Release date: May 1, 2026

Press member? Email me for a listening link.

1. Flowing Currents 5:11
(feat. Sean Imboden, Joel Tucker)

2. The Gentle Giant 7:48
(feat. John Raymond)

3. When You Look Beyond 6:05
(feat. Sean Imboden, Joel Tucker)

4. Balcony 10:19
(feat. Zac Granger, Sean Imboden)

5. Follow the Kite 7:51
(feat. Chris Pitts)

Sean Imboden - director/composer/tenor/soprano

Matt Pivec - alto/soprano/flute/clarinet

LaMont Webb - alto/flute/alto flute

Mark O'Connor - tenor/soprano

Cecily Terhune - tenor

Evan Drybread - baritone/bass clarinet

Clark Hunt - trumpet/flugelhorn

Ansyn Banks - trumpet/flugelhorn

Joey Tartell - trumpet/flugelhorn (Flowing, Giant, Beyond)

John Raymond - trumpet/flugelhorn (Flowing, Giant, Beyond)

Scott Belk - trumpet/flugelhorn (Balcony, Kite)

Kent Hickey - trumpet/flugelhorn (Balcony, Kite)

Tucker Woerner - trombone

Zac Granger - trombone

Chaz Rhodes - trombone

Rich Dole - bass trombone

Joel Tucker - guitar

Christopher Pitts - piano

Nick Tucker - bass

Cassius Goens III - drums

All compositions by Sean Imboden

Produced by Sean Imboden and Rich Dole

Assistant Production by Alex Shanafelt

Recorded at Primary Sound Studios Bloomington, IN, May 4-5, 2025

Engineered, Mixed, and Mastered by Jake Belser

Artwork and Graphic Design by Kara Tucker

Video Documentation by Pearce Vaughn

Session Photography by Mark Sheldon

Thank you to our financial contributors:

Executive Producers
Joan Clement
Susan and Don Foley
Corinne Imboden and Ray Kuehlthau

Supporters
David Allee
Shawna Frazer-Klopfer and Tibor Klopfer
Jay Gagne
Jeff and Joy Main
George Wolfe

Liner notes:

Uncharted Realms is the second album by my big band, the Sean Imboden Large Ensemble, released one year after our debut, Communal Heart. I’m grateful we’ve been able to keep this group alive and growing—it’s no small task getting 17 musicians in the same room on the same day. I’m fortunate to work with a dedicated community of talented, hard-working performers who are willing not only to take on every wild idea I put in front of them, but to shape those ideas with beauty, grace, and honesty. I’m deeply thankful to our financial supporters who help make these dreams possible, to every concertgoer who has purchased a ticket, and to every listener who takes this music home.

This album represents a clear, focused expression of our vision as a band: nurturing community while embracing risk. We venture into some unexpected territory on this record, and I’m grateful to everyone who continues to take the journey with us. I’m incredibly proud of this music, and I hope it resonates with you.

When I first shared these tracks with our visual artist, Kara Tucker, I offered a handful of guiding words: future, vision, optimism, fantasy, and playfulness. After listening, she painted a beautiful bluebird—an image of hope, joy, and new beginnings. As artists, we draw from our experiences and pour ourselves into what we create. Through that process, we work toward becoming better versions of ourselves, refining our craft as we move closer to an ideal—not only an artistic one, but a vision of how we wish the world to be. The art itself is not the destination, but a vessel: a way of sharing who we are and inviting others to be fully themselves. At our core, we long for connection, understanding, purpose, and safety. My hope is for a world in which these things are within reach for everyone.

The opening track, “Flowing Currents,” begins as the horn sections greet each other through flourishing counterpoint. Like the first blossoms of spring, small motifs emerge and grow, soon carried forward by the full rhythm section. The music gathers momentum as the saxophones surge into the melody, followed by my tenor solo. The piece concludes with a rock-inspired guitar solo from Joel Tucker, lifted by horn backgrounds and driving drums.

“The Gentle Giant” opens with a weighty groove, propelled by a Philip Glass–esque saxophone line and sharp, Stravinsky-inspired brass stabs. Two sides of the giant reveal themselves early on: raw, adolescent force set against a more thoughtful, introspective nature, expressed through an elegant theme. As the music settles, the flutes offer a pure, unadorned melody, followed by the delicate flugelhorn voice of John Raymond. When we perform this piece live, I like to tell the story of a giant discovering who he is—one who first feels compelled to frighten the villagers, but eventually learns that harmony is possible when he chooses connection instead.

“When You Look Beyond” carries forward the lyricism of “The Gentle Giant” and pushes it into motion. As an anthem for the present moment, it reflects a world that can feel chaotic, even fractured, while suggesting that hope and peace remain within reach if we look beyond our immediate circumstances. Ansyn Banks introduces the melody on solo trumpet, which develops into a dynamic horn soli. Joel Tucker channels the turbulence on guitar, while my tenor solo searches for a path back toward an optimistic horizon.

“Balcony” is one of the earliest pieces I’ve written, composed nearly a decade ago. It began with the bass line, played here with warmth and depth by Nick Tucker, followed by a melody that has stayed with me ever since. The arrangement continued to evolve over the years, after the band’s inaugural rehearsal in 2017. Even now, this melody feels like an intimate offering—a small piece of my soul shared with the listener. Zac Granger lends his voice through a heartfelt trombone solo, and I explore the soprano saxophone over tango-inspired backgrounds.

“Follow the Kite” closes the album with a spirit of playfulness and wonder. In many ways, it reflects my approach to composing. Just as I can’t control the wind, I don’t choose which ideas arrive—I simply try to follow them and enjoy the ride. The music unfolds as the muses offer their gifts, sometimes leading to unforeseen places (including the occasional measure in 21/16). Chris Pitts delivers an uninhibited piano solo, and in the end, the kite drifts gently back into the hands of its owner.