig Matsumoto, KZSU Radio (Stanford CA)

“Very groovy improv (or is it?) w/ a nice variety of moods and structures.”
-Erik Amlee, Weirdsville! WebRadio (Northampton MA)

“the tiner, phillips, schoenbeck cd is the ultra dope atomic bomb.”
-G.E. Stinson, guitarist and composer

"A collaboration involving West Coast trumpeter Kris Tiner, Noah Phillips on guitar and Sara Schoenbeck on bassoon, Breathe In, Feed Out begins with some freeform jagged interplay as harsh guitar picking up against extended blasts of mournful brass before sliding into a wayward, jazzy lullaby. An air of...exploration dominates...some interesting interplay between Phillips's blunt guitar frittering and Tiner's constipated brass rasping on 'Metal Skin'."
-Tom Ridge, The Wire

"Growing up in the late '70s, I remember watching bad science-fiction movies on television, and the weird music that was meant to be both mysterious and frightening in those movies sounded an awful lot like the music that this trio creates... Why somebody chose to send this record to SKRATCH is beyond me, as I can't imagine very many readers would be hip enough to even give this a try."
-Chip Midnight, Skratch Magazine

"The Tiner Phillips Schoenbeck combine group pieces with three composed by Tiner and arranged by the trio, recorded on 18/11/02. They have an interesting mix of instruments – brass and reeds; guitar and electronics; bassoon (in order) – and the combination offers a uniqueness that gives the trio something to differentiate them. The bassoon plays the part of bass and drums – a subdued support with occasional solo – and while sometimes you expect a real rhythm section to drop in, they are not really missed. Across the album there are three main directions. There are a few wild and squeally improv moments throughout – the opening (of course) Metal skin, parts of Clocks and maps, Windrone – not too many, not too disharmonious and balancing overall. There are too few tracks that bring in the second aspect, the electronics. Where it is, in Clocks or Force a smooth thing, for example, it adds an extra and complementary dimension. Then the third mood – longer ambient pieces where the instruments are given space for solos and to slowly develop themes and moods. Melodic, restrained, beautiful are words that came to mind. The tones and moods that the trio display across the album make this one a real pleasure with plenty of listening in."
-Jeremy Keens, Ampersand Etcetera