Results for "Neil Welch"

Neil Welch

Born: August 2, 1985

Seattle-based saxophonist Neil Welch represents a new breed of young players who thrive in today's eclectic musical atmosphere. With one foot rooted in the tradition of those who have preceded him (one can't mistake the influence of John Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders in Welch's playing), Welch forges ahead creatively, drawing from diverse influences, under the umbrella of improvised music, with a solid foundation not often found in such a young player. With his debut release, Narmada, Neil Welch has established himself as a creative force in the Seattle jazz scene. Joining Neil on the album are a number of Seattle's young lions, as well as world-renown sitarist Debi Prasad Chatterjee, and Tor Dietrichson on tablas- who with Neil also comprise the traditional Hindustani ensemble, Nada Brahma

Before After

By Rich Pellegrin

Label: Slow & Steady
Released: 2026
Track listing: Side A: Before; Prior; Antecedent; Previous; Former; Preceding. Side B: After; Subsequent; Latter; Succeeding; Consequent; Post.

Rich Pelegrin with Neil Welch: Before After

by Dan McClenaghan
April 19, 2026

Pianist Rich Pellegrin has fashioned something of a template for creating recorded music--go into the studio in the summer months (when teaching duties have abated somewhat) and lay down a bunch of tracks. Two albums' worth. Then he releases the music a year or two apart, as separate CDs (or vinyl discs or downloads). This was the ...

Topography (featuring Neil Welch)

By Rich Pellegrin

Label: Slow And Steady Records
Released: 2024
Track listing: Side A: Treeline; Ravine; Butte; Stream; Clearing; Field (day). Side B: Field (night); Canyon (day); Bluff; (day); Bluff (night); Cave; Marsh.

Rich Pellegrin: Topography (featuring Neil Welch)

by Dan McClenaghan
October 8, 2024

Whidbey Island, nestled in the nook of Puget Sound, must be an inspiring place. Pianist Rich Pellegrin finds it so. He has recorded two solo works here, Solitude (OA2 Records, 2021), (review here) and Passage (OA2 Records, 2022), (review here). Both of these works--recorded in the same session--have a feeling of serenity, of an escape from ...

The Ink Around It

By Neil Welch

Label: Self-Produced
Released: 2021
Track listing: Puhpohwee, Concepción Picciotto.

Neil Welch: The Ink Around It

by Ian Gwin
November 17, 2021

Music is ephemeral by nature. The conical airflow of a saxophone could be nothing more than “airy charm"—as the magician Prospero in The Tempest might have it—but this fails to substantiate its power. Though the rousing craft of Seattle composer and saxophonist Neil Welc does. In his acclaimed duo Bad Luck with drummer Chris Icasiano, he's ...

Bad Luck: Four

by Ian Gwin
April 5, 2019

For over a decade, Seattle-based duo Bad Luck—that's Neil Welch (saxophones, electronics) and Chris Icasiano (drums)—have packed and unpacked their deceptively simple formula of drums and saxophone. Through their deep musical partnership, they continue to recast the mold of contemporary music. Over countless fiery performances and three full-length releases, the depth of the duo's compositional improvisations ...

Four

By Bad Luck

Label: Origin Records
Released: 2018
Track listing: Four; R.B.G.; Index; Capital; Bends; Big Sky.

Bad Luck

Over half a decade after their first performance, drummer Chris Icasiano and saxophonist Neil Welch continue to develop a unique musical voice together. Bad Luck has become a sonic outlet to be reckoned with. In the highly trodden medium of drums and saxophone, Bad Luck proves that there is much left to be said. Called “One of the best Seattle jazz recordings in years” (Earshot Jazz) Bad Luck was awarded the “Best Outside Jazz Group” of 2009 by Earshot Magazine, and a finalist for “Best Avant Group” in the 2009 Inside Out awards. Performing all original compositions, the pair use live loops and pedals to create an astounding range of sound