Archive for the ‘New Directions’ tag
Travis Sullivan’s “New Directions” gets another look…
www.criticaljazz.com
The Posi-Tone debut is a delightful and slightly eclectic mix of well grounded original compositions and some covers you may expect. Sullivan tends to opt for the more stylistic approach as opposed to coming from the speed is king and odd meter school which does little more than make the artist the newest member of the flavor of the month club.
Sullivan’s original work ...Read More
Peter Hum reviews “more-altos-you-ought-to-know-about”…
blogs.ottawacitizen.com
Over at the office of Posi-Tone, the Los Angeles-based jazz label, 2011 is jokingly referred to as the “year of the altos.” Below are reviews of three discs that have helped define the year for the label. Not surprisingly, their similarities are not limited to the horn played by the leaders involved. As per the Posi-tone mandate, the CDs brim with modern mainstream ja ...Read More
The Jazz Word reviews Travis Sullivan “New Directions”…
thejazzword.blogspot.com
Alto saxophonist Travis Sullivan leads a perceptive quartet through a diverse set of his original tunes and a couple of covers on New Directions, his third release as a leader and debut for Posi-Tone Records. Aside from small group endeavors, the New York-based Sullivan leads his own 18-piece big band Bjorkestra, performing arrangements of the Icelandic pop icon Bjork.
Su ...Read More
AAJ’s Glenn Astarita on Travis Sullivan “New Directions”…
www.allaboutjazz.com
New Directions could signify a paradigm shift for alto saxophonist Travis Sullivan’s eighteen-piece Björkestra, a unit dedicated to performing arrangements of Icelandic pop vocalist Björk. Sullivan goes back to his fundamental mainstream jazz roots on the lyrically rich New Directions, assembled with memorable comps and sterling interplay from his quartet. Sullivan ...Read More
Lucid Culture reviews Travis Sullivan “New Directions”…
lucidculture.wordpress.com
Travis Sullivan’s New Directions Kicks off the Summer Properly
The trouble with a lot of jazz albums is that a lot of bands can’t translate their interplay from the stage or even the rehearsal room to the studio. As a result, they sound stiff – or as if everybody was just trying to lay down their parts and get the hell out. Alto saxophonist and Bjorkestra bandlea ...Read More
Bruce Lindsay reviews Travis Sullivan “New Directions”….
www.allaboutjazz.com
Travis Sullivan’s New Directions, his Posi-Tone debut, is a rewarding trip through a mix of strong, self-penned, tunes and an unusual combination of covers. The saxophonist leads his quartet with style, emphasizing musicality and emotional engagement over displays of technique, and creating a sparkly collection that emphatically establishes his talents as a composer as ...Read More
Amazing interview with Travis Sullivan….
www.allaboutjazz.com
Travis Sullivan composes and arranges with a fine flair. For about the last six years, he’s proven himself a strong leader of a large band, running the Bjorkestra, an acclaimed unit that plays slick, intricate and sometimes burning jazz versions of songs by popular Icelandic singer/songwriter Bjork.
It’s a band that’s an audience pleaser and one that musician ...Read More
SaxShed reviews Travis Sullivan “New Directions”….
saxshed.com
Alto saxophonist Travis Sullivan has released his third record “New Directions” on Posi-tone Records. Known primarily for leading his Björkestra project, Sullivan has assembled The Travis Sullivan Quartet where he is joined by pianist Mike Eckroth, bassist Marco Panascia, and drummer Brian Fishler.
According to Jazz Times, Travis Sullivan is “…a gifted alto saxophonist and imp ...Read More
Richard Kamins reviews Travis Sullivan “New Directions”
http://steptempest.blogspot.com/2011/05/modern-grooves.html
Alto saxophonist-composer Travis Sullivan is, perhaps, best known for his 18-piece big band, Bjorkestra, an ongoing project in which he reimagines and reshapes the music of the Icelandic singer/songwriter and notorious shape-shifter. In the midst of that heady project, one might forget that he himself is a strong writer and talented ...Read More
Dan Bilawsky’s AAJ review for Travis Sullivan “New Directions”…
www.allaboutjazz.com
Saxophonist Travis Sullivan has received lots of coverage for the music he creates with his Björkestra, but the success of that band is a double-edged sword. While following the musical pathways set forth by his Icelandic muse has helped the saxophonist expand his audience, it also temporarily suppressed his own musical personality. With New Directions, Sullivan steps out of ...Read More