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Michael Dease: The Other Shoe: The Music of Gregg Hill
by AAJ Staff
"Think of any big city," Greg Hill says, introducing the narrative armature of his composition, The Other Shoe," the denouement and title track of this stimulating collaboration with Michael Dease, who arranged each of Hill's 10 compositions contained herein. It's 2 in the morning, you're still awake, and your neighbor comes in upstairs. You hear the first clunk when his shoe hits the floor. Then you wait. He may be inebriated. It may take a while to get the other ...
read moreA Selection Of Exciting New Releases
by Bob Osborne
On this show all new releases from Michael Dease, Plantas Horribles, the trio of Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison and Ted Nash, the quintet of Jessica Ackerley, Patrick Shiroishi, Chris Williams, Luke Stewart & Jason Nazary, the Fade In Trio, the Gaston De La Cruz Quintet, Dave Douglas in the company of The Westerlies and Anwar Marshall, Robert Lee, Ten Meter Band, and finally, an exceptional new album from the Carole Nelson Trio.Playlist Show Intro 00:00 Michael Dease Rainbow ...
read moreMichael Dease: Best Next Thing
by Kyle Simpler
Like many other talented musicians, Michael Dease always looks for ways to take his music to the next level. He is continually exploring and looking ahead rather than simply resting on his laurels. Because of this passion and determination, he has earned a reputation as a top session player and as a band leader in his own right. Best Next Thing is Dease's ninth album for Posi-Tone Records, and it is an impressive addition to his discography. With ...
read moreFarnell Newton: Feel The Love
by David A. Orthmann
Posi-Tone Records produces coherent projects and maintains high standards in part by keeping things in-house; that is, frequently drawing on a substantial roster of affiliated artists to serve on a particular leader's record. A case in point is Feel The Love, Farnell Newton's third release for the label. While Newton's measured, concise, full-toned trumpet stylings and five, melodically rich compositions are a large part of the record's appeal, there are other factors that stand out. By turns ...
read moreFarnell Newton: Feel The Love
by Kyle Simpler
When cellist Pablo Casals was 93 years old, someone asked him why he still spent hours a day practising. Casals humorously replied that it was because he was beginning to notice some improvement. Like Casals, many other musicians spend hours practising and, in most cases, this dedication comes purely from a true love of music. Trumpet player Farnell Newton is no exception and, with Feel The Love, his passion for music is evident throughout. During the first two ...
read moreTim Mayer: Keeper of the Flame
by Jack Bowers
On Keeper of the Flame, Tim Mayer, a Bostonian who now calls Mexico home, leads a sharp, swinging group of like-minded amigos on a (mostly) octet studio date enriched by Diego Rivera's colorful arrangements. Mayer plays tenor sax on half a dozen tracks, soprano sax on Bye Bye Blackbird" and Get Organized," alto flute on Elusive." Mayer's tenor spans a bridge from early John Coltrane to George Coleman, Joe Henderson, Bob Mintzer and other post-bop patriarchs with a dash of ...
read moreUlysses Owens Jr. Big Band: Soul Conversations
by Jack Bowers
Drummer Ulysses Owens Jr.'s Big Band comes out swinging on its debut recording, Soul Conversations, thundering through Michael Dease's incendiary arrangement of the Dizzy Gillespie/John Lewis flame-thrower, Two Bass Hit." For more such heat, however, the listener must move forward to Track 5, John Coltrane's impulsive Giant Steps," thence to Track 9 for Charles Turner III's earnest homage to Harlem Harlem Harlem," on which he doubles as vocalist. That's not to say that everything in between is ...
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