| Jazz |
If you are drawn to albums that immediately immerse you in a refined, poetic atmosphere, this one is for you. It stems from a particularly captivating artistic approach, during his week-long residency at the Dazzle Jazz Club in Denver in 2024, Dave Hanson took the opportunity to highlight both his piano playing and his arrangements for a small ensemble. The result is this quartet recording, his first in such a format. Joined by saxophonist Wil Swindler, bassist Mark Simon, and drummer Paul Romaine, Hanson pays tribute to a rich lineage of iconic American musicians through ten original compositions, each reflecting a diverse range of influences.
From the dazzling swing of Two Masters, a nod to Bill Evans and Chick Corea, to the infectious shuffle of Blues Sky in homage to Jimi Hendrix, and the boogaloo-infused Dylan Dream, inspired by Bob Dylan, Hanson and his group display both energy and inspiration.
This is precisely the kind of album where one can appreciate the years of dedication required to become such a sophisticated composer and arranger. Hanson’s track record includes collaborations with Paul Winter and the Boston Pops, as well as performances with the Pittsburgh, Houston, Milwaukee, Colorado, and New Jersey Symphony Orchestras, along with Denver Brass and Boulder Brass. He is also the pianist, co-leader, and arranger/composer of the H2 Big Band, for which he crafted all the arrangements on You’re It and It Could Happen, as well as those on Al Hood’s chamber orchestra recordings Just a Little Taste and Jazz Muses.
The album’s title track stands out as one of its most impressive moments, seamlessly bridging the worlds of blues and jazz, a true intellectual and musical tour de force that succeeds brilliantly.
An album like this demands dozens of listens, as its intricate arrangements continually reveal new surprises. Each instrument is treated with remarkable finesse, creating an exceptional listening experience. The grandeur here does not lie in ostentatious effects but in compositional mastery, each introduction is meticulously crafted, sometimes offering only a fleeting image to set the scene, at other times firmly establishing the melodic and rhythmic foundation.
From the very first measure, Hanson’s exceptional skills as a writer and orchestrator, along with the band’s infectious bop-infused energy, leap out at you like a three-dimensional gem on an IMAX screen. –All About Jazz
Clearly, these words only begin to capture the depth of sensations this album offers. But there is much more, this intricate web of intersecting inspirations. Hanson delves deep into the elements that shape his art, creating an atmosphere so singular that it commands admiration. His Dylan Dream presents an idealized vision of one artist’s impression of another, an approach that works precisely because Hanson adheres to the shared, collective perception of Dylan. In this sense, Hanson is also a masterful portraitist.
Among the albums we consider “essential,” this one undeniably earns its place, a true reference recording.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, March 16th 2025
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