Michael Dease - Out To Dinner - Different Flavors

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:55
Size: 125,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:18) 1. Day Zero
(3:54) 2. Magic Square
(5:44) 3. Blue Sojourn
(3:34) 4. Skittles
(6:25) 5. Night Glow
(5:05) 6. Pay The Piper
(5:58) 7. Rio
(7:53) 8. Spun Around
(4:24) 9. Grave Concerns
(5:35) 10. Two Down

Listeners everywhere are invited to join the fun with the Out To Dinner band and audition a variety of their “Different Flavors.” Our trusty producer Marc Free continues on an ambitious course of cooking up a visionary series of demand building releases. This latest project features a musical menu of inspired presentations from a curated group with unique instrumentation.

It also prompts listeners to expand their sonic palettes to include this adventurous exploration of the jazz genre. This engagingly enjoyable album is a stellar quintet date featuring front line performances from vibraphonist Behn Gillece, trombonist Michael Dease and saxophonist Tim Green moving freely over the solid harmonic foundation of bassist Boris Kozlov and the explosive metrics of drummer Rudy Royston. With the menu full of “Different Flavors,” we are confident that the collaborative journey of Out To Dinner will bring delight to the ears of every jazz fan and hopefully encourage navigation steadily away from the known and familiar and towards the uncharted depths of modern collective improvisation.
https://www.posi-tone.com/otd/otd.html

Personnel: Michael Dease - trombone; Behn Gillece - vibraphone; Tim Green - alto saxophone; Boris Kozlov - bass; Rudy Royston - drums

Different Flavors

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Behn Gillece - Dare To Be

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:28
Size: 127,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:26)  1. Camera Eyes
(5:23)  2. From Your Perspective
(4:40)  3. Amethyst
(4:15)  4. Signals
(5:40)  5. Drought's End
(5:52)  6. Same Shame
(4:28)  7. Live It
(6:18)  8. Dare To Be
(5:49)  9. Trapezoid
(5:32) 10. A Time For Love

When it comes to jazz vibraphone, the names of Stefon Harris and Warren Wolf are most likely to be found on a list of contemporary leaders. Add to that now the name of Behn Gillece, a gentleman who has been honing his skills on the New York scene since 2006. His talents first came to the attention of this reviewer having been a spirited voice on Walt Weiskopf's most recent albums, Overdrive and The Way You Say It. Last year, he debuted as a leader with the album Mindset, this sophomore offering coming fast on its heels. Gillece has obviously taken in the history of his instrument, but speaks with a singular voice and purpose. His tone and attack are on the softer side, not unlike the work of Bobby Hutcherson. Also quite notable, he writes the majority of his own compositions. This too is a major factor in his clarity of purpose, along with the fact that his ensemble choice is an inspired one. A student of Jon Faddis' who is making a name for himself on the current scene, trumpeter Bruce Harris can be heard on three tracks. Gillece makes the most of the unique blend between horn and vibes, especially when it comes to the muted trumpet on "From Your Perspective." More integral to the entire set is guitarist Nate Radley, who is a perfect foil for Gillece. His chordal accompaniment and solo lines support the vibes in a manner quite different than a piano might do. The soulful "Amethyst" is a perfect spot to sample Radley's tonal range, from single note riffs to dark and brooding washes of sound. Bobby Hutcherson's "Same Shame" even finds the guitarist sporting a Frisell-like tone that is pure Americana.  Veteran bassist Ugonna Okegwo and talented drummer on the rise Jason Tiemann are also integral to the proceedings. Dig their tight up tempo slam throughout "Signals" or the way they inject a straight-eighth feel to both "Live It" and "Dare to Be." As for Gillece himself, there's quite of range of abilities on display here. Be it the burning bebop of "Trapezoid" or the mature ballad statement delivered on Johnny Mandel's "A Time for Love," Gillece gets down to serious business and he's a name we should be hearing more and more of in the coming years. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dare-to-be-behn-gillece-posi-tone-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Behn Gillece: vibraphone; Nate Radley: guitar; Ugonna Okegwo: bass; Jason Tiemann: drums; Bruce Harris: trumpet.

Dare To Be

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Behn Gillece - Walk Of Fire

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz 
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:11
Size: 137,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. Walk Of Fire
(5:16)  2. Fantasia Brasileira
(6:06)  3. Bag's Mood
(5:11)  4. Dauntless Journey
(5:40)  5. Battering Ram
(6:55)  6. Reflective Current
(4:50)  7. Something New
(6:35)  8. Specter
(6:35)  9. Break Tune
(5:59) 10. Celestial Tidings

Vibraphonist Behn Gillece thrives on the camaraderie of modern hard-bop. He came to prominence co-leading various ensembles with tenor saxophonist Ken Fowler, frequently changing rhythm sections on their four discs together for Posi-Tone. Walk of Fire is Gillece’s third for the label as the sole leader since then. It might just be the best of the bunch and, not coincidentally, features a septet, his largest working group thus far, performing 10 of his original tunes. Gillece writes sturdy melodies with familiar chord changes, so that a galvanizing frisson can be established by different textures slotted into the arrangements. The themes surge as a procession of soloists take turns against the template. It doesn’t hurt that the three-member horn section consists of Posi-Tone headliners both established (trombonist Michael Dease, saxophonist Walt Weiskopf) and up-and-coming (trumpeter Bruce Harris). Their solo transitions are seamless and buttery on the opening title song and “Dauntless Journey”compositions that retain a simmering pace, a relaxed tension arising from the taut communication of pros at work. Gillece indulges two of his longstanding affections: the creamy sophistication of Brazilian music, on the samba “Fantasia Brasileira”; and the quicksilver stroll of Milt Jackson on “Bags Mood,” neatly abetted by some laidback phrasing from Harris. The rhythm section snares the spotlight at various points in passing: Jason Tiemann’s drum and cymbal fills on “Battering Ram,” Adam Birnbaum’s extended piano solo to cap “Something New,” and a sans-horns quartet rendition of “Reflective Current.” Gillece is a tasteful four-mallet stylist who prefers to gracefully surf the mainstream current rather than dazzle with speed and affectation. That said, when you pay attention, both his ensemble work throughout the disc and his solos on tracks like “Walk of Fire,” “Bags Mood” and “Specter” steadily unveil the depth of his abundant technique and dogged imagination. The camaraderie here includes the listener.~ Britt Robson  https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/behn-gillece-walk-of-fire/
 

Personnel:  Behn Gillece - vibraphone;  Michael Dease - trombone;  Walt Weiskopf - tenor sax;  Bruce Harris - trumpet;  Adam Birnbaum - piano;  Clovis Nicolas - bass;  Jason Tiemann - drums.

Walk Of Fire

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Walt Weiskopf - Fountain Of Youth

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:19
Size: 136,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. Backstage Blues
(4:42)  2. Close Enough For Love
(4:24)  3. Petal
(5:49)  4. How Are Things In Glocca Morra
(5:41)  5. Loose Lips
(4:59)  6. Echoes Of The Quiet Past
(4:55)  7. Laura
(7:06)  8. Young And Foolish
(4:16)  9. Hot Dog Days
(6:05) 10. Heads In The Clouds
(5:53) 11. Double Date

Fountain Of Youth is the latest installment of Walt Weiskopf's mid-career renaissance. In reviews of Weiskopf's three previous Posi-Tone releases, I made the misstep of treating his imposing skills as a tenor saxophonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader as separate, albeit compatible entities; this time around I realized that they are indeed parts of a larger, all-encompassing vision that winds through the disc's eleven tracks. Whereas Overdrive, Open Road, and The Way You Say It are with few exceptions driven by Weiskopf's compositions, there's a sufficient amount of non-original material in Fountain to make a case for his transformative powers in regard to the Great American Songbook, and the capacity to shape them and his own works into a cohesive program. "Close Enough For Love," "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?," "Laura," "Young And Foolish" (as well as vibraphonist Behn Gillece's "Double Date") are handled with care while recast as Weiskopf vehicles; in the end, it's a tribute to his interpretative acumen to say that they don't stand in stark contrast to his six originals. A varied and sturdy lot, Weiskopf's compositions aren't knockoffs of classic jazz tunes. A couple of favorites are the brusque, no nonsense "Hot Dog Days," and the carnival-like, mercurial "Heads In The Clouds." Moreover, the relative brevity of the tracks only one is over seven minutes and most are considerably shorter further encourage the perception of the record as a unified endeavor.

Weiskopf's tenor is perhaps foremost of Fountain's overlapping virtues. One of the impressive things about his instrumental prowess is the capacity to sound emotionally convincing in vastly different contexts. A fierce, gripping, blues drenched disposition which contains an element of calculation in keeping with the precision in which he articulates each note characterizes "Backstage Blues," "Loose Lips," and "Hot Dog Days." In short, he often sounds positively invincible. Conversely, Weiskopf's ballad playing isn't merely pretty; in particular, the heads of "How Are Things In Glocca Morra," "Young and Foolish" and his "Echoes Of The Quiet Past" express a palpable sense of vulnerability. The monster tenor sax is briefly transformed into something smaller, almost frail, and recognizably human. It's apparent throughout that Weiskopf is writing and arranging for people who challenge, stimulate, and inspire him. 

Shout choruses and written figures behind the soloists invariably prove out in relation to each composition. Weiskopf utilizes these devices just enough to keep things sounding fresh and avoids the all-too-common, seemingly endless cycle of head/solos/head. Gillece, pianist Peter Zak, bassist Mike Karn, and drummer Steve Fidyk, all of whom have performed on at least one of his previous Posi-Tone releases, relish the challenges of Weiskopf's arrangements and acquit themselves admirably when its their turn to solo. In particular, when Zak follows Weiskopf, it feels like a sudden change in the weather, without any break in momentum. Karn merits special mention for playing some of the fiercest, most propulsive bass lines in recent memory. Guided by Weiskopf's firm hand, Fountain Of Youth is a tightly wrapped package, filled with ingenious designs and spirited, articulate performances. Highly recommended. ~ David A. Orthmannn https://www.allaboutjazz.com/fountain-of-youth-walt-weiskopf-posi-tone-records-review-by-david-a-orthmann.php

Personnel: Walt Weiskopf: sax; Behn Gillece: vibes; Peter Zak: piano; Mike Karn: bass; Steve Fidyk: drums.

Fountain Of Youth

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Ken Fowser, Behn Gillece - Duotone

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:34
Size: 131.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:06] 1. Overcooked
[5:40] 2. Spontaneity
[6:30] 3. Attachment
[6:45] 4. Back To Back
[3:24] 5. Come Around Again
[7:40] 6. In The Twilight
[5:41] 7. Low Ball
[5:22] 8. Bongo
[7:20] 9. Offset
[4:01] 10. One For G

"Duotone" is a term that belongs to the world of photography, but it makes perfect sense when applied to this recording. Tenor saxophonist Ken Fowser and vibraphonist Behn Gillece superimpose their tonal colors and personalities against one another, to create an aural portrait that's both traditional and modern.

While the supporting personnel have changed on each of their three Posi-Tone dates, the basic template by which their music is designed remains, essentially, the same. On each album, the pair employs a quintet to deliver melodically-inviting material with impressive soloing , but they also branch out beyond this general description. "Spontaneity" features a wide developmental arc, which begins with impressionistic piano and loose, searching statements, eventually arriving at propulsive swing, and "Come Around Again" is an intimate, musical-dream sequence.

Both men own equal shares in this music but, as on Little Echo (Posi-Tone, 2010), Gillece serves as the primary composer. Fowser's contributions—the breezy, Brazilian-tinged "Bongo" and the hip, swinging "One For G"—come at the end of the album, after Gillece has already established himself as the compositional kingpin of the group. His music can be hypnotic ("Offset"), relaxed and carefree ("Low Ball"), or caffeinated and swinging ("Back To Back"), depending on the moment, but all of it remains highly accessible.

While the solid architecture of each piece speaks to the writing skills of Gillece, and Fowser on a smaller scale, jazz remains an improviser's art, and this album features plenty of soloing to attest to their strengths in this area. While they take the large majority of the solo spots, pianist Donald Vega is an almost-equal partner in this department. He steals the show on the up-tempo "Back To Back," and his bluesy piano work on "Offset" takes the song in a different direction.

The team of bassist David Wong, of drummer Roy Haynes' Fountain of Youth band fame, and überdrummer Willie Jones III are as good a rhythm duo as can be hoped for, and they provide superb support throughout the program. When the music requires intensity, they push and prod to perfection, but they also underline the cool characteristics of the slower, swinging material on the album.

Duotone isn't a radical departure from Full View (Posi-Tone, 2009) and Little Echo, but that's just fine. It's a winning program of original tunes that continues to show off the chemistry which exists between two exciting instrumental voices bound for the big time. ~Dan Bilawsky

Duotone

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