Matt Brewer - Ganymede - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

A leading bassist of his generation, Matt Brewer has distinguished himself in groups led by Greg Osby, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Vijay Iyer, John Escreet and many others. His Criss Cross appearances on Mike Moreno's First In Mind and David Binney's Anacapa have also left a lasting impression. On Mythology, his debut as a leader, the Oklahoma City-born, Albuquerque, New Mexico-raised Brewer leads a sextet with some of the fiercest individualists on the jazz scene today alto saxist Steve Lehman and tenorist Mark Turner in the frontline; guitarist Lage Lund and pianist David Virelles as ensemble voices and featured soloists as well; drummer Marcus Gilmore bringing a flexible, swinging, highly structured rhythmic vocabulary to the table.With his mostly original pieces Brewer reveals an adventurous, lyrical bent as a composer. The band's uptempo reading of Ornette Coleman's InchFreeInch truly catches fire as well.

On the heels of his critically-acclaimed Criss Cross debut, Mythology (CRC 1373), bassist Matt Brewer presents an inspired quintet recording, convening tenor saxophonist Ben Wendel, pianist Aaron Parks, guitarist Charles Altura, and drummer Tyshawn Sorey-all top-of-the-pyramid under-40 improvisers and consequential composers in their own right-to perform a nine-tune program that includes seven Brewer originals, and reimagined versions of Bill Frisell's InchTwenty YearsInch and Charlie Parker's InchCheryl.Inch Having garnered wide acclaim as a sideman playing the challenging music of such major figures as Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Greg Osby, Steve Coleman and Vijay Iyer, among others, Brewer displays notonly his lyric gifts and virtuoso instrumental prowess, but his abilityto convey his intentions by allowing his band mates freedom to expresstheir perspectives within the flow of his ideas.

Taken by Trees' Other Worlds is a impressionist poem for the Hawaiian Islands, where on a recent visit, chanteuse Victoria Bergsman found a swell of creative inspiration. Working closely with photographer Amanda Marsalis, Victoria intimately documented her time in Hawaii. 'I gathered ideas for songs, recorded nature sounds and Amanda filmed and took photos of me constantly. Her work is very dear to me and both of US believed this [project] to be something special and very precious.'