This Path

Lee unravels a series of original melodies that are insinuating or soulful or both.
-Jazz Times

While retaining his exciting and original compositional voice, Gordon Lee moves from the big band of "Flying Dream" (OA2 22016) to the piano trio for his second OA2 release. Along with his band of Northwest all-stars, Lee explores a diverse set of 7 originals and 5 compelling arrangements of compositions by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Lee Morgan, and a Native American chant by his former boss and mentor, the late saxophonist Jim Pepper. Based in Portland, Oregon, the pianist, composer, and educator has been one of the pre-eminent voices in NW jazz for decades performing with top names, touring the world and recording his own music with groups led by Jim Pepper, Leroy Vinnegar and Mel Brown, among many others. "Pianist Gordon Lee's solos are often vast feats of architecture, their immense proportions looming up with great suddeness... symphonic precision as well as spontaneous improvisation." -Oregon Jazz Scene

Production Info:

Produced by Gordon Lee
Recorded, mixed & mastered by Billy Oskay
at Big Red Studios, Corbett, OR on
Feb 12, Mar 5-6, 2010
Nick Angelo - recording assistant
Cover photograph by Pawel Klisiewicz
Artist photography by Josh Latham
Cover design by John Bishop

Reviews of This Path

Audiophile Audition (John Henry)
Lee is a respected Portland, OR pianist, composer, arranger and music educator. He's performed around the world and with some of the top names in jazz. His diverse expertise covers avant-garde, symphonic, fusion and big band. The many different influences result in an extremely diverse collection of a dozen tracks which he has composed or arranged ...

All Music Guide (Ken Dryden)
Gordon Lee comes from a varied musical background, having played a number of different styles as a sideman before turning his focus to being a leader himself. This Path utilizes two separate rhythm sections (either Dave Captein or Kevin Deitz on bass, plus Carlton Jackson or Ron Steen on drums), both of which work hand in hand with the pianist. The ...

Jazz Society of Oregon (George Fendel)
It's strictly one man's opinion, but I've always considered Portland's Lee to be a pianist rooted in the jazz art, but one open to a multitude of influences and musical colors which compliment his considerable stature in jazz. On his second CD for the Seattle-based OA2 label, Lee explores seven original compositions and five selections from other s ...

Jazz Society of Oregon (Kyle O'Brien)
Pianist/arranger/composer Lee is always good for a listen. His distinct style is engaging, with thick, layered chords and a robust feel. On this disc, he acknowledges his many travels and influences, and the result is a global jazz sound that remains cohesive, thanks to Lee's arrangements. It begins with "Pao Ma Shan," a modal Chinese folk song tha ...

The Oregonian (Kyle O'Brien)
Gordon Lee wasn't satisfied with just one trio for his latest recording, This Path. Instead, he enlisted two bass players and two drummers, each lending their signature sounds to this collection of worldly jazz. Lee, a respected Portland pianist, arranger, composer and educator, has explored many musical styles in four-plus decades in jazz. He's ...

Jazz Times (Bill Milkowski)
New York native and longtime Portland resident Gordon Lee, a veteran pianist-arranger-composer and educator, weaves a mesmerizing spell on this singular piano-trio recording. His delicate opener, a modal take on the Chinese folk song "Pao Ma Shan," sets the evocative tone, which continues with interpretations of Jobim's "Portrait in Black & White" ...

Cadence (David Franklin)
Gordon Lee - pianist, composer, arranger, and educator - actively pursues each of his roles in the Portland, Oregon area, the home of all the performers on his latest CD. On the present recording, he alternates between two bass and drums combinations (Dave Captein and Carlton Jackson or Kevin Deitz and Ron Steen) on all tracks but Ernesto Lecuona' ...