Former San Diegans bassist Danny Weller and guitarist Jeff Miles return home from Brooklyn, NY, to reunite with LA drummer Jens Kuross and San Diego piano monster Joshua White for a CD-Release party celebrating their recording, Third Story, on Friday, March 2, in The Back Room at 98 Bottles.

Third Story is a terrific album (see "More Robert Bush" to catch my review), produced by Weller with a nod to a certain German record label.

"It has very ECM (Editions of Contemporary Music) vibe to it, especially the instrumentation and the compositions," said Weller via e-mail.

"I produced the album, but the arrangements and compositions were certainly a result of collaboration between Joshua, Jeff and myself. I also consulted heavily with Jeff on the mixing, mastering, artwork and website."

San Diegans will remember Weller from his playing alongside trumpeter Gilbert Catellanos, pianist Mikan Zlatkovich, and the free-jazz co-op Kronomorfic.

Miles graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 2008, and that very same year won 1st Prize in the Montreux Gibson Guitar Competition in Switzerland.

The March 2 show will also feature trumpeter Castellanos as a special guest.

"Musically, the band has always been a collaboration, and I'm honored to work alongside such prolific musicians. Jeff and Joshua also have their own bands with which they perform," says Weller, adding, "Third Story is the band I would love to see perform more often."

There will be two shows at 8 and 10 p.m. For more on the band: www.thirdstorymusic.com

Photo by Michael Klayman