Jazz Articles about David Binney

David Binney/Edward Simon: Afinidad

by John Kelman
April 26, 2005

Since emerging in the mid-'90s with the cross-genre fusion group Lost Tribe, alto saxophonist David Binney has been carving the kind of musical niche that most artists dream of. Though he's a potent and innovative player, his compositional skills are even more important. His writing is so distinctive that one can identify a Binney composition--regardless of the context--within the first few bars. And between the experimental cooperative Lan Xang and his own gradually growing discography, Binney has been developing a ...

David Binney: Bastion of Sanity

by John Kelman
March 4, 2005

Kicking things off with Wayne Shorter's “Lester Left Town," Bastion of Sanity might seem a decidedly mainstream affair. And, with a cover of Duke Ellington's “Heaven" halfway through the 77-minute set, that intuition might be right. With his quartet of 20-somethings--pianist Jacob Sacks, bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Dan Weiss, augmented for this recording by long-time collaborator Chris Potter on tenor saxophone--alto saxophonist David Binney has been concentrating on honing a looser, more freely improvised group sound at his weekly ...

David Binney: Welcome to Life

by Eddie Becton
December 28, 2004

Saxophonist David Binney's latest release, Welcome to Life, features Chris Potter (tenor saxophone), Craig Taborn (piano), Adam Rogers (guitar), Scott Colley (bass) and Brian Blade (drums). The opening “Soldifolier" is a crisp, open piece where Blade deserves special accolades for his masterful display of unobtrusive styling. “Frez" features Binney, robust, clear, and lyrical. And the supporting cast aptly carries the melody, making the leader's sound all the more fluid and tight.

Meanwhile, “Our Time Together" shifts pace as a soulful ...

David Binney: Welcome to Life

by Sean Patrick Fitzell
July 2, 2004

After making fusion fun again with Lost Tribe, alto saxophonist David Binney continues to expand his compositional language, organically infusing jazz with notions of rock and funk without sounding kitschy or forced. On his latest effort, Welcome to Life, the nine original compositions are well attended by the assembled like-minded musicians: tenor saxophonist Chris Potter, keyboardist Craig Taborn, guitarist Adam Rogers, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade. Their adept performances of Binney’s rhythmically and melodically quirky pieces flow smoothly, ...

David Binney: Welcome to Life

by Phil DiPietro
June 1, 2004

Chris Potter, Brian Blade, Scott Colley, Craig Taborn, Adam Rogers, David Binney--ultra-contemporary modern jazz composers, the latest winners in the Downbeat players poll, or jazzers deserving of a modicum of the hype swirling around the plus band of the moment? All of these, but also the list of participants on Binney's outstanding new Welcome to Life, issued on his own Mythology imprint. These all-stars have been at it for some time now, so this effort potentially marks their full transition ...

David Binney: South

by Julian Derry
January 9, 2004

South is a hauntingly beautiful album of outstanding compositional innovation. The sheer angularity of the opening horn phrase is like tiptoeing across an exposed arete, the cymbals nervously fluttering wisp-like at your heels, the thinnest melodic bridge that leads you to the relative safety of the song's harmonic center. Here you hunker down, comforted by the warm tones of a gently cascading guitar motif brilliantly set against parallel-running streams of intoxicating saxophone. It's a triumvirate amongst many libationary moments. In ...

David Binney: South

by Terrell Kent Holmes
July 25, 2003

If a musical work aspires to the adventurous, it is essential to have musicians who can confidently navigate the terrain. Saxophonist David Binney has assembled such a crew on South : tenorist Chris Potter, guitarist Adam Rogers, pianist Uri Caine, and bassist Scott Colley, plus Brian Blade or Jim Black on drums. The opening “Out Beyond Ideas" is layered like a story with several chapters. Potter wails passionately above the soaring vamp until everyone gently alights to ...