The Check-In with Alden Hellmuth

From Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer by Ruinous Media

May 22, 2026 · 34 min · Season 8 · Episode 322

About this episode

Alden Hellmuth discusses her new album Tether and her journey in music.

Alden Hellmuth is a NY based saxophonist and composer. Following her acclaimed 2024 debut album Good Intentions , Hellmuth returns with the aptly titled Tether , an eight-track exploration of jazz, punk and freeform improvisation. Alden share’s the inspiration behind the new direction and sound on Tether, what it was like writing for two basses and how mixing and processing played a role on not only in the production, but the composition as well. The two discuss the significance of texture in Alden’s recordings and she unpacks the personel that contributed to Tethers ambiance. Alden tells us how she was likely “tricked” into playing the saxophone at a young age, she shares her experience of first discovering the magic of improvisational music and how she eventually steered toward free noise rockers Deerhoof and Otoboke Beaver. We get some insight into Alden’s writing and recording process and hear a couple tunes. Alden Hellmuth Leiter Recordings Tour Stories would like to welcome our newest sponsor Kuma Coffee. Kuma Coffee is a 100% Independently owned roasting company right here in Seattle since 2008. Kuma is a 5-person team, roasting over 100,000lbs of exclusively high scoring…

People in this episode

Host: Joe Plummer

Guest: Alden Hellmuth

Topics covered

jazz
punk
improvisation
music composition
recording process

Keywords

saxophonist
composer
album
improvisational music
recording

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Good Intentions, Tether