Saxophonist Tom Gullion, originally from Indianapolis, is continuing the rich legacy of Indianapolis jazz musicians such as J.J.
Johnson, David Baker, Wes Montgomery, Freddie Hubbard, Slide Hampton. Following in this tradition, Gullion was an obvious
choice when the great trombonist J.J. Johnson put together a new quintet in 1988. Gullion, then a mere 22 years old and still
studying at Indiana University, joined the group, along with Cedar Walton, Rufus Reid and Victor Lewis. After several successful
tours within the United States, Gullion decided to delay his professional career and finish his studies with David Baker at I.U.
After getting his degree with performance honors, Gullion moved to New York. New York turned out to be a good learning
experience, and while living there he played and recorded with Rufus Reid, Joel Weiskopf and a host of other young musicians.
But soon after Gullion arrived in New York, his wife, a violinist, landed a job with a symphony orchestra in Europe and they moved
to La Coruna, Spain.
Gullion didn't let this transatlantic move stop him. Instead, he immediately hooked up with one of the finest rhythm sections in
Spain and started touring throughout the country. Over the course of two years, the relaxed lifestyle in Spain afforded Gullion the
opportunity to practice between six and eight hours a day. With the Spanish jazz group Clunia he recorded a CD, "Carpe Diem,"
which features three Gullion originals. Gullion and Clunia garnered critical acclaim for both their recording and their live
performances.
Apart from his busy schedule with Clunia, Gullion also worked and recorded with the Baldo Martinez Quartet, a piano-less avant
garde ensemble, and the Tom Gullion Trio. As Gullion puts it: "The beauty of this piano-less format is that the harmonic and
rhythmic possibilities of the music are opened up. But, at the same time, you have to shoulder more responsibility for everything
you play. You really note the fine line between art and chaos!"
Since moving to Chicago in July of 1995, Gullion has quickly established himself in the jazz scene. The current quartet includes
Gullion (tenor and soprano saxophones), John Moulder (guitar), Rob Amster (bass) and Paul Wertico(drums). In fact this group
has just finished recording a new CD entitled "Cat's Cradle". This CD, recorded for Naim (London), includes Coltrane's "Wise
One", a unique arrangement of "Invitation" and the rest of the music was penned by Gullion.
A signature trait of Gullion's performances, as noted by many jazz critics, is his communication with the rest of the group. He
performs as an equal partner with the rest of the players and Gullion's groups typically evoke a feeling similar to the Bill Evans or
John Abercrombie groups.
