I decided when I was a junior in high school that I wouldn't pursue a
career in music, but that I would always keep music as something I did
on the side for my own enjoyment. My primary instruments are trombone
and electric bass, although I have done some close-harmony doo-wop
singing too.
I have had some wonderful musical experiences. I was a member of the
Ohio State University Marching Band for five years, and have played in
more jazz ensembles and dance bands (both big band and combo) than I can
count. I've done a little composing and a lot of arranging as well.
While in college, I developed an addiction -- record collecting. With
all the used record stores around campus, I could easily experiment and
sample the works of a variety of artists that I read about in jazz
magazines or saw on album credits. I now have a pretty massive
collection of LPs and CDs.
For four years, I was founder and co-owner of a jazz CD and video mail
order business called Shipped Discs. My partner and I envisioned it as
our escape from the corporate rat race and our ticket to blissful
self-employment. Although we really did a remarkable job of carving out
a viable business from scratch (with no corporate backing, a modest
amount of capital, and no prior experience in this area), it finally
became apparent that the profit margin on CDs is too slim to really make
this sufficiently profitable, so we closed the business.
So I've developed quite a knowledge about jazz over the years. So with
the advent of the amazing Internet, people such as me can publish
whatever we want, and in my case, it's CD reviews. Judging from the
response I've gotten so far, I must be doing okay at it. As the tired
cliché goes, "I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing
them." At least I hope I can steer you to some great CDs and help you
avoid some bad ones.
About the music Dave
reviews
Most of the CDs I review can be placed in the following genres:
- contemporary jazz (Pat Metheny Group, Spyro Gyra, Dave Grusin)
- big band (Rob McConnell & the Boss Brass, Maynard Ferguson, Bob
Mintzer)
- Brazilian (Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins, Djavan)
- vocal group / a cappella (Manhattan Transfer, the Nylons, the Bobs)
- fusion (Brecker Brothers, Return to Forever, Jean-Luc Ponty)
- jazz-influenced rock or R&B (Tower of Power, Earth Wind & Fire,
Steely Dan)
- ... plus Holiday music (from the above categories) around the end of
each year.
Things I enjoy listening to:
- trombone
- steel drums
- vibraphone
- sizzling horn sections
- percussion (Latin and Brazilian)
- artfully written lyrics
Things I hate listening to:
- drum loops
- pedal steel guitar
- repetitive background vocal chants
- lame covers of pop hits
- honking and squealing
- Sade
