Ben Morris

Pocket Guides

OA2 22203

Purchase

iTunes - $9.99


Charming and heart touching...
OperaGene

Writing for his large, uniquely-voiced ensemble, and with influences ranging from traditional Norwegian folk music, modern jazz, and contemporary classical music, composer/pianist Ben Morris's dynamic debut surprises and captivates. With his core group - Zosha Warpeha on Norwegian Hardanger fiddle and violin, Juan Olivares on clarinet, Dan Montgomery on bass, Evan Hyde on drums, and Ben on piano - he was invited to premiere four original pieces at the Newport Jazz Festival in 2019, setting in motion the inspiration to expand the ensemble and compositions to create Pocket Guides. With visions of bustling foreign cities, Norse mythology, tundras and waterways, Morris's music is cinematic, surprising and visceral, the rich textures reflecting his experiences living and studying in Norway, Korea, Florida, Texas, New Jersey, and now Colorado.


Track Listing:

1. Ymir's Bones 7:20
2. Hongdae After Midnight 6:25
3. A Lost Pair of Kites 7:51
4. Bubbles in a River 10:49
5. Hvalsang 11:43
6. Old Barney 6:59
7. Fellfields 3:00
8. Edvard 8:54

All tracks composed by Ben Morris (ASCAP)
Text for "Bubble in a River" by E.H. Gombrich (1909-2001)

Performers:

David Bernot - tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones, flute
Juan Gabriel Olivares - clarinet and bass clarinet
Derek Ganong - trumpet and flugelhorn
Magnus Murphy Joelson - trombone
Jack Bogard - violin and mandolin
Zosha Warpeha - Hardanger fiddle and violin
Joy Adams - cello
Jonah Udall - guitars
Ben Morris - piano and melodica
Dan Montgomery - bass
Evan Hyde - drums
Sam Gautier - aux percussion
John Boggs - voice (4)

Production Info:

Produced by Ben Morris
Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Colin Bricker
at Mighty Fine Productions, Denver, CO
Recorded on January 17-20, 2022
Mixed by Loren Dorland & Colin Bricker
Front Cover Art by Ryan Schröder
Band Photos by Zosha Warpeha
Cover Design & Layout by John Bishop


Reviews of Pocket Guides

Midwest Record (Chris Spector)
Inspired by his world travels, this is an impressionistic guide to spots around the world. Except he's doing it with a big band that plays in a way of his own devices that he writes and arranges for with an out of the ordinary, singular vision. A cat whose work plays it straight while coloring outside the lines, he wants to bring you into the ten ...

All About Jazz (Jack Bowers)
4-STARS On Pocket Guides, his debut recording as foreman, Denver-based pianist Ben Morris leads a one-dozen strong quasi-big band with rather unusual instrumentation—two horns, two woodwinds, two violins, mandolin, cello, melodica and rhythm—through eight of his engaging compositions, most of which touch on his Norwegian heritage. To his credi ...

Take Effect (Tom Haugen)
The composer and pianist Ben Morris is nothing if not diverse, and here with his core group of Zosha Warpeha (fiddle, violin), Juan Olivares (clarinet), Dan Montgomery (bass) and Evan Hyde (drums) he welcomes plenty of guests into his inimitable version of jazz. "Ymir's Bones" opens the listen with the bright brass and playful percussion intera ...









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