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Christian McBride: The Movement Revisited
by Chris May
The spring 2020 release of The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait Of Four Icons is the latest chapter in Christian McBride's inspirational salute to the African American civil rights movement and to four of its heroes: Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali. Embracing big band jazz, small group jazz, gospel, funk and chorale musics, together with spoken word passages, the suite employs an eighteen-piece band, the ten-piece Voices Of The Flame gospel choir, two lead ...
Continue ReadingMichael Dease: Never More Here
by David A. Orthmann
Perhaps the most significant thing about Never More Here, trombonist Michael Dease's seventh outing for the Posi-Tone imprint, is the striking polarity of two of the disc's four outstanding tracks, “Mirror Image" and “Blue Jay." In a recording filled with compositions by J.J. Johnson, John Lewis, Jackie McLean and Jimmy Heath, pianist Renee Rosnes' “Mirror Image" commands respect equal to these distinguished predecessors. It doesn't readily fit any familiar jazz niche or template, possesses a somewhat stately air, ...
Continue ReadingNew releases and a special focus on albums from Dease and Giancola
by Bob Osborne
New music all the way with two featured albums from Michael Dease and Trevor Giancola... and some great new releases from the Caligola Records label. Playlist Michael Dease “Mirror Image" from Never More Here (Posi-tone) 00:00 Trevor Giancola “Report Card" from Sonnet 18 (TQM Recording Co) 07:41 Ben Wolfe “Blind Seven" from Fatherhood (Resident Arts) 15:58 Billy Mohler “Deconstruction" from Focus! (Make Records) 19:55 Claudio Cojaniz, Franco Feruglio “Insomnia" from Blue Question (Caligola Records) 24:50 Michael Dease “Blue ...
Continue ReadingMichael Dease: Never More Here
by Dan McClenaghan
Trombonist Michael Dease released Bonafide (Posi-Tone Records) in 2018. The disc was a testament to some of his influences—pianist Geri Allen, trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, trombonist J.J. Johnson. For his 2019 testament, Never No More Here, he tips his hat to saxophonist Charlie Parker. But he doesn't cover “Confirmation" “or “An Oscar For Treadwell" or “Segment," familiar Parker tunes; nor does he offer up ”Loverman" or ”Star Eyes," familiar Parker vehicles. Instead Never No More Here“ reflects on the artists that ...
Continue ReadingMichael Dease: Bonafide
by Geannine Reid
Trombonist Michael Dease was born in Augusta, Georgia. His propensity for the arts landed him at John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet High School, where he studied saxophone, voice and trumpet. During his senior year, after sage advice from another Augusta, Georgia jazz mainstay, Wycliffe Gordon, Dease pointed his ambition towards the trombone, what would ultimately become his primary instrument. Dease furthered his studies at Juilliard School where he earned his bachelor and master degrees. His continued journey includes several ...
Continue ReadingMichael Dease: Bonafide
by David A. Orthmann
Listening critically to recently produced mainstream-jazz recordings often feels like prospecting for gold amidst the dross of familiar templates, all-too-common stylistic references, and unremarkable performances. However, occasionally, even when a record doesn't hang together particularly well and is likely to disappear under the weight of scores of similar sounding releases, diligence is rewarded by a track that stands out and demands to be taken seriously. “Pearls" is the piece de resistance of trombonist/composer Michael Dease's Bonafide, an ...
Continue ReadingMichael Dease: Reaching Out
by Mark Corroto
Somebody has to be the keeper of the flame, right? In jazz, an art form that has only recently passed the century mark, that responsibility has seemed to diminish in importance. It's not that music schools aren't churning out graduates versed in the traditional repertory, and post-modern players aren't constantly pushing the envelope of possibilities. It's just that we need more musicians like Michael Dease who, to quote Art Blakey, play jazz that “washes away the dust of everyday life." ...
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