by Allen Morrison
Photo by Jessica Cowles
— October 2024
FOUND IN SPACE ALBUM:
To say that Michael Dease is not resting on his laurels would be an understatement. Long considered one of the jazz world’s most accomplished trombonists, both as a leader and as a sideman, he is deeply engaged in establishing himself as a compelling voice on a wholly different instrument, one that isn’t even in the brass family. Always known for his
hard-bop/post-bop lyricism, the 41-year-old Dease has one foot firmly planted in jazz tradition, and one foot in experimentalism.
Dease has two new albums, released within a few weeks of each other. With Grove’s Groove (Le Coq
Records), he not only pays tribute to his late colleague and mentor Roy Hargrove but makes a serious pass at admission to the top ranks of baritone saxophonists.
On the second album, Found In Space: The Music Of Gregg Hill (Origin), he continues to explore the quirky, experimental, sometimes humorous musical universe of a 78-year-old jazz aficionado-turned-composer.
A self-taught prodigy on the trombone, Dease entered Juilliard on a full scholar- ship during its first year offering jazz studies, going on to earn both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. More than a dozen albums and countless side-person appearances followed, including stints with Roy Hargrove, David Sanborn, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars and the big bands of Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton, Charles Tolliver and Rufus Reid. He has also appeared in smaller groups with artists including the Heath Brothers, Renee Rosnes, Winard Harper, Bill Charlap, Claudio Roditi and Lewis Nash.
One of his collaborators on Grove’s Groove is veteran trombonist and perennial DownBeat Critics and Readers Poll favorite Steve Davis. They have been friends and collaborators since the early 2000s.
“Mike’s an amazing talent on trombone, never mind on tenor and baritone sax,” Davis said by phone from his Connecticut home. “His playing is extremely proficient technical- ly, very soulful and musical. He draws from various periods of the jazz tradition, and he does it with ease. He’s a very expressive play- er: I just enjoy hearing him.”
Davis wrote the title tune for Grove’s Groove, a 13-bar blues that previously appeared on albums by Davis and Benny Golson. The tune was dedicated to Davis and Dease’s mutual friend Roy Hargrove, in whose bands they both played. “Mike asked me if he could record the song, but at the time I didn’t know he was going to call the whole album Grove’s Groove,” Davis said. “I think it’s wonderful to pay homage to Roy Hargrove — all day long, every day.”
Dease is perennially busy: In addition to prolific work as a leader and sideperson, he’s a professor at Michigan State University; leads the Jazz Institute of Brevard Music Center in North Carolina and the Seiko Summer Jazz Camp in Tokyo; and teaches summer jazz pro- grams at Skidmore Jazz Institute in Saratoga Springs, New York, and the JALC Summer Jazz Academy at Bard College in Annandale-on- Hudson, New York. That’s where DownBeat caught up with him via Zoom.
by Illiam Sebitz, 5 Finger Review
— September 5, 2024
In Found in Space: The Music of Gregg Hill, Michael Dease and his ensemble showcase Gregg Hill’s ability to compose music that both challenges and inspires.
Michael Dease’s latest album, Found in Space: The Music of Gregg Hill, is a unique and creative journey through the mind of Michigan-based composer Gregg Hill, whose work deftly balances complexity with accessibility. Released by Origin Records on September 20, 2024, the album honors Hill’s exceptional compositional voice, combining intricate counterpoint, shifting time signatures, and surprising harmonic textures with an ensemble of top-tier jazz musicians. Dease, an award-winning trombonist and baritone saxophonist, leads his ensemble to express Hill’s genre-bending compositions’ many moods and colors.
The ensemble assembled for Found in Space: The Music of Gregg Hill are contemporary jazz talents and educators, each musician bringing a unique voice and exceptional artistry to the project. At the helm, Dease on trombone and baritone saxophone, showcasing his versatility as a performer, arranger, and bandleader. Joining him is Rudresh Mahanthappa on alto saxophone, Sharel Cassity on flute and alto saxophone, Jason Hainsworth on tenor saxophone, and Virginia MacDonald on clarinet, each delivering solos rich in expression and technical brilliance. The brass section shines with trumpeter Matt White and trombonist Nanami Haruta, whose contributions add depth and color to the ensemble’s sound. Bill Cunliffe, a Grammy-winning pianist, anchors the rhythm section alongside bassist Katie Thiroux and drummer Colleen Clark, while Gwendolyn Dease’s marimba and percussion work injects a pulsating energy into the mix. Together, this group forms a cohesive unit capable of creatively navigating Gregg Hill’s compositions, making every track a vivid exploration of Hill’s musical imagination. ... [ read the full article ]
by Nolan DeBuke, The Jazz Word
— August 2024
Michael Dease "Found in Space" The Music of Gregg Hill Represents the Power of Collaboration
In the vast cosmos of jazz, some stars burn with a peculiar brilliance, their light flickering in patterns that challenge conventional rhythms and harmonies. Michael Dease’s Found in Space: The Music of Gregg Hill is an album that explores this astral territory, guided by Gregg Hill’s compositions. Released by Origin Records on September 20, 2024, this project is a tribute to Hill’s intricate, genre-defying work, showcasing Dease’s extraordinary musicianship and the formidable talents of his ensemble.
From the outset, the album title, a clever nod to the ’60s sci-fi show Lost in Space, hints at the otherworldly nature of Hill’s music. It’s a fitting metaphor for a composer whose work traverses galaxies of sound, from the angular, Zappa-esque twists of “The Last Pop Tune” to the lush, cinematic landscapes of “Found in Space.” Hill’s compositions are as complex as they are captivating, demanding technical finesse from the ensemble and a deep understanding of the underlying musical architecture. Here, Dease and his ensemble prove more than up for the task.
Each track on this album presents a new perspective of Hill’s distinctive compositional style—a blend of 20th-century classical, jazz, rock, and avant-garde elements that coalesce into something wholly original. The opener, “The Last Pop Tune,” ... [ read the full article ]
