FIRST SONG "FIRST TOUR" and Album Fundraiser

Hey everybody - I'm Patrick Bartley, GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist, composer, and bandleader from Fort Lauderdale, FL, and I'm extremely excited to finally share with you my debut jazz album, "First Song"!

After not playing for over 11 years, old high school friends that vowed to reunite someday finally did, and created some of the most honest, pure, and excellent music we've ever made. This is our "First Song", and this is our story.

This album is more than special to me, it's a culmination of all of our hopes and dreams from when we were kids, finally realized in this moment in time. Russell, Stefan, and I were our first real band members, best friends, and future colleagues in life. We all shared a special dream that we never let die, even though the odds were against us... we stuck to our dream, and with the support of our friends, teachers, and family, we actually left the nest and took to the world stage - and never forgot where we came from.

However, with the pandemic and other situations taking us far away from home and leaving us in dire straits, recovering our funds to make anything like this happen has been a struggle. Not able to get with a label, either, I went completely out of pocket for this album - and, with the help of the band and some friends, we ended up getting it recorded! But now, we need your help to bring it to the world...

After so many years, and a dream to bring this music to the world and inspire others to never give up, we don't want to give up, either. That's why we're asking for your help to allow us to go on our first tour! We'll start with the US, the country that gave birth to our mission and allowed us to be here - and hopefully we'll be able to tour the world someday! We also would love to make CDs, Vinyl, and other cool things that we know would be awesome to give you all.

**Full Disclaimer - Right now, we are only able to tour the US. If we're able to reach even crazier heights with this album and fundraiser, we'll see what we can do about the world! Thank you!

Any amount is appreciated - anything helps! I never want to get to the point to where I'm "too famous" to stop interacting with you all on a personal level. The community is the most important thing to us, and that's why we want to do this together, with YOU, to help keep this as deep and earnest as possible.

Thank you all so much for reading, watching, listening, everything you do to support us. I hope you enjoy "First Song"!

Special Thanks:

Dev Avidon - Mixing and Mastering

Ogata-san - Photography

Tristan Odums - Graphic Design

Our parents, for allowing us to be here and supporting/driving us (literally):

Stefan Klein, Sr., Gloria, Pam, Patrick Bartley, Sr., Marilyn Freelove, Martin Freelove

Our incredible teachers, mentors, friends and family from South Florida:

Christopher Dorsey, Melton Mustafa Jr., Jesse Jones, Jr., Mr. Gino, Nicole Yarling, Mike Gerber, Rick Harris, Jason Hainsworth, Stephen Scott, The Burell family, The Howell family, The Neubergs (Ethan, Cora, and Nick), The Boiko family, The Bridges family, all our friends from the Bethune Elementary, Parkway Middle, Dillard High, North Broward Prep, and New World Schools, amongst all other schools we've been close with over the years, WDNA Miami, Gold Coast Jazz Society, All County Honors Bands, and every other educational institution that allowed us to freely grow and explore without judgement or restriction - but still let us know our fundamentals!

Of course, anyone else that I have failed to mention because I'm typing this at 1AM in Japan - I'm so sorry. Please know that I have not forgotten anyone and will always make the effort to thank and honor you whenever possible. No matter who you are - friend, colleague, family, teacher, anyone - you are all important to me.

And to some of our heroes and family that are no longer with us physically, but burn on in all of us spiritually, forever:

Ira Sullivan, Melton Mustafa, Sr., Joe Temperley, Paul Cohen, Turk Mauro, and everyone else who believed in us at an early age, inspired, AND encouraged us to be where we are today. Thank you so much, and we love you forever.

We also love all of you very much. Thank you all so much for making this possible!

-Patrick