MUSIC REVIEW BY George Harris, Jazz Weekly
You've got to love the moxie of trombonist Michael Dease, who thinks he can take on with his trombone and rhythm teams of Xavier Davis & Ethan Frank on piano, Jared Beckstead-Craan & Reuben Stump on bass and drummers Keith Hall, Brian Allen & Randy Gelispie, the MSU Jazz Trombone team consisting of 17, count 'em, 17 trombones and six (!) bass trombones. What could go wrong?
NOTHING! This album is a total delight, with every potential traffic jam carefully avoided. Praise God this wasn't arranged by Stan Kenton, is all I have to say. There's a fun read of Thelonious Monk's "Evidence" that includes solos by bass bonemeister Forhan as well as the lighter Muller-Santiago and Davis, while the brass gets lush and lovely as a frame on "Rememberance". A brilliant read of "'Round Midnight" have the horns in pastoral mood, while the team bops around Sharel Cassity's guest alto sax on "Song Of Those Who Seek". Benny Benack III croons through a classy "It Could Happen To You" and the team gets down on it on a wild and wooly take of the Brecker Brothers' classic "Some Skunk Funk" with solos from Altin Sencalar, Drew Kilpela, Chris Glassman and Dan Parrish that feature more sliding than Billy Hamilton. You're not going to have a 'bone to pick with this one. WHEW!!
NOTHING! This album is a total delight, with every potential traffic jam carefully avoided. Praise God this wasn't arranged by Stan Kenton, is all I have to say. There's a fun read of Thelonious Monk's "Evidence" that includes solos by bass bonemeister Forhan as well as the lighter Muller-Santiago and Davis, while the brass gets lush and lovely as a frame on "Rememberance". A brilliant read of "'Round Midnight" have the horns in pastoral mood, while the team bops around Sharel Cassity's guest alto sax on "Song Of Those Who Seek". Benny Benack III croons through a classy "It Could Happen To You" and the team gets down on it on a wild and wooly take of the Brecker Brothers' classic "Some Skunk Funk" with solos from Altin Sencalar, Drew Kilpela, Chris Glassman and Dan Parrish that feature more sliding than Billy Hamilton. You're not going to have a 'bone to pick with this one. WHEW!!