Jazz Articles about Wycliffe Gordon

like 176

Wycliffe Gordon: Cone's Coup

by C. Andrew Hovan
August 23, 2006

Of all the musicians who have come through Wynton Marsalis' various ensembles, trombonist Wycliffe Gordon is one of the few who has made the most of his experience while developing an individualistic voice. Although you can hear the history of the music from Dixie to avant garde in his approach, he's been able to successfully channel that into a variety of different modes. The proof has been in the pudding, namely a wonderful selection of Criss Cross dates, each has ...

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Wycliffe Gordon: Cone's Coup

by C. Michael Bailey
July 24, 2006

Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon warrants that the last be stated first: he is the most soulful and technically proficient trombone player composing, performing, and educating today. Period.

As Gordon closes in on twenty years as a performing jazz musician, he never ceases to challenge the listener with something new. Cone's Coup is a perfect case in point. Gordon amiably throws down the gauntlet, daring the listener to find something not accessible and fresh. Gordon's original composition “Shhh!!! (the Band ...

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Wycliffe Gordon and the Garden City Gospel Choir: In the Cross

by C. Andrew Hovan
May 27, 2005

Although the trombone hasn't always been the most popular of jazz instruments, a varied and variegated stable of talented jazz trombonists can be found among the lineage of historical jazz artists. From the Dixie strains of Jack Teagarden to the forward-thinking innovations of Roswell Rudd, the trombone has been adaptable to a wide variety of stylistic presentations. Of the current generation of players, you can count on less than one hand the number of trombonists who can approach a wide ...

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Wycliffe Gordon: United Soul Experience & Dig This!!

by C. Andrew Hovan
October 19, 2004

Straight out of the Wynton Marsalis school of jazz, trombone man Wycliffe Gordon cut his teeth with the ubiquitous trumpeter, yet unlike many from the Marsalis clan, Gordon has shown over the past few years that his musical personality takes in far more far reaching influences than the retro styled swing that Marsalis chooses as his muse. Influenced by a wide lineage of jazz trombonists from Dickey Wells to J.J. Johnson, Gordon has the chops to spare, but communicates with ...

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Wycliffe Gordon: Dig This!!

by Joe Klee
March 13, 2004

Wycliffe Gordon is a trombone player who knows his instrument from the primordial playing of Kid Ory and Honore Dutrey through giants like Jack Teagarden and J.J. Johnson up to and including today's best like Steve Turre. This ability is nowhere better illustrated than on this new CD covering music as classic as “Limehouse Blues" and “I Can't Get Started" and as new as the originals composed for this late 2002 recording date. As a jazz historian/antiquarian, ...

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Wycliffe Gordon: United Soul Experience

by C. Andrew Hovan
June 25, 2003

It's dangerous to take labels too seriously where music is involved. Take Wycliffe Gordon, for instance. A protégé of Wynton Marsalis and former charter member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the trombonist is most clearly associated with mainstream sensibilities. Truth be told, however, Gordon has evidenced varied interests by such projects as his studio effort The Gospel Truth and time spent with the Herbie Nichols Project.

To date however, he has never sounded more adventurous than on United Soul ...

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Wycliffe Gordon Quintet: United Soul Experience

by David A. Orthmann
February 13, 2003

The brainchild of producer Gerry Teekens, United Soul Experience extricates trombonist Wycliffe Gordon from the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra orbit and teams him with some of the most interesting young talent in the Criss Cross stable. Tradition-minded but not predictable, the music alludes to several jazz and funk styles without settling into any one of them. Gordon, tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, and pianist David Kikoski play like accomplished young veterans who continue to search for something more. Bassist Larry Grenadier ...