| Jazz |
Here is a highly enjoyable album from trombonist Michael Dease, who skillfully tackles the musical universe of composer Gregg Hill. A permanent winner of the DownBeat Critics Poll, trombonist Michael Dease has embraced his role as a torchbearer for his mentors and jazz ancestors in his 15 commercially-released recordings that are deeply swinging and cutting-edge. For The Other Shoe, Dease teams up with the formidable composer Gregg Hill, expanding his rhythmic and harmonic palette with a flexible, contemporary perspective, while remaining true to the sensibilities that are at the heart of his music. With the prodigiously talented pianist Geoffrey Keezer, Dease is joined by a wide range of musicians, each recruited for their unique perspectives and talents, including clarinetist Virginia MacDonald, bassist Liany Mateo, and drummer Colleen Clark, among others. The result is a complete delight from start to finish, and as trombonists are not often album leaders, this makes for a singular creation that we love. It is not always easy to put this instrument in the spotlight unless accompanied by a virtuoso performer like Michael Dease, who manages to captivate, amuse, and enroll us in a universe tailored like a custom suit for the artist, accompanied by equally passionate musicians. This album features some savory moments, such as the haunting “Rio Mio” or “The Sleeper” or “Summer Nights,” some to entertain and others to provide welcome drama, all with arrangements that are more than up to the expectations of such a project, which concludes with The Other Shoe, a very contemporary composition that takes time to start before projecting us into a chaotic late-night universe. Yes, this album is full of surprises, with compositions that any lover of beautiful works will surely adore. The editors of Bayou Blue Radio and Paris-Move classify this album as “Indispensable”.
Thierry Docmac
Correspondent in USA
Bayou Blue News – Bayou Blue Radio – Paris-Move
PARIS-MOVE, March 27th 2023
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