... [an] auspicious debut...
Composer and arranger Dan Cavanagh pulls together a creative ensemble of musicians from around the country for his new release, "Pulse." A runner up in the 2005 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer's Competition, Cavanagh's writing & arranging covers wide expanses through this big band concept album, often interspersed by the readings and poetry of Tim Young. With shades of Jim McNeely, and hints of Bob Florence, Cavanagh's writing is engaging from the very beginning as he captures the spirit of the music with a patience and maturity that fits neatly in the continuum of modern large ensemble composers, from Gil Evans through Maria Schneider. Cavanagh is currently Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Texas at Arlington.
1 HAVING BUILT IN DEEPER WATER 7:22
2 PULSE 5:15
3 MISSISSIPPI ECSTASY, Movement 1 3:10
4 MISSISSIPPI ECSTASY, Movement 2 5:40
5 MISSISSIPPI ECSTASY, Movement 3 5:57
6 TUNNEL VISION 6:00
7 NORTH SOUTH 7:12
8 BLACK RATTLE 8:30
9 A TIME OF RECKONING 7:33
Dan Cavanagh Jazz Emporium Big Band
Tim Ishii - (saxes)
Randy Hamm
Ed Peterson
Steve Owen
Glenn Kostur
John Adler - (trumpets)
Scott Harrell
Ken Edwards
Alcedrick Todd
Rick Stitzel
Steve Wiest - (trombones)
Jonathan Woodrow
Steven Dunn
Matt Ingman
Dan Cavanagh - (conducting and piano/B3)
James Miley - (conducting and piano)
Dave Hagedorn - (vibes)
Brian Mulholland - (bass)
Stockton Helbing - (drums)
Jim Yakas - (percussion)
Timothy Young - (poetry and narration)
Produced by: Dan Cavanagh & Micah Hayes
Tracking Engineer: Kent Stump
Studio assistant: Rich Treat
Mixing Engineer: Micah Hayes
Recorded at Crystal Clear Sound Recording Studios, Dallas, TX, March 2-3, 2008
Mixed at Studio 301, Arlington, TX, May/June, 2008
Mastered by Mark Guenther at Seattle Disc Mastering, Seattle, WA
Front Cover Artwork by Robert Grame
Design and layout by John Bishop
All Music Guide (Ken Dryden)
Dan Cavanagh makes his recording debut as a leader with this striking big-band date. One of the challenges young bandleaders face is tackling a program of original material with supporting musicians who also aren't widely known, but Cavanagh quickly makes it apparent that he not only writes challenging and interesting charts, but his superb players ...
All About Jazz (Jack Bowers)
Composer / arranger / pianist Dan Cavanagh's inaugural CD, Pulse, begins and ends on an explicit high note. It is what lies between those bookends that gives one pause. There are moments of emergent promise leading to others that are, not to put too fine a point on it, less than inspiring. Of course, that is a purely subjective appraisal, as one m ...