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 ]
Written by Bill Milkoski, Downbeat Magazine
— May 2024
The Door Is Open (OA2; 53:17 ****) is Randy Napoleon’s second volume dedicated to the music of eccentric Michigan-based composer Gregg Hill. Backed by a core of group of pianist Rick Roe, bassists Rodney Whitaker and Lucas LaFave, drummer Quincy Davis and vocalist Aubrey Johnson, whose facile, discipline doubling elevates the proceedings, the guitarist brings a warm, appealing tone and Wis-inspired sensibility to the varied program. Guitarist and vocalist execute intricate unisons on the vibrant title track, the buoyant “Escape To Cat Island” and the delicate titular jazz waltz while Johnson steals the show with her freewheeling scatting on the temp-shifting “Spa-Taneity.” Napoleon shines on the all-out swingers “Skyline” and “the Last Pop Tune,” the “Cantaloupe Island”-sounding “Motel Blues” and the poignant ballad “April Song.”
Order your CD today on at our Gregg Hill online store [Shop]
Gregg's latest Book "The Speckled Frog" was just released with 29 new jazz compositions.
The Speckled Frog continues in the musical spirit of the two preceding books of tunes, Moonducks and The Tuning Fork. The first two books, Outrospectives and Spontaneity, contained many tunes that were complex and sometimes technically challenging. The current material leans more to openness and accessibility for players and arrangers alike. As long as the arranger is true to the melody and chord changes, he or she has the freedom to bring in their own palette and put their own stamp on the tunes. This collaborative approach has worked well with the recent material and I hope to continue on that path. In the process, I am still able to create some surprises, detours, interval clashes and time signature shenanigans. That is the joy of writing and why I continue to do it.
Each tune has its own story and springs from different experiences. The Speckled Frog is a journey of the imagination. Sometimes the trip is short. Other time the trip stretches out and goes to multiple destinations. The imagination follows its own course and sets its own boundaries. I hope you enjoy the journey!
