|
Press Quotes
Jon Bentley Quintet “Motions”
“Saxophonist Jon Bentley is one of Vancouver’s unsung musical talents, a gifted musician who never grandstands, but rather brings out the best in the musicians around him. For ’Motions’, Bentley surrounds himself with terrific musicians and lets them express themselves, not only through their playing but also through their compositions.” - Marke Andrews (Vancouver Sun) “’Motions’ seduces the ear rather than challenging it, but its apparent ease is more a tribute to the excellent players Bentley has assembled than to any lack of complexity or ambition. ....the record proceeds seamlessly from start to finish- which, again, is a tribute to the skill of the musicians involved.” - Alexander Varty (The Georgia Straight) “Reflective and reverential” - Josephine Ochej (Vancouver Jazz.com) |
Waxwing "Flicker Down"
"As improvisers, the group keeps their freshness alive with a freedom of expression and a nuanced sense of timing that decades of experience has only heightened. Each player’s technical execution is sheer perfection; gorgeously subtle mixing and production from Bentley only raises the bar." - Cheryl Ockrant (The Wholenote)
"A chamber jazz trio that specializes in art jazz without being avant garde, they take some real sonic flights of fancy where the inter play is as important as the playing. A real sitting down listening session.... dig how they properly know how to mine this vein. Well done" - Chris Spector (Midwest Record)
"Holds lightning within the frame of a melody and signals the thunder to come" - Dave Sumner (Bandcamp Daily)
"Credit Bentley’s excellent production work and the genius of the respective players with the final, moving results. This is jazz for classical music heads, classical music for jazzbos and something to recommend to all" - Stuart Derdeyn (The Vancouver Sun)
"Exploratory without excess and with lyricism paced with logic, the CD is a perfect example of restrained creativity." - Ken Waxman (JazzWord)
"As improvisers, the group keeps their freshness alive with a freedom of expression and a nuanced sense of timing that decades of experience has only heightened. Each player’s technical execution is sheer perfection; gorgeously subtle mixing and production from Bentley only raises the bar." - Cheryl Ockrant (The Wholenote)
"A chamber jazz trio that specializes in art jazz without being avant garde, they take some real sonic flights of fancy where the inter play is as important as the playing. A real sitting down listening session.... dig how they properly know how to mine this vein. Well done" - Chris Spector (Midwest Record)
"Holds lightning within the frame of a melody and signals the thunder to come" - Dave Sumner (Bandcamp Daily)
"Credit Bentley’s excellent production work and the genius of the respective players with the final, moving results. This is jazz for classical music heads, classical music for jazzbos and something to recommend to all" - Stuart Derdeyn (The Vancouver Sun)
"Exploratory without excess and with lyricism paced with logic, the CD is a perfect example of restrained creativity." - Ken Waxman (JazzWord)
Waxwing "A Bowl Of Sixty Taxidermists"
"Elegant and bittersweet…. the original compositions accommodate fluttery abstraction as well as glowing consonance" - Nate Chinen (New York Times)
"Top drawer modern chamber jazz" - Ken Pickering (Artistic Director, Vancouver International Jazz Festival)
"Quietly gorgeous music….. contemplative and delicate, the product of a careful conversation between the three players" - Alexander Varty (The Georgia Straight)
"This is music that is introspective in spirit and outward bound in action. And it’s music that is sublime in any number of ways. Don’t wait for more words… go buy it now" - Dave Sumner (Bird Is The Worm)
"Often elegant, consistently crafty and unpredictable.... economical & thoughtfully expressed. In other words, magical" - Bruce Lee Gallanter (Downtown Music Gallery)
"Waxwing explores the outer reaches of the sonic universe and the inner workings of human emotion, reflecting the perplexing nature of that phrase... Through these intriguing and sonically diverse mood paintings, Waxwing proves that substance is of greater importance than stylistic single-mindedness." - Dan Bilawsky (All About Jazz)
"Elegant and bittersweet…. the original compositions accommodate fluttery abstraction as well as glowing consonance" - Nate Chinen (New York Times)
"Top drawer modern chamber jazz" - Ken Pickering (Artistic Director, Vancouver International Jazz Festival)
"Quietly gorgeous music….. contemplative and delicate, the product of a careful conversation between the three players" - Alexander Varty (The Georgia Straight)
"This is music that is introspective in spirit and outward bound in action. And it’s music that is sublime in any number of ways. Don’t wait for more words… go buy it now" - Dave Sumner (Bird Is The Worm)
"Often elegant, consistently crafty and unpredictable.... economical & thoughtfully expressed. In other words, magical" - Bruce Lee Gallanter (Downtown Music Gallery)
"Waxwing explores the outer reaches of the sonic universe and the inner workings of human emotion, reflecting the perplexing nature of that phrase... Through these intriguing and sonically diverse mood paintings, Waxwing proves that substance is of greater importance than stylistic single-mindedness." - Dan Bilawsky (All About Jazz)
Wilson/ Lee/ Bentley “Escondido Dreams”
“...a gorgeous release” - Panpot.ca
“...the album drips with relentless energy...” - Gaz-Eta
“...a distinct sound that will appeal to fans of both free-improv and the ever-growing contemporary third-stream scene.” - Left Hip Magazine
“...a refreshing dose of exciting risk-taking.” - La Scena Musicale
“...a gorgeous release” - Panpot.ca
“...the album drips with relentless energy...” - Gaz-Eta
“...a distinct sound that will appeal to fans of both free-improv and the ever-growing contemporary third-stream scene.” - Left Hip Magazine
“...a refreshing dose of exciting risk-taking.” - La Scena Musicale
UGETSU “Live at the Cellar”
“One of the West Coast’s hippest original ensembles” -Jonathan Widran (All Music Guide/ May, 2006)
“This is a very good band, presumably on their best nights some patrons of the estimable joint where this set was recorded live will ask: why do we need guests?” - Robert R. Calder (Pop Matters/ August, 2006)
“Tight and swinging with a sharp rhythmic component and well schooled, highly capable soloists” - Jack Bowers (Cadence/ November, 2006)
“Perfect blend of homage and innovation” - Jonathan Widran (All Music Guide/ May, 2006)
“Ugetsu wears its heart on its sleeve, or rather its jewel case” - Nic Jones (all about jazz/ online edition/ May,2006)
“This music sings for itself; spoken in a distinctive Canadian dialect, the group evinces understated dynamism, well-balanced group cohesion and effortless conviction” - Tom Greenland (all about jazz/ New York/ November, 2006/ Newspaper edition)
“A group of young musicians with bright futures” - Dick Bogle (The Skanner/ August, 2006)
“One of the West Coast’s hippest original ensembles” -Jonathan Widran (All Music Guide/ May, 2006)
“This is a very good band, presumably on their best nights some patrons of the estimable joint where this set was recorded live will ask: why do we need guests?” - Robert R. Calder (Pop Matters/ August, 2006)
“Tight and swinging with a sharp rhythmic component and well schooled, highly capable soloists” - Jack Bowers (Cadence/ November, 2006)
“Perfect blend of homage and innovation” - Jonathan Widran (All Music Guide/ May, 2006)
“Ugetsu wears its heart on its sleeve, or rather its jewel case” - Nic Jones (all about jazz/ online edition/ May,2006)
“This music sings for itself; spoken in a distinctive Canadian dialect, the group evinces understated dynamism, well-balanced group cohesion and effortless conviction” - Tom Greenland (all about jazz/ New York/ November, 2006/ Newspaper edition)
“A group of young musicians with bright futures” - Dick Bogle (The Skanner/ August, 2006)
DIVERSIONS “American Prophecy”
“A well conceived and ably delivered effort” - Chris Wong (The Vancouver Courier/ June, 1999)
“Imaginatively clamorous and unexpectedly gentle” - Chris Wong (The Vancouver Courier/ April, 2001)
“A well conceived and ably delivered effort” - Chris Wong (The Vancouver Courier/ June, 1999)
“Imaginatively clamorous and unexpectedly gentle” - Chris Wong (The Vancouver Courier/ April, 2001)