Jazz Articles about Brian Landrus

About Brian Landrus

Album Review

«Se qualcuno ti dice che non puoi fare qualcosa, sai proprio che stai facendo qualcosa di speciale». Queste parole di Bob Brookmeyer hanno sostenuto Brian Landrus nella stesura di quest'ambizioso progetto orchestrale, che ha confermato le parole del grande trombonista e arrangiatore, ricevendo generali consensi. Tutto è iniziato nell'estate del 2014 quando Landrus preparava il PhD in composizione classica con Robert Livingston Aldridge alla Rutgers University. Dopo mesi di innumerevoli revisioni le partiture hanno iniziato a prendere ...

Album Review

Brian Landrus: Generations

Read "Generations" reviewed by Jerome Wilson

by Jerome Wilson
August 22, 2017

With Generations baritone saxophonist Brian Landrus has created an ambitious set of music for full orchestra that is based in jazz but also touches on classical music, hip hop and reggae, giving prominent position to instruments like harp and vibraphone to give his ensemble an airy, spacious sound.It all begins with the five-movement “Jeru Concerto," Landrus' tribute to one of the icons of his instrument, Gerry Mulligan. It mostly consists of his baritone swirling through a lush, slow ...

Album Review

Brian Landrus: Generations

Read "Generations" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
July 16, 2017

Brian Landrus established himself as a composer of great strength and substance, and rose to his position as one of the foremost low reed specialists on the scene, through albums like the expansive Mirage (Blueland Records, 2013) and the trio-centric The Deep Below (Blueland, Records/Palmetto Records, 2015). But even well wrought and absorbing dates like those don't properly prepare you for this. Generations brings together a twenty-five piece jazz orchestra to realize Landrus' broad-minded, wide-eyed compositions in stunning fashion. We ...

Album Review

Lefteris Kordis: Mediterrana

Read "Mediterrana" reviewed by Franz A. Matzner

by Franz A. Matzner
July 14, 2016

Jazz's ability to absorb new musical traditions and take advantage of novel instrumentation is one of its most notable features. Fans of this form of experimentation will appreciate pianist Lefteris Kordis' forays into merging jazz with traditional Greek and other Mediterranean lineages. Delivered as a series of piano trio plus guest artist compositions, Mediterrana's strength is the subtle blending of timbers Kordis deftly guides from behind the piano, and a consistently restrained approach which results in a refined ...

Album Review

Brian Landrus Trio: The Deep Below

Read "The Deep Below" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
November 30, 2015

Sax baritono tra i più interessanti emersi nel decennio, Brian Landrus svela in questo disco alte doti liriche e timbriche, in undici brani di sua composizione e tre standard. La relazione con Lonnie Plaxico e Billy Hart ha mostrato le sue potenzialità nel quartetto documentato dall'album Traverse (BlueLand, 2011) ma qui l'organico senza pianoforte dà al polistrumentista ampia libertà d'esplorazione, con risultati di grande spessore. Landrus s'alterna anche al clarinetto basso, al sax basso e ...

Album Review

Brian Landrus Trio: The Deep Below

Read "The Deep Below" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
July 16, 2015

With his sixth release as a leader The Deep Below, low reedman Brian Landrus continues to explore the bottom octaves of woodwind registers with his characteristic elegance and captivating charm. What sets this album apart from its predecessors is the sparseness of its setting. Backed only by bass and drums, Landrus places his various instruments at the core and center stage of all the tracks. The result is a raw yet sophisticated showcase of these infrequently heard horns ...

Album Review

Brian Landrus Trio: The Deep Below

Read "The Deep Below" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
May 6, 2015

If this recording can't kindle a love of the low end in your cochlea then nothing can. For The Deep Below, Brian Landrus--perhaps the most significant baritone saxophonist/low reed man to emerge in recent times--put together a trio with bassist Lonnie Plaxico and drumming icon Billy Hart. Together, they explore eleven Landrus originals and three classics, most of which manage to mask weighty sounds with lithe movements and, more importantly, lyrical thoughts. Part of the charm surrounding ...