Across the Bridge

Collier turns phrases and builds lines that set a new musical standard for the vibraphone.
Percussive Arts Society

Considering vibraphonist Tom Collier performed his first concert at age 5, it's safe to say most memories of his youth contain powerful musical imagery. For his latest recording, Colllier is paired with two of the most important guitarists in jazz, Bill Frisell and Larry Coryell, as he reflects on his early years when his family lived on the other side of the West Seattle Bridge. Through a set of 9 originals inspired by places and recollections, they rekindle some of that youthful fire along with bassist Dan Dean, Collier's musical partner over the last 40 years, and drummers John Bishop and Ted Poor.

Production Info:

Produced by Dan Dean
Recorded by Masa Fukudome, Eric Corson, Mark Trutanich at Ice Station Zebra, Seattle, WA; Reed Ruddy at Studio X, Seattle WA; and Dan Dean at DDP Studio, Mercer Island, WA
April-June, 2015
Mixed & mastered by Dan Dean at DDP Studio, Mercer Island, WA
Cover design & layout by John Bishop

Reviews of Across the Bridge

Midwest Record (Chris Spector)
Give a jazzbo vibe player some grant money and crowd funding and what's he do with it? Luckily for us, this vibe player hired some ace cats to back him up making a date that brings fusion to vibes and good vibes to all. Frequent duet partner Dan Dean brings his bass (and producer's hat) on board and there's a lot of circles that are completed her ...

WTJU - Richmond (Dave Rogers)
Collier plays vibes and marimba on these nine original compositions and he changes moods and styles with with ease and command. He also keeps terrific company in a group of musicians who can bring their special talents to augment his shifts. Guitarists Larry Coryell and Bill Frisell add the wonderful coloring one would expect of them and bassist Da ...

KJHK, Lawrence, KS (Matt Weiman)
Tom Collier is a very impressive vibraphone player and holds nothing back on his album, Across The Bridge. Accompanied by Bill Frisell on guitar, Larry Coryell on guitar, Dan Dean on bass, John Bishop on drums, and Ted Poor on drums, Tom weaves his way magically through nine original compositions. It feels like elevator jazz at times with the vibra ...

Downbeat (Fred Bouchard)
***1/2 Since 1997, Origin Records has stood steadfast as a bulwark for West Coast jazz and classical musicians, and mallet-meister Tom Colier splendidly fills both categories. As chair of percussion studies at Seattle's University of Washington, he's performed with major symphonies as well as Earl "Fatha" Hines, Frank Zappa, Peggy Lee and Cal ...

Jazz Weekly (George W. Harris)
GUITAR HEAVEN! Why would I make that headline for an album put together by a guy who plays vibes and marimba? Well, what Tom Collier did was bring in two of today's most important guitarists, Larry Coryell and Bill Frisell, and even through in his bassist Dan Dean for a few swipes at the 6 strings. Then John Bishop and Ted Poor trade off at drums, ...

All About Jazz (Dan Bilawsky)
Ruminations on the past, musical or otherwise, are often weighed down by the sediment of sentiment. But it certainly doesn't have to be that way. Looking back can provide an outlet for the imagination to take control, and vibraphonist Tom Collier seems well aware of that. On Across The Bridge, Collier revisits his youth, delivering nine original n ...

Improvijazzation Nation (Rotcod Zzaj)
Tom's stellar vibraphone work leads the pack here, with electric guitar from Bill Frisell, electric/acoustic guitar from Larry Coryell, electric bass & electric guitar by Dan Dean, drums from John Bishop and (also) drums by Ted Poor… he got high marks from me in issue # 159, and totally solidified my impression of his mastery with this new all-or ...

Ancient Victorys (Chris Lunn)
Collier and his over-four-decades partner, Dan Dean, first surfaced for us in the 70s and have been major contributors musically and technically to the jazz music field. Here, Collier, performing his own tunes, collaborates with two major guitarists out of the Seattle music scene, Larry Coryell and Bill Frisell. Bot are on electric guitars and play ...

JazzTimes (Steve Greenlee)
Tom Collier's new album, Across the Bridge, is an exhilarating collection of modern jazz-rock originals "on the other side of the West Seattle Bridge." Collier, who has taught percussion studies at the University of Washington since 1980 and is primarily a vibraphonist, recruited two of today's best genre-bending guitarists, Larry Coryell and B ...