Enrico Pieranunzi - New Visions

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:22
Size: 129,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:25) 1. Free Visions 1
(3:20) 2. Night Waltz
(6:46) 3. Anne Blomster Sang
(6:35) 4. You Know
(2:02) 5. Free Visions 2
(4:06) 6. Free Visions 3
(6:46) 7. Alt Kan Ske
(4:08) 8. Free Visions 4
(5:07) 9. Brown Fields
(4:12) 10. Dreams and the morning
(4:40) 11. One for Ulysses
(5:10) 12. Orphanes

The story behind this recording began in the summer of 2018 when Enrico Pieranunzi played with Ulysses Owens, Jr. For the first time: two awesome concerts during the Copenhagen Jazz Festival that cast a breathtaking spell over the audience. Enrico Pieranunzi was encouraged to study music from a young age. His father was a jazz guitarist. He studied classical music until 1973 when he became a Professor of Music, and maintained that post for two years.

In 1975 he left his teaching practice and played in trios and small ensembles. He has recorded over 60 albums. He has also been prolific as a session musician. Heralded as a "powerhouse of a showman" (Glide Magazine), a "legitimate jazz triple threat" (Critical Jazz) and a drummer who "take[s] a back seat to no one" (The New York Times), performer, producer and educator Ulysses Owens Jr. #goes the limit in the jazz world and beyond. The Trio is rounded out by bassist Thomas Fonnesbaek, who has performed with and recorded alongside some of the finest musicians in the industry.By Editorial Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/New-Visions-Enrico-Pieranunzi-Trio/dp/B07TPYXP9Z

Personnel: Piano – Enrico Pieranunzi; Bass – Thomas Fonnesbæk; Drums – Ulysses Owens Jr.

New Visions

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Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band - Soul Conversations

Styles: Instrumental Jazz
Year: 2021
Time: 72:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 167,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:53) 1. Two Bass Hit
(5:59) 2. London Towne
(8:37) 3. Beardom X
(7:29) 4. Red Chair
(6:32) 5. Giant Steps
(5:51) 6. Language of Flowers
(8:20) 7. Human Nature
(4:46) 8. Girl Talk
(9:44) 9. Harlem Harlem Harlem
(6:33) 10. Soul Conversations

Drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr.'s Big Band comes out swinging on its debut recording, Soul Conversations, thundering through Michael Dease's incendiary arrangement of the Dizzy Gillespie/John Lewis flame-thrower, "Two Bass Hit." For more such heat, however, the listener must move forward to Track 5, John Coltrane's impulsive "Giant Steps," thence to Track 9 for Charles Turner III's earnest homage to "Harlem Harlem Harlem," on which he doubles as vocalist.

That's not to say that everything in between is less than pleasing, only more sedate. That includes a trio of charts by Owens ("Beardom X," "Red Chair," "Soul Conversations"), trumpeter Benny Benack III's sunny "London Towne," bassist Yasushi Nakamura's shapely ballad, "Language of Flowers," John Bettis/Steve Porcaro's multi-layered "Human Nature" (featuring guest vibraphonist Stefon Harris, as does "London Towne") and Neal Hefti's shopworn and patronizing "Girl Talk." Dependable as they are, one senses that the band is capable of more, but as Owens chose the material that must have been his purpose, and the outcome should be weighed on that basis.

Another aspect that must be considered is the circumstance under which the album was recorded: in concert at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in New York. While that usually poses no problem, in this case the color and balance do the band no favors. The sound isn't for the most part displeasing; on the other hand, as with the choice of material, the over-all impression is that it could have been better. An accent here, a blemish there it all adds up to a sonic cushion that may be tolerable but is at times less than supportive.

There is no doubting, however, the band's aptitude or enthusiasm. There's an abundance of musical talent in New York, and Owens has stocked the band with proven heavyweights, a benefit that is readily apparent from the outset. "Two Bass Hit" could have set the tone, with spirited blowing by the ensemble and vigorous solos by tenor Diego Rivera, bass trombonist Wyatt Forhan, trumpeter Walter Cano, trombonist Dease, baritone Andrew Gutauskas and Owens himself, but the leader chose another route, moderating the pace and ardor considerably on "London Towne," "Beardom X" and "Red Chair" before re-engaging the accelerator on "Giant Steps," wherein Rivera and tenor Daniel Dickinson trade sturdy blows before Owens and trumpeter Giveton Gelin add earnest solos.

Alto Alexa Tarantino is showcased on "Language of Flowers," Gelin on "Girl Talk," and there are admirable solos elsewhere by Benack, trombonist Eric Miller, alto Erena Terakubo and trumpeter Summer Camargo (muted on "Harlem"). It's a sometimes choppy maiden voyage but one whose strengths far outnumber its weaknesses. Recommended for the exuberant flag-wavers, first-rate solos and sizeable number of impressive moments on the less-than-emphatic numbers.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/soul-conversations-ulysses-owens-jr-big-band-outside-in-music

Personnel: Ulysses Owens, Jr.: drums; Walter Cano: trumpet; Benny Benack III: trumpet; Summer Camargo: trumpet; Giveton Gelin: trumpet; Alexa Tarantino: saxophone, alto; Erena Terakubo: saxophone, alto; Diego Rivera: saxophone; Daniel Dickinson: saxophone; Andrew Gutauskas: saxophone, baritone; Michael Dease: trombone; Eric Miller: trombone; Gina Benalcazar: trombone; Wyatt Forhan: trombone, bass; Stefon Harris: vibraphone; Takeshi Ohbayashi: piano; Yasushi Nakamura: bass; Charles Turner III: voice / vocals.

Soul Conversations

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Michael Dease - Coming Home

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:07
Size: 158,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:59)  1. Solid Gold
(5:46)  2. Motherland
(7:46)  3. Blues Etude
(4:56)  4. In A Sentimental Mood
(7:01)  5. Good & Terrible
(7:43)  6. Lifewish
(6:42)  7. The Shade Of The Cedar Tree
(3:41)  8. Just In Time
(6:30)  9. All Heath
(5:41) 10. The Release
(6:18) 11. Take It To The Ozone

Trombonist Michael Dease's Coming Home is the evolutionary culmination of all of the small group work of which he has been a part. Dease's musical personality reveals itself fully on the disc, one he has populated with a very fine band and thoughtfully composed and selected pieces for that band. Dease's previous work as a leader on Dease Bones (Astrix Media, 2007), Clarity (Blues Back Records, 2008) and Grace (Legacy Jazz Productions, 2011), as well as with multi-reedist Sharel Cassity on Just For You (DW Records , 2009) and Relentless (Legacy Jazz Productions, 2009). Where Curtis Fuller is the patriarch, Wycliffe Gordon the earthy keeper of the flame (and Dease's teacher) and Luis Bonilla the Latin soul of the trombone, Dease is its intellectual heart. Following his fellow Augusta Georgia trombonist teacher to Juilliard, Dease established himself as part of an ambitious group of young musicians who were combining smarts, chops, bandstand and practice and translating that into recordings. Members of this group include Sharel Cassity, trumpeter Carol Morgan, and pianist Orrin Evans.

Dease's compositional and performance approaches are ruled by passionate precision. His playing is exact and well practiced. His tone is expansive and uniform through all registers. These characteristics are demonstrated immediately on the opening tune, "Solid Gold" where Dease shows great velocity in both head and solo playing. He adds mass to this velocity, creating an infectious momentum when playing with a mute as on Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood." Tony Lustig drops in with his tenor saxophone for the piece giving it a throaty presence. Lustig adds foundation to "Good and Terrible" with his crack baritone playing. His solo is at once gentle and virile on this angular, post-bop piece. Alto saxophonist Steve Wilson turns the gas on high, navigating Dease's complex circuitry. Dease rolls up his sleeves and gets his hands dirty on a searing performance of Oscar Peterson's "Blues Etude." While playing with his typical precision in the head, Dease begins to properly slur and wail in his solo, throwing off notes like pale blue sparks. He shares his solo space with bassist Christian McBride who amply demonstrates why he is Christian McBride and no one else. The instructive presence of pianist Renee Rosnes is heard throughout this fine disc as its timekeeper and drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr. Dease could not have put together a better band for this recording. He has come fully into his own as a leader. ~ C.Michael Bailey  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/coming-home-michael-dease-d-clef-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Michael Dease: trombone; Steve Wilson: alto saxophone; Renee Rosnes: piano; Christian McBride: bass; Ulysses Owens, Jr.: drums; Eric Alexander: tenor saxophone: tenor saxophone (11); Tony Lustig: tenor saxophone (4), baritone saxophone (5); Andrew Swift: percussion (10).

Coming Home

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Ted Nash Big Band - Chakra

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:41
Size: 113,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:56)  1. Earth
(8:05)  2. Water
(9:43)  3. Fire
(5:34)  4. Air
(7:15)  5. Ether
(7:08)  6. Light
(6:58)  7. Cosmos

In Chakra , in addition to the already known instrumental skills, Ted Nash highlights his originality as a composer and orchestrator. The seven compositions gathered in the form of a suite give the listener a great cornucopia of suggestions. They constitute the enchanting musical translation of the seven energy centers which, according to the Indian traditions of yoga and Ayurvedic medicine, govern organic and mental functions. Trait d'unionthe disc is the assertion of a culturally inclusive attitude in human life as a first step towards fantasy and creativity. In the foreground, swinging orchestral games with a very mobile vocabulary, which contrast with the serene serenity of the philosophical themes put in place. Unlike what could be expected from the title, the US multi-instrumentalist demonstrates how you can touch the deeper chords of the listener without resorting to new age or musical esotericism. Thanks to the contribution of extraordinary musicians, the orchestral form is always remarkable, characterized by rich timbric mixes. In particular "Fire" well summarizes the essence of the project and indirectly the jazz aesthetic, using contrasting meters and atmospheres. Chakra offers a fascinating fresco where Afro-Cuban-Caribbean and European influences indulge the inspiration of a complete composer, in search of a communion of cultures.~ Maurizio Zerbo https://www.allaboutjazz.com/chakra-ted-nash-plastic-sax-records-review-by-maurizio-zerbo.php

Personnel: Ted Nash, Ben Kono, Charles Pillow: alto and soprano saxophone, flute, clarinet; Dan Willis, Anat Cohen, Paul Nedzela: tenor and baritone saxophone, clarinet; Kenny Rampton, Alphonso Horne, Ron Horton, Tim Hagans: trumpet; Alan Ferber, Mark Patterson, Charley Gordon, Jack Schatz: trombone; Christopher Ziemba: piano; Martin Wind: double bass; Ulysses Owens: battery.

Chakra

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Brianna Thomas - You Must Believe In Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:02
Size: 153.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:48] 1. Bye Bye Blackbird
[4:59] 2. Don't Be That Way (Feat. Russell Malone)
[7:27] 3. Love Doesn't Die (Feat. Wycliffe Gordon)
[5:31] 4. I Should Have Known (Feat. Wycliffe Gordon)
[4:03] 5. Daydream
[6:45] 6. Lover Of My Soul (Feat. Riza & Marcus Printup)
[6:38] 7. Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer
[6:39] 8. In A Mellow Tone
[6:03] 9. Stardust
[8:06] 10. Bree's Blues
[4:57] 11. You Must Believe In Spring

Wall Street Journal stated Brianna Thomas "may be the best young straight ahead jazz singer of her generation". Born and raised in Peoria, Illinois, was selected to participate in the prestigious Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program, an elite artist in residence program for musicians and composers at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Ms. Thomas moved to NYC in 2007 to attend The New School University and has since established herself as a talented vocalist on the music scene. Since graduating college in 2011, Ms. Thomas has performed with many jazz greats including: Clark Terry, Wycliffe Gordon, Wynton Marsalis, Russell Malone, The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra, Michael Feinstein and longtime hero Dianne Reeves. Ms.Thomas also continues to perform worldwide for venues and was a 2014 musical ambassador touring South East Asia for the "American Music Abroad" program, as a guest vocalist with The Amigos Band - singing folk, bluegrass, gospel and jazz. She teaches with JALC's Jazz For Young People Program to educate students in New York City School's about the importance of Jazz in American History and Today.

The ensemble is Brianna Thomas, vocal, Allyn Johnson, piano, Yasushi Nakamura, bass, Ulysses Owens, Jr., drums, with special guests Russell Malone, guitar, Marcus Printup, trumpet, Wycliffe Gordon, trombone, Nick Grinder, trombone, Tivon Penticott, tenor sax, and Riza Printup, harp. ~Grady Harp

NEW LINK! You Must Believe In Love

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Vincent Gardner - The Good Book Chapter Two: The Book Of Now

Styles: Trombone Jazz

Year: 2011

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:06

Size: 147,1 MB

Art: Front

(10:04)  1. A Servant Of The People

( 7:49)  2. Calypso

(10:02)  3. 466-64 (Freedom Fighters)

( 9:57)  4. Speak Low

( 8:39)  5. Like A Son

( 7:25)  6. Love Letters

( 9:08)  7. The Paper Chase

Vincent Gardner's The Good Book series is a refreshing change from many jazz CDs by up-and-coming artists, in that he is not only exploring standards and familiar jazz works, but also overlooked gems by musicians currently on the scene. The trombonist assembled a top-shelf quintet consisting of saxophonist Walter Blanding, pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Neil Caine, and drummer Ulysses Owens. It's not every day that someone records one of pianist Marcus Roberts' pieces, but his "A Servant of the People" is a perfect vehicle for Gardner's expressive chops. Fans of Kenny Barron will be very familiar with his "Calypso," a lighthearted, infectious work that showcases Goldberg, Blanding (on soprano), and the leader. Jimmy Heath's compositions have long been favorites of jazz musicians, so the breezy "Like a Son" is another uncovered treasure as well, a hip bop tune with a few twists. Kurt Weill's "Speak Low" has been a standard for decades and Gardner's spacious playing in this easygoing treatment is complemented by Blanding's rich soprano sax. Victor Young's "Love Letters" isn't as well known, though Goldberg's lush backing to Gardner's melancholy horn conveys its message without lyrics in the introduction, though a quick tempo change turns it into an upbeat cooker. It is clear that Vincent Gardner is destined to be one of the greats of his generation on trombone. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-good-book-chapter-two-the-book-of-now-mw0002195036

Personnel: Vincent Gardner (trombone); Walter Blanding (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Aaron Goldberg (piano); Ulysses Owens (drums).

The Good Book Chapter Two: The Book Of Now

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Marcus Printup - Young Bloods

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:11
Size: 138,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:46)  1. En Route
(7:37)  2. The bishop
(7:02)  3. My Foolish Heart
(7:06)  4. Young Bloods
(8:19)  5. How Great Thou Art
(6:32)  6. In Your Own Sweet Way
(8:11)  7. Au Privave
(7:36)  8. Greasy

Sparkling work from trumpeter Marcus Printup a player who can blow with great power when needed, but also hit these slinky, soulful moments too a balance that only seems to get better and better with each new record! There's a bit of Freddie Hubbard in that approach, but Printup's definitely his own man too and can step easily into bolder, more spiritual passages especially when working with a group this great as the lineup includes Patrick Bartley on alto, Coleman Hughes on trombone, Allyn Johnson on piano, Dezron Douglas on bass, and Ulysses Owens on drums! Owens and Douglas really hold things together wonderfully with a style that's sophisticated, yet always swinging especially on some of the album's boldest tracks. Titles include the great originals "En Route", "The Bishop", "Greasy", and "Young Bloods" plus a wonderful take on "In Your Own Sweet Way", done at a level that really opens the tune up with the horns! © 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/771441

Personnel: Marcus Printup (trumpet), Patrick Bartley (alto saxophone), Coleman Hughes (trombone), Allyn Johnson (piano), Dezron Douglas (bass), Ulysses Owens (drums)

Young Bloods

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Christian McBride Bid Band - The Good Feeling

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream, Big Band
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:32
Size: 162,1 MB
Art: Front + Back

( 7:21)  1. Shake 'n Blake
( 4:05)  2. Broadway
( 4:53)  3. Brother Mister
( 5:17)  4. When I Fall in Love
(11:46)  5. Science Fiction
( 8:17)  6. The Shade of the Cedar Tree
( 3:49)  7. The More I See You
( 5:45)  8. I Should Care
( 3:28)  9. A Taste of Honey
( 8:45) 10. Bluesin' in Alphabet City
( 7:01) 11. In a Hurry

The Good Feeling marks the debut of the Christian McBride Big Band, but the seeds for this album were sown in the mid-'90s. Jazz at Lincoln Center commissioned McBride to write and arrange his first major big band work "Bluesin' In Alphabet City" in 1995, and that experience really sparked his interest in composing for large groups. Now, sixteen years after the ink dried on that number, it appears in the penultimate position on his first big band recording. Over the course of eleven tracks, McBride manages to present music that's respectful of big band traditions, while also showcasing his own unique compositional voice. On one piece, the band might be playing over a pedal-to-the-metal swing pulse, with a string of strong soloists selling their wares over feisty backgrounds that come and go ("In A Hurry"), while another number might sound like a cross between "Maiden Voyage" and funky Freddie Hubbard-style fare ("Brother Mister"), as distilled through the mind of one of jazz's most talented, high profile bassists.

The instrumentalists rule the roost on this album, but McBride makes room for vocalist Melissa Walker on a few numbers, and she brings class to the proceedings. Walker's first feature, "When I Fall In Love," opens with McBride's elegant arco work, and contains some charming piano soloing from Xavier Davis, while the band cooks behind her vocals on the waltzing "A Taste Of Honey." "The More I See You" opens in a relatively calm state, with Walker singing the verse, but things really heat up later, when a Sonny Payne-style triplet build-up from drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr. leads to some shouting brass. While the vocal standards tend to showcase McBride's more conservative, in-the-tradition arrangements, his own "Science Fiction" shows what he can do when he moves away from the norm. 

This number proves to be an episodic odyssey full of wonder and surprise. Suspense gives way to sounds of the bold and big variety, and Davis and McBride set things in motion with driving, hook-laden riffs. Seismic shifts take place in certain places, while more subtle adjustments are at play throughout the piece. McBride utilizes flutes and bass clarinet in expert fashion, and these instruments help to broaden the overall sound of the band. Featuring McBride at the top of his game, The Good Feeling, like its creator, is steeped in tradition while remaining tapped into what's current and exciting in jazz today. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-good-feeling-christian-mcbride-mack-avenue-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel: Christian McBride: bass; Steve Wilson: alto saxophone, flute; Todd Bashore: alto saxophone, flute; Ron Blake: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute; Todd Williams: tenor saxophone, flute; Loren Schoenberg: tenor saxophone (2, 8); Carl Maraghi: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet; Frank Greene: trumpet; Freddie Hendrix: trumpet; Nicholas Payton: trumpet; Nabati Isles: trumpet; Steve Davis: trombone; Michael Dease: trombone; James Burton: trombone; Douglas Purviance: bass trombone; Xavier Davis: piano; Ulysses Owens, Jr.: drums; Melissa Walker: vocals.

The Good Feeling

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Michael Dease - Decisions

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:49
Size: 123,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:45)  1. Grove's Groove
(5:03)  2. Jason's Gonna Get Ya
(4:31)  3. Trayvon
(5:47)  4. Gorgeous Gwen
(5:59)  5. Decisions
(6:31)  6. Right Place Wrong Time
(4:58)  7. Everything Must Change
(4:12)  8. Three and One
(5:50)  9. You're My Everything
(6:10) 10. The Big D

When it comes to decision-making, not everything is black and white or right and wrong. On occasion there are multiple paths that can be seen as the correct choice, and trombonist Michael Dease truly understands that. Dease came to a significant fork in life's road when he found himself in a position to decide whether to remain a first-call New York-based player or move to Michigan. He ultimately chose the latter option and it hasn't hurt him one bit, as his career as an educator at Michigan State University has blossomed and he still makes his presence felt on record and in the jazz community at large. But in truth, either choice probably would've worked out just fine for Dease, as some life decisions can potentially offer multiple outcomes that all prove to be positive in the long run.  That experience can be seen as a parallel to making this album. Dease could've gone in multiple directions here, as there was no prescribed track. In the end, he put together a small group, paved a path that's basically straight down the middle, and split the program between originals and covers, showcasing the lyrical qualities in his playing in various settings. Those happen to have been excellent choices, though the same thing probably could've been said had he gone in any number of other directions. Such is jazz, the art of album-making, and life in general.

Dease kicks off this program with three numbers that basically sum up what he's about: his penchant for swinging scenarios comes through on trombonist Steve Davis' Jazz Messengers-worthy "Grove's Groove," his appreciation for earthier sounds is apparent on the funky "Jason's Gonna Get Ya," and his ability to put his heart into the music surfaces during "Trayvon." Everything that follows can somehow be tied back to those three preferences or properties, but it's not just Dease who's working those lines. The other musicians take cues from Dease, amplifying his personality in the process. Drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. and bassist Rodney Whitaker deliver swing foundations in various shapes, forms, and gears; pianist Glenn Zaleski covers a wide range of emotions in his work, delivering bluesy banter, Ellington-esque swaths of color, comforting chordal gestures, and guidepost comping; and saxophonist Tim Green adds another layer of complexity to the mix when he appears, giving his two cents as a soloist, bringing greater energy to the music, and joining forces with Dease to add weight to the heads. There's a good deal of stability and uniformity in the direction(s) that Dease takes, but said consistency never has a negative impact on the way this album is received. While certain rhythmic and stylistic traits are endemic to many of his songs, Dease doesn't compose or arrange from a mold. Each song speaks with a different voice and nary a bad decision can be observed here. ~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/decisions-michael-dease-posi-tone-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel: Michael Dease: trombone; Tim Green: saxophone; Glenn Zaleski: piano; Rodney Whitaker: bass; Ulysses Owens Jr.: drums.

Decisions

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Ulysses Owens Jr. - Onward & Upward

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:27
Size: 134,8 MB
Art: Front

(1:00)  1. Onward & Upward Intro
(4:33)  2. People Make the World Go Round
(6:49)  3. Just 25 Miles To Anywhere
(6:25)  4. SST
(5:25)  5. Exodus
(4:33)  6. Samba Jam
(8:09)  7. Fee Fi Fo Fum
(6:30)  8. The Gift Of Forgiveness
(5:38)  9. For Nelson
(6:22) 10. Human Nature
(2:57) 11. Drum Postlude

There’s such a sense of ease to Ulysses Owens’ third album as a leader, you know the 31-year-old drummer has strongly benefited from his work as a sideman with such high-profile artists as Christian McBride, Kurt Elling and Mulgrew Miller. A collection of relaxed-in-the-groove numbers including three pop-soul covers, Onward and Upward invests heavily in airy melodies even as Owens asserts himself rhythmically. Produced by Owens, the album provides optimum conditions for a topnotch cast to shine. The soloists include trumpeter Jason Palmer, in sprightly form on Wayne Shorter’s “Fee Fi Fo Fum,” guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bringing an unexpected cutting edge to the Phyllis Hyman tune “Just 25 Miles to Anywhere,” and clarinetist Anat Cohen, bridging styles with bassist Reuben Rogers and Owens on the trio improvisation “Samba Jam.” Cohen also is featured on tenor saxophone, teaming with trombonist Michael Dease to glowing effect on “For Nelson” (a tribute to vibraphonist Steve by Dease and Owens). And then there’s the protean young pianist Christian Sands, Owens’ running partner in the McBride bands, who ranges from freewheeling dazzlement on “SST” to elegantly contained playing on Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature,” a contemporary trio arrangement featuring bassist Matthew Rybicki that has real lyrical weight. The album also features a stealthy jazzification of the Stylistics’ “People Make the World Go Round,” featuring vocalist Charles Turner. Smoothly asse. ~ Lloyd Sachs  http://jazztimes.com/articles/129498-onward-and-upward-ulysses-owens-jr

Personnel: Ulysses Owens Jr.: Drums, Percussion & Vocals;  Anat Cohen: Tenor Saxophone & Clarinet;  Jason Palmer: Trumpet;  Michael Dease: Trombone;  Gilad Hekselman: Guitar;  Christian Sands; Piano;  Reuben Rogers: Bass;  Charles Turner: Vocals (2);  Adam Rongo: Alto Saxophone (9);  Benny Benack: Trumpet (8) & Vocals / Percussion (1);  Matthew Rybicki: Bass (8, 9, 10).

Onward & Upward

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Ulysses Owens Jr - Unanimous

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:54
Size: 158,1 MB
Art: Front

(10:32)  1. Good and Terrible
( 9:30)  2. Con Alma
( 7:49)  3. E.S.P.
( 8:17)  4. Prototype
( 8:46)  5. Party Time
( 8:47)  6. Beardom X
( 2:45)  7. You Make Me Feel So Young
( 5:56)  8. Cherokee
( 6:28)  9. Cute and Sixy

Ulysses Owens Jr. is one of the handful of legitimate jazz triple threats working the scene today. As a performer, producer and educator you would be hard pressed to name another drummer whose talents could be on par with with Owens. Oh...and did I mention he is a Grammy winner as well? Ulysses Owens Jr. is indeed the real deal. Unanimous is the most recent offering from Owens and is easily one of the years finest releases for a plethora of reasons. Owens has an all-star line up including Grammy winner Nicholas Payton on trumpet, Jaleel Shaw on alto saxophone, Grammy Winner Christian McBride holding down the bass chair and Christian Sands on piano. "Good And Terrible" kicks off the release and even as a more mid tempo tune, Owens has a distinct pop of vitality to his playing with horn players Dease, Shaw and Payton turning in superb performances. The old school working band sound from the Blue Note days is accentuated by the shifting harmonics of the composition itself thus old school becomes new cool without ever becoming pretentious or self indulgent. "Party Time" is deceptively subtle blues infused gem. 

A groove you can use where once again Jaleel Shaw absolutely slays this number. The finesse and swing of Owens drives this musical train along with a nice walking bass line from McBride. While Payton and Shaw only play of a combined total of six of the nine tracks their contributions alone are worth the price of  the recording alone. Pianist Christian Sands is a perfect fit for the rhythm section with a deft touch and a keen sense of melody he pushes "Party Time" to a new level of swing. What's a straight ahead record without a standard? The eclectic choice of "You Make Me Feel So Young" plays right in the bands wheelhouse. There is a slight reharmonization of the melody but just enough to show an inventive musician not a musician trying to reinvent the musical wheel. Straight ahead jazz just kicked up enough to build a unique balance of texture to keep things interesting. I tend to shy away from the overly technical reviews. I keep it simple. It works or doesn't. You can be a theoretical genius and lay an artistic egg but not here. Ulysses Owens Jr. firmly establishes himself as a name to remember and Unanimous as a release well worth checking out!  5 Stars and one of the sleepers of the year!  http://www.criticaljazz.com/2012/06/ulysses-ownes-jr-unanimous-criss-cross.html

Personnel: Ulysses Owens Jr,: drums; Nicholas Payton: trumpet (1-5); Jaleel Shaw: alto saxophone (1,2,5,6); Michael Dease: trombone: (1,2,); Christian Sands: piano; Christian McBride: bass.

Unanimous

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