Stan Killian: Unified (2011)

Bruce Lindsay

CD/DVD Reviewer since 2008

Bruce is the author of the blog Delicious Hot Disgusting Cold, and the photoseries "It's Not How It Sounds".

Recent articles (505 total)

Published: June 21, 2011

Unified is tenor saxophonist Stan Killian's third album and his debut for the Sunnyside label. It's high-quality, straight-ahead modern jazz, played with a real swing by Killian and his band, and enlivened by the contributions of three top-drawer guest horn players.

Leader/composer Killian hails from Texas, home of Texas tenors like Arnett Cobb Arnett Cobb
1918 - 1989
sax, tenor and Illinois Jacquet Illinois Jacquet
1922 - 2004
sax, tenor . Killian's own sound certainly has a big, wide open, feel to it but there's a gentleness there as well, a warmth and friendliness of tone. Venezuelan pianist Benito Gonzalez Benito Gonzalez
b.1975
piano has a lightness of touch that enables him to create some delicate but swinging solos, as well as some finely tuned rhythms.

Killian and Gonzalez play on all seven tunes, interlacing their instrumental lines with a skill and confidence that suggests a longstanding musical relationship. Bassists Corcoran Holt Corcoran Holt

bass, acoustic and Bryan Copeland, and drummers Darrell Green Darrell Green
and McClenty Hunter McClenty Hunter
share rhythm section duties. Whatever the combination of players, each of the quartets is impressive in its own right the rhythm playing of Gonzalez, Hunter and Holt that underpins Killian's lyrical solo on "Center" being particularly fine. The addition of a guest player to each of the numbers simply puts icing on the musical cake.

The three guest musicians on Unified are all bona fide stars of modern jazz—and they more than repay Killian's invitation. Of the two trumpeters, Jeremy Pelt Jeremy Pelt
b.1976
trumpet 's brighter sound is a fine contrast to Killian's. Roy Hargrove Roy Hargrove
b.1969
trumpet 's tone is a little warmer, less bell-like, and complements rather than contrasts with the tenor player.

David Binney David Binney
b.1961
saxophone adds alto sax to three numbers, his sound also complementing Killian and adding depth to their unison playing. On Gonzalez's "Elvin's Sight"—dedicated to drummer Elvin Jones Elvin Jones
1927 - 2004
drums and featuring excellent percussion from Green—the pair swings beautifully, while on the hauntingly dreamlike "Unified," both saxophonists give controlled but emotionally engaging performances.

The guests on Unified all play beautifully, and their presence certainly attracts attention. But Killian's own contributions as lead musician/writer are stylish and engaging, and the core quartets on the album demonstrate their ability to stand alone as musical ensembles , just as the album title suggests.

Track Listing: Twin Dark Mirrors; Elvin's Sight; Unified; Center; Isosceles; Window Of Time; Eternal Return.

Personnel: Stan Killian: tenor saxophone; Benito Gonzalez: piano; Corcoran Holt: bass (1, 4, 5, 7); Bryan Copeland: bass (2, 3, 6); Darrell Green: drums (1-3, 5, 6); McClenty Hunter: drums (4, 7); Roy Hargrove: trumpet (1, 5); Jeremy Pelt: trumpet (4, 7); David Binney: alto saxophone (2, 3, 6).

Record Label: Sunnyside Records