Jazz Articles about Tim Ries

Mike Holober: Canyon

by Dan McClenaghan
October 19, 2003

Pianist/composer Mike Holober's songs brim with shifting textures and moods, like the color changes wrought by the inexorbably-shifting angles of sunlight playing upon the striations of a canyon wall. Holober spends free time hiking and climbing, and he wrote the title tune for Canyon after a trip to Utah's Paria Canyon, an experience that inspired a song full of seamlessly shifting grooves.Those shifts and changes within a composition – done while maintaining an entrancing accessibility – are Holober's ...

A Fireside Chat With Tim Ries

by AAJ Staff
October 1, 2003

I am a fan of Larry Goldings. Not so much his organ playing, although he is a fine organist, and probably the best of his generation, but more so for his compositional prowess. Goldings' compositions are very much beyond his years (if that didn't sound like a compliment, my apologies). Goldings is a fan of Tim Ries and if you connect the dots, well, in essence, I am as well.

The saxophone is a brutal instrument in jazz. ...

The Gotham Jazz Orchestra: Thought Trains

by Jack Bowers
May 1, 2002

One assumes instinctively that a big–band album named Thought Trains isn’t likely to include such time–worn staples as “Moten Swing” or “One O’Clock Jump.” That’s definitely true of this one, even though it does receive a “jump start” from Mike Holober’s rhythmically vibrant composition, “Jump Down, Spin Around.” All of the compositions / arrangements are Holober’s, and while they may not awaken memories of the Swing Era they surely do swing, which is among the most meaningful components in any ...

Tim Ries Septet: Alternate Side

by Jim Santella
July 1, 2001

Dramatic modern mainstream jazz contains curious harmonic concepts and rhythmic variety. Leading with tenor and soprano saxophones, Tim Ries provides six original pieces and two standards, from which his ensemble extracts the essential elements. A leading section member with the bands of Maynard Ferguson and Maria Schneider, Ries holds a master's degree in performance and composition from the University of Michigan. At 41, he's at a crossroads; where his writing and leadership mean as much as his searing solo work.

Tim Ries Septet: Alternate Side

by Jim Santella
July 1, 2001

Dramatic modern mainstream jazz contains curious harmonic concepts and rhythmic variety. Leading with tenor and soprano saxophones, Tim Ries provides six original pieces and two standards, from which his ensemble extracts the essential elements. A leading section member with the bands of Maynard Ferguson and Maria Schneider, Ries holds a master's degree in performance and composition from the University of Michigan. At 41, he's at a crossroads; where his writing and leadership mean as much as his searing solo work.

Tim Ries: Alternate Side

by C. Andrew Hovan
June 1, 2001

Let's see, where do we start? Tim Ries is a name that will probably be familiar to only the most perceptive jazz followers. He's made a handful of records under his own name as well as appearing with scores of name artists, and not just those of a jazz persuasion. In addition to work with Tom Harrell, Phil Woods, Maria Schneider, and Bob Belden, Ries has also toured and/or worked with the Rolling Stones, Tony Bennett, Stevie Wonder, and David ...