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Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category

Jazz da Gama tells us how Behn Gillece cuts to the quick on “Dare To Be”

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It takes but one ‘third’ to recognise the ‘hand’ of Art Tatum in ‘Willow Weep for Me’, a ‘flatted fifth’ to pick out Charlie Parker in any orchestral line up, a ‘seventh’ to do the same with Milt Jackson and while it may take a little while to pick out Behn Gillece from a flurry of notes, his vivid harmonic approach to the vibraphone is fast becoming his indelible signature, qu ...Read More

Written by jamo

September 13th, 2016 at 11:59 am

On “Dare To Be” there is a blend of vibes and guitar that creates a more open, airy, and at times ethereal quality.

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With the recent passing of the great Bobby Hutcherson, inarguably one of the five most important jazz vibraphonists in the instrument’s (relatively brief) history, east coast vibist Behn Gillece’s new recording, Dare to Be, is coming along at just the right time. When an icon leaves us, it is natural to wonder who will fill the void, or who will carry on the legacy the artist established durin ...Read More

Written by editor

September 10th, 2016 at 10:48 am

Jazzed Magazine says the moment is right for Ben Gillece’s “Dare To Be”

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As crazy as it may sound, learning how to be your true self doesn‘t happen overnight. It takes quite a while for musicians to get comfortable in their own skin, find their real voice, and dare to move forward toward their musical ideal. For vibraphonist Behn Gillece, that level of comfort is now a reality and the moment is right and ripe for such a move. After releasing a series of well received ...Read More

Written by editor

August 29th, 2016 at 11:12 am

All About Jazz schools us on Werner’s teachings on enlightenment on “Koan”

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I have an idea that pianist Spike Wilner has read Kenny Werner‘s book Effortless Mastery: Liberating The Master Musician Within (1996), because Koan emulates Werner’s lessons in surrendering one’s self to music. Werner’s teachings on enlightenment flow through this trio recording, Wilner’s sixth as a leader. As a disciple of Harlem stride and ragtime, Wilner, like so ...Read More

Written by editor

August 12th, 2016 at 10:03 am

Bird is the Worm lays down the law on “Dare To Be” by Behn Gillece

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There should be a law that compels every vibraphonist on the jazz scene to record one album per year with a guitarist.  Of the pool of possible combinations, the marriage of those two instruments is one of the happier pairings there is, and this holds true whether the form of expression is one that stretches out to the fringes of jazz or if the music plants itself dead center in jazz territory.  ...Read More

Written by editor

August 9th, 2016 at 11:17 pm

All About Jazz has great things to say about “Dare To Be” by Behn Gillece

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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 ...Read More

Written by editor

August 8th, 2016 at 1:33 pm

Drummer/Composer Steve Fidyk is Buoyed by “Allied Forces” on New Posi-Tone Release

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One realizes just how special Allied Forces (Posi-Tone Records) by drummer/composer/bandleader Steve Fidyk is about halfway through the Monk opener, “Evidence.” This is one swinging quintet dealing with Monk’s myriad changes and convoluted thought processes in a shiny new irresistible way. It has that good new-car smell about it that hooks you right in. And it’s like that ...Read More

Written by editor

August 4th, 2016 at 11:24 am

Jazz spans Continents and Cultures on Steve Fidyk’s new release

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This record company, Posi-tone Records, seems to have a group of musicians who are comrades and they make it a point to support each other by recording in concert and exchanging leaders. Just last month, I reviewed Doug Webb’s CD with most of these same players. However, on this recording, it’s the drummer who is featured as ‘leader.’ Monk’s composition, “Evidence” is a good way to b ...Read More

Written by editor

August 4th, 2016 at 11:11 am

The Hammond B-3 is Immortalized on Brian Charette’s “Once & Future”

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The realm of the Hammond B3 organ has never been a crowded field and it has remained so even today. However, where once you might have only found records of Larry Young, Jimmy Smith and Joey DeFrancesco in online and bricks and mortar stores, two more names are creating quite the storm in the realm today: one of them is Vanessa Rodrigues, the Toronto-based Brasilian and the American, Brian Charett ...Read More

Written by editor

August 2nd, 2016 at 9:10 am

JazzdaGama is Keeping Summer Hot with 4 new Posi-Tone releases

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  The seamless, elastic world of music must surely be engaging to body and soul as if it were charting sonic events in the hot and heady days of a seemingly parallel universe. The music of a clutch of artists playing music intoxicated with the gaiety and passion for life in chance encounters and never-ending emotional thrills. These four discs lay out the sustaining power of trombone and saxo ...Read More

Written by editor

August 2nd, 2016 at 8:58 am