Jazz Articles about Michael Dease

About Michael Dease

Album Review

Michael Dease Big Band: Return Trajectory

Read "Return Trajectory" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
July 3, 2026

While it is not true that a photo of Michael Dease appears in Webster's dictionary next to the word “versatile," the metaphor does not seem too far-fetched once one considers the many tasks Dease carries out on his latest recording, Return Trajectory. Not only does Dease lead his big band, he wrote three of the album's half-dozen themes, solos on trombone on four, baritone sax on the other two (unaccompanied on his composition “Up South"). Rumor has it that he ...

Album Review

Eli Howell: Steps Taken

Read "Steps Taken" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
June 4, 2026

Picture this: Having assembled a supporting cast, finalized the playlist and booked a studio, you are ready to make the debut recording as leader of your own ensemble, only to learn that, hours earlier, said studio in East Lansing, Michigan, had been devastated by a tornado. That is exactly what happened to trombonist Eli Howell in May 2025. Fortunately, thanks to some quick thinking and deft maneuvering by album producer Michael Dease and others, a room was found at Howell's ...

Album Review

Altin Sencalar: Natural Rhythm

Read "Natural Rhythm" reviewed by Andrew Schinder

by Andrew Schinder
May 28, 2026

Rising trombonist Altin Sencalar has positioned himself at the top of a new generation of trombone virtuosos. The trombone may not have the widespread popularity of its brass brethren, but is nevertheless a deeply compelling and versatile instrument. Sencalar has, over the past decade, proven himself as one of the instrument's finest practitioners. Having studied with, and then worked for, trombone star Michael Dease, he combines deep respect for the instrument's legacy with a raw need to muscle it into a ...

Album Review

Michael Dease: MSU Jazz Trombones: Spartan Strong

Read "MSU Jazz Trombones: Spartan Strong" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
January 16, 2026

Michael Dease, widely admired as one of the world's foremost jazz trombonists but rather less-known as an educator, dons his professorial garb on Spartan Strong, supervising a splendid session by a special corps of undergrads (and students in his trombone studio) who together comprise the MSU (Michigan State University) Jazz Trombones, twenty-three members in all when one counts Dease and the group's half-dozen bass trombones. Dease lets the students have full rein, soloing only twice (on Steve Turre's ...

Album Review

Randy Napoleon: Waking Dream

Read "Waking Dream" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
October 5, 2025

What greater satisfaction could a teacher have than to see his or her students achieve success--and in their chosen field, no less. On Waking Dream, renowned jazz guitarist and educator Randy Napoleon shares center stage with four fellow guitarists, all of whom are former students in his classes at Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing. The guitarists are part of a core group that includes three more MSU faculty members: pianist Rick Roe, bassist Rodney Whitaker ...

Liner Notes

Michael Dease: Flow

by Howard Mandel
September 27, 2025

Everything comes together for Michael Dease and company on Flow, which should be no surprise but mustn't be taken for granted. The dynamic Mr. Dease, a consummate musician, sweeps his diverse crew of long-term collaborators and gifted newcomers through a confluence of songs rich in melody, rhythm and feeling. Pleasure-forward, Flow entices, refreshes, buoys and inspires. The album--Dease's 18th as a leader since 2005 and his 11th from Posi-Tone, all imbued with joyful engagement and flaunting stylistic variety--covers ...

Album Review

Michael Dease: Flow

by Dan Bilawsky
September 17, 2025

Michael Dease is always on the go. A flurry of activity seems to surround the prolific trombonist, composer, bandleader, sideman, educator, and doubler. Yet he's always operating in the moment, never distracted by all of the spinning plates. Dease absolutely personifies the flow state, fully immersing himself in every one of his pursuits. This, his 11th album for the Posi-Tone imprint and 18th in all since his 2005 debut, demonstrates that fact as well as anything. Mixing it up with ...