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Grant Stewart: Plays the Music of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn
by George Kanzler
Here's a refreshing take on Ellingtonia, one that doesn't rely on the overdone ("Take the A Train," “Perdido") or easy ("C-Jam Blues"). Canadian native Grant Stewart brings a post-Swing, combo approach to his Ellingtonia, even going so far as to reference Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk{{ and the {{Duke Ellington/John Coltrane collaboration. The tenor saxophonist, whose own distinctive style has echoes of Clifford Jordan and later Al Cohn in tone and conception, leads a pos tbop/hard bop-leaning ...
Continue ReadingGrant Stewart: Young at Heart
by David A. Orthmann
Since moving from Toronto to New York at age 19, Grant Stewart has spent 15 years dutifully toiling in the city's jazz underground. Only over the past few years have we begun to hear some worthy examples of the tenor saxophonist's labor--a release under his name for Criss Cross, a pair on the same label by Reeds and Deeds (a band he co-leads with Eric Alexander), and a couple on the Video Arts imprint. Although all of these discs are ...
Continue ReadingGrant Stewart: From Smalls To The Big Time
by Jason Crane
Saxophonist Grant Stewart moved from Toronto to New York after high school, and quickly established himself as a musician's musician. Stewart has played and studied with everyone from Donald Byrd and Pat LaBarbera to Brad Mehldau and Al Grey. His new album, In The Still Of The Night (Sharp Nine, 2007) is an infectious album of classic tenor tones.
AAJ contributor Jason Crane recently spoke with Stewart about jazz's Yoda, hard-asses and Eddie Van Halen.
Continue ReadingGrant Stewart: In The Still Of The Night
by David A. Orthmann
Grant Stewart In The Still Of The Night Sharp Nine Records 2007
Soloing on the title track of In The Still Of The Night, tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart plays scads of notes over a rhythm section traveling at warp speed. But while his stamina and ability to think fast at a nearly impossible tempo are impressive, this tenacious blowing doesn't hint at the depth of Stewart's work on the rest ...
Continue ReadingGrant Stewart: In the Still of the Night
by Elliott Simon
Grant Stewart has an athletic able-bodied style on tenor that can best be described as muscular. It is no surprise that he lists Sonny Rollins as a major influence but what makes him a standout in the large crowd of hard bop tenorists is his ability to sprint across the keys without sacrificing an ounce of beef. He can be found often headlining shows at Smalls in New York and impressing with his rare combination of speed and power.
Continue ReadingGrant Stewart: From Small(s) To The Big Time
by Jason Crane
It's here--the first episode of The Jazz Session, a jazz interview podcast hosted by All About Jazz contributor Jason Crane. In this show, Jason interviews tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart. Stewart has been in New York for the past 16 years, since moving there from his native Toronto. He's played with quite a roster of jazz artists, from Curtis Fuller, John Hendricks and Clark Terry to Brad Mehldau, Larry Goldings and Jimmy Cobb. Stewart's new album on Sharp Nine Records is ...
Continue ReadingGrant Stewart: In The Still Of The Night
by Edward Zucker
It would not be a stretch to call Grant Stewart an international jazz nomad. Stewart was born in Canada and moved to New York City at nineteen. During his career, he has recorded for labels that read like a UN roll call, including French, Japanese, Spanish and Dutch imprints. In The Still Of The Night is his first release as a leader on an American label.
The tenor saxophonist receives support from drummer Joe Farnsworth, bassist Peter Washington ...
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