Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Phil DeGreg: The Green Gate

Phil DeGreg: The Green Gate

By Jim Santella
March 1, 1999
View read count

From the mainstream, pianist Phil DeGreg leads his trio and quartet through a varied program of material, both familiar and fresh. The pianist, whose experience includes work with Slide Hampton, Stanley Turrentine, Eddie Harris, and Woody Herman’s orchestra, is an Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Real Audio clips from four of the album’s tracks may be found at http://www.jcurverecords.com/releases.html .

"Bouncin’ With Bud" opens the session and offers a good look at the pianist’s articulate right hand. What is broadly associated with Bill Evans, simply infers in this instance that the artist provides crisp bebop melodies while chording appropriately. Charlie Chaplin’s "Smile," on the other hand, places the piano trio in a lush sweeping ballad scenario with an emphasis on harmony. The pianist improvises over the familiar melody to Johnny Mandel’s "Close Enough for Love" with a relaxed aura similar to what one would find in an intimate club setting. The tenor saxophone drives DeGreg’s "Urgency" forward like the title says, in an up-tempo and dramatic fashion as they go out smokin’. It’s a well-rounded set from the ensemble, with a little something for everyone.

Track Listing

Bouncin

Personnel

Phil DeGreg

piano

Phil DeGreg- piano; Drew Gress- acoustic bass; Steve Davis- drums; Tim Ries- tenor saxophone on "How Deep is the Ocean" and "Urgency", soprano saxophone on "The Green Gate," "Carol

Album information

Title: The Green Gate | Year Released: 1999 | Record Label: J Seven

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Can You Judge an Album By Its Label?
< Previous

Toots Sweet
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.