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Jazz Articles about Travis Sullivan
About Travis Sullivan
Instrument: Saxophone, alto
Related Articles | Concerts | Albums | Photos | Similar ToMario Schenker: Melodien
by Luca Casarotti
C'è in questo Melodien, disco in quartetto del sassofonista svizzero Mario Schenker pubblicato dalla connazionale etichetta Unit, una sorta di divisione, di scarto tra temi e parti solistiche. I temi non sono memorabili. In senso letterale, proprio: non sono memorabili perché non restano impressi all'ascolto, non perché sono mal composti. Forse quello era precisamente l'intento: non incidere la memoria con il tema, lasciare che fosse l'evoluzione dei brani a fare il grosso del lavoro. Si tratta per lo più di ...
read moreTravis Sullivan's Bjorkestra: I Go Humble
by Jack Bowers
Until this new CD crossed the threshold, the name Bjork was no more than that within these precincts. As it turns out, Bjork is a she, an Icelandic singer / songwriter whose given name is Bjork Gudmundsdottir. Apparently, saxophonist / arranger Travis Sullivan is an avowed enthusiast, as he has not only named his big band in Bjork's honor but has recorded at least two albums devoted to her music, which the twelve-piece ensemble has been playing since 2004. If ...
read moreTravis Sullivan's Björkestra: I Go Humble
by Dan Bilawsky
Björk isn't a member of the jazz community, but the jazz community has had no problem embracing her. Musicians as different as vocalist Kate McGarry and drummer Jeff “Tain" Watts have explored the eclectic Icelandic singer's work and put their own stamp on her intoxicating music, but they each left her catalog after a single-song visit. Saxophonist/Arranger Travis Sullivan is on the other end of the spectrum. He set up shop in her world in 2004 and never truly left. ...
read moreTravis Sullivan: New Directions
by Glenn Astarita
New Directions could signify a paradigm shift for alto saxophonist Travis Sullivan's eighteen-piece Björkestra, a unit dedicated to performing arrangements of Icelandic pop vocalist Björk. Sullivan goes back to his fundamental mainstream jazz roots on the lyrically rich New Directions, assembled with memorable comps and sterling interplay from his quartet. Sullivan's vocal-like tonalities and muscular alto work casts an acoustic game plan that often yields electrifying results. Sullivan generates memorable compositions while injecting a spirited aura into the ...
read moreTravis Sullivan: New Directions
by Bruce Lindsay
Travis Sullivan's New Directions, his Posi-Tone debut, is a rewarding trip through a mix of strong, self-penned, tunes and an unusual combination of covers. The saxophonist leads his quartet with style, emphasizing musicality and emotional engagement over displays of technique, and creating a sparkly collection that emphatically establishes his talents as a composer as well as a saxophonist. The altoist's compositions are firmly within the modern jazz tradition, but there's a variety in pace, rhythm and mood ...
read moreTravis Sullivan: This Cat Plays the Sax
by R.J. DeLuke
Travis Sullivan composes and arranges with a fine flair. For about the last six years, he's proven himself a strong leader of a large band, running the Bjorkestra, an acclaimed unit that plays slick, intricate and sometimes burning jazz versions of songs by popular Icelandic singer/songwriter Bjork.It's a band that's an audience pleaser and one that musicians like to play in. In Milan, Italy, in December, trumpeter Dave Douglas was the guest soloist. “That's a really fun group," ...
read moreTravis Sullivan: New Directions
by Dan Bilawsky
Saxophonist Travis Sullivan has received lots of coverage for the music he creates with his Björkestra, but the success of that band is a double-edged sword. While following the musical pathways set forth by his Icelandic muse has helped the saxophonist expand his audience, it also temporarily suppressed his own musical personality. With New Directions, Sullivan steps out of the shadow of Björk and back into the light of his own creations. For this ten-song program, Sullivan ...
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