Tom Collier - Across the Bridge - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

For his eighth recording on Origin, vibist Tom Collier assembled a set of five improvised compositions with pianist Richard Karpen to be recorded in a trio setting. Added to the duo for each piece are several of the more empathetic and forward-looking creative musicians of the past 50 years, all who happen to be colleagues of theirs at the University of Washington, where Collier recently retired after a thirty-year career. William O. InchBillInch Smith and Stuart Dempster both nurtured his thirst for improvised music in the late '60s through their contemporary music program at the UW. More recently, trumpeter Cuong Vu, guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Ted Poor have all made dynamic contributions to the program. Here they each contribute to an album that, while abstract and complex, is also full of beauty and emotion.InchCollier... is so well-equipped academically that his sleight-of-hand solos already are a fascinating study.Inch - Los Angeles Times

Alone in the Studio features Tom Collier playing every instrument including vibraphone, marimba, piano, drums, and keyboards. Originally inspired by the 1960's studio exploits of artists ranging from the Beatles and the Beach Boys to Gary Burton and Miles Davis, Collier's 50-year career as a recording musician culminates in this album entirely performed, recorded and produced alone in his Seattle studio.

Canyons are places of mystery and beauty. The interesting thing is, while they are one of the great wonders in the history of planet earth and attract scientists of all kinds of disciplines, they have also been a popular retreat for artists and musicians. You will have heard of Topanga Canyon, Rickie Lee Jones and Chicago recorded here. Laurel Canyon is even more well known, a mythical place where Crosby, Stills & Nash developed their unique vocal sound while hanging around Mama Cass' place. Or was it in Joni Mitchell's house on Lookout Mountain? Ok, you get the picture. There is something unexplainable, almost magical going on in canyons.Maybe that's why Andy Platts and Shawn Lee were thinking of InchCanyonsInch when they wrote and recorded their third album as Young Gun Silver Fox. With InchWest End CoastInch and InchAM WavesInch these two very talented musicians, singers, songwriters, arrangers and producers already explored all things West coast, AOR, Soft rock and Boogie. But - especially if you are a into the golden age of this sound running from circa 1976 to 1984 - you will be aware that there is no return once you started digging these unconditional musical delights with their timeless compositions, untouchable musicianship and refined arrangements. The great albums from that era appeared when punk broke and the musical establishment was shaken to the ground. Today they sound more up to date than ever. Who would have thought back then?On InchCanyonsInch Young Gun Silver Fox turned it up to eleven. They are nothing but InchKidsInch cruising in the fast lane, totally over the top searching for the InchDream WomanInch, touching down in Tokyo caught in a InchLong Distance Love AffairInch, imagining the theme for a lost 70s TV series starring InchDanny JamaicaInch, being on the winning side in a InchPrivate ParadiseInch, getting deep and soulful in InchThings We L