"The Relatives is a new group split between New York City and Philadelphia consisting of T.J. Borden (cello), James McKain (tenor sax), and Leo Suarez (drums/perc). After many sessions and live performances of various groupings, this self-titled release is the trio's debut recording, displaying a personally refined approach to pointillistic communication, interplay and the construction/demolition of static foundations.

Arriving at the NorthEast megalopolis from distant isolation (Western NY, Southern Illinois, Central FL), The Relatives came about through a mixture of playing shows along the East Coast, various Spring Garden House sessions, lunches at Cafe Nhan, and lengthy discussions of many things musical and extra-musical.

The group began specifically honing in on a trio language around the Winter of 2020 and started meeting for frequent sessions. In March of 2021, this recording was engineered in North Philly by Jared Radichel, and mixed/mastered by Nathan Corder. Outside of the group, Borden, McKain and Suarez all work in a wide spectrum of sound environments, but collectively approach The Relatives as a focused improvising unit, simultaneously digesting and emitting particles of influence and musical syntax."-Tripticks Tape