Archive for the ‘Travis Sullivan’ tag
A new review for Sean Nowell “Firewerks”…
www.criticaljazz.com
If you follow the basic premise that ECM records invented the piano trio then Posi-Tone is not terribly far behind when it comes to churning out releases from some of the brightest tenor stars of this generation. Ralph Bowen, Tom Tallitsch, Brandon Wright are but a few of the tenor giants of Posi -Tone and now we have Sean Nowell from this classic 2007 release Firewerks.
Th ...Read More
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