Tom Collier

 

                                 What are they saying...?

MALLET FANTASTIQUE REVIEWS

All About Jazz (3/20/10) Review by C. Michael Bailey

*Mallet Fantastique is not a jazz album. However, Mr. Bailey reviewed it as part of a larger article about the Origin Classical label.

Mallet percussionist Tom Collier finally educates listeners on the difference between the vibraphone and marimba: it is the sound. These mallet-driven instruments make a great alternative to the piano, both in solo and ensemble settings. They are rich instruments, the vibraphone with its resonant presence and the marimba with its organic woodiness. Mallet Fantastique houses six extended compositions for mallets that Collier recorded between 2004 and 2009. Like Fissures, this is the new chamber music, not too flashy, but certainly well considered.

The disc opens with Collier's 2007 composition "Marimba Fantastique," in which he presents the full tonal range of the marimba, from its near-vibrophonic reverb to its flattest wooden base. "Three Scenes for Vibraphone and Marimba," from 2005, pit the instruments side-by-side. The tones are different enough to keep things both creative and interesting. Collier's harmonic and melodic sense is well developed and displayed on this suite and on his 2009 "Vibescape or Solo Vibraphone." This latter composition possesses a dreamy quality, like honey and quaaludes. It is as light and rich as whipped cream. The closing "Radio Galop" is a real treat that highlights Collier's grand technical ability. Mallet Fantastique is a very listenable recording that is far enough off the beaten path of music to be both novel and essential.

 

 Review by Dr. David Szatmary, author of Rockin' In Time: A Social History of Rock & Roll

*Mallet Fantastique is not a rock album. However, Dr. Szatmary reviewed it as a post on Amazon. com, 5/12/11.

Percussionist Tom Collier offers a varied program of jazz-based, classic contemporary music on his third offering from the Seattle-based Origin music. Using vibraphone and marimba, he engages the listener in these solo performances, which range from the melodic to more complex experiments. He starts with an extended Marimba Fantastique, which features some improvisation on top of written contemporary sounds reminiscent of Terry Riley and Steve Reich. He continues with three tone poems about places he has lived. The standout, Nordic Hills, grafts tasty improvisation over a beautifully flowing melody. Cross Bars uses the challenging technique of Conlon Nancarrow, as Collier starts with rapid fire marimba lines that get slower overlayed on a dirge-like vibraharp that becomes increasingly more frantic. He moves dramatically to an almost popish, soothing vibe/marimba duet before ending the program with three abstract, jagged soundscapes. As an encore, Collier adds a brief interpretation of a 1920's tune he remembered from an Edison cylinder. Challenging, innovative and varied, this new CD from Collier will be welcomed by anyone interested in the intersection between classic contemporary and jazz-based music.

 

Review by W.T. Expositor

*This review of Mallet Fantastique was posted by Mr. Expositor(?) on I-Tunes and Amazon.com. I guess he/she liked the music!

Whoever Tom Collier is, more people should know about him. His recent album, Mallet Fantastique is in a word, fantastic. Actually, Collier is director of percussion at the University of Washington and has been playing marimba and vibraphone since he was a kid more than fifty years ago. Although primarily into jazz during most of his professional career, he was trained as a Rockefeller Grantee in college in contemporary classical music. According to the album notes, he played pieces by significant composers including Terry Riley, Luciano Berio, George Rochberg, Ingolf Dahl, and many others during his undergraduate years in the late 1960's. Mallet Fantastique is a welcome return to that genre for Collier. However, this album features his own compositions and every one displays his creative talents as a virtuoso performer and a mature composer. The first track, Marimba Fantastique, is an extended solo piece combining written passages with improvised variations. The composed and improvised sections weave seamlessly in and out of each other so effectively that even the keenest ear would have trouble distinguishing between written and impromptu. The slow, middle section is hauntingly beautiful bringing out the wonderful organ-like tones of the rosewood marimba bars. Three Scenes for Vibraphone and Marimba blur the line between contemporary classical music and jazz. Obvious areas of improvisation are evident and Collier, who played both instruments through the "magic" of overdubbing, let's loose with some wonderful solos. The metal bars of the vibes and the wooden marimba bars mesh beautifully. Why isn't this combination more popular? As for the rest of the album, Cross Bars is the most avant-garde piece playing with math and rhythm, Duettino Improvisando is lightweight classical/jazz fusion and Vibescape is a showcase for the textural capabilities of the vibraphone. The second movement of that piece has Collier bowing the vibraphone bars with two cello bows. Absolutely beautiful. The album ends with a traditional marimba solo from the early 20th century entitled Radio Galop. Collier transcribed the piece off of an Edison disc. If you want to hear pure technique at its musical finest, this is the piece for you. Get this album! You will not be disappointed.

 

 Brief mention by Christopher DeLaurenti in The Stranger (Seattle) 4/8/10

I like Collier's new disc, Mallet Fantastique (Origin), a collection of pieces that mingles just about every jazz era with a wry, arch elegance.

MALLET JAZZ REVIEWS

Jazztimes (6/05) Review by Harvey Siders

Imagine a front line of vibes and marimba-truly mallets in wonderland. On Mallet Jazz (Origin), Tom Collier, percussion studies director at the University of Washington, and tireless L.A. session man Emil Richards switch between both instruments, backed by bassist Dan Dean and, variously, pianists Mike Lang and Don Grusin and drummers Joe Porcaro and John Bishop. Brubeck alumnus clarinetist Bill Smith makes a guest appearance.

All the tunes are Collier originals, mostly translucent swing. "Double Bars, "Subito Sox" "Jupiter Jump" and the title tune, with great changes, bear his imprint. During "Jupiter," Dean manages to insert a double-stop quote from Grieg's "Piano Concerto." "Mutso Futso in Row 12" features Smith sans vibrato, plus a dodecaphonic exercise that begins fugally with a 12-note motif and ends in a free-form screech. "Pink Skies Over Carnaby," with Collier improvising on vibes over a marimba ostinato is a definite highlight.

Percussive Notes/Percussive Arts Society (4/05) Review by F. Michael Combs
This recording of excellent fidelity features mallet-keyboardist Tom Collier with Emil Richards (marimba), Joe Porcaro (drums), Don Crusin and Mike Lang (piano), Dan Dean (bass) and John Bishop (drums). The CD includes nine new, original pieces for mallet jazz quartet—vibes, marimba, piano, bass and drums. “Mallet Jazz,” the first cut, is an up-tempo tune allowing Collier to show his most creative improvisational skills. In “Eddie’s Pad,” Collier displays his excellent marimba technique together with his sensitivity to lush musical lines. It is nearly impossible to pick one tune as better than the other, but “Double Bars,” with its Mancini-like groove, stands out, and “Mutso Futso,” a major change in style, uses clarinetist William O. Smith to provide a special listening treat.

While all nine pieces on this CD captivate the listener, the final cut, “Pink Skies Over Carnaby,” has got to be the most impressive—a work for only vibes and marimba featuring Collier at his best. From all the great musical control displayed on this CD, it would seem as if Collier must have an extra hand or two—and therefore deserves three thumbs up.

JazzReview.Com (12/04) Review by John Dworkin
The list of jazz vibraphonists that are household names (in jazz households, that is) is not very long. Not as long as, say, that same list made up of tenor saxophonists. Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson, Gary Burton, Roy Ayers – probably a few others. The fact that you’re likely to hear less of this particular instrument in a jazz context than a piano or a drum set is one of its charms. Since its use is comparatively rare, in the hands of a great player its sound is like a breath of fresh air

Tom Collier’s latest release is titled Mallet Jazz and was made with his longtime musical partner bassist/engineer Dan Dean. They’re also joined by a few other west coast session luminaries: Emil Richards on marimba, William O. ‘Bill’ Smith on clarinet, Don Grusin on piano, and Joe Porcaro on drums. Much of what these guys do for a living is sidework for projects and artists as diverse as Frank Zappa, Peggy Lee, and the Seattle Symphony. However, this recording has the feel of a ‘shits ‘n giggles’ session with the results being a fun experience for the band and the listener.

All the music here is written by Collier. The melodies, harmonies, and forms are, for the most part, straight ahead and sound as though they could’ve been written a few decades back. The small group here possibly belies a 70s Thad Jones/Mel Lewis big band compositional sensibility; replete with ‘hip’ funk/jazz grooves. Actually, less than half of the record is straight-up swing. The tune "Eddie’s Pad" sounds like an unrecorded Steely Dan piece, sans Fagen’s vocals. It hovers in a neverland between pop and jazz, with excellent solos all around. Cool tune. Most of the heads of these songs have a somewhat ‘pop-ish’ feel to them, but the blowing is all Jazz.

Collier in particular has total mastery of his instrument. While not always inspired, most players of the instrument would wish his worst day were their best. The best piece on the record is "Pink Skies Over Carnaby" which features Collier unaccompanied on both vibes and marimba. The piece is written in a repetitive and meditative 5/4 feel. There is almost an African kalimba-like quality to his instrument on this track. It’s the most sensitive and personal sounding music on the record and left me wanting more of Collier in this style. A good listen.

All Music Guide (11/04) Review by Adam Greenberg
Longtime jazz session percussionist Tom Collier is put in the limelight with a handful of other session musicians (and more) from the course of his career. The set is comprised entirely of Collier originals, passing from relaxed grooves to tests of the various percussive chops on the part of the band. Collier spends the bulk of his time on the vibes with good effect, but occasionally crosses over to the marimba, adding to the sound from Emil Richards (percussion hall of famer), who keeps up the softer, thicker sound of the instrument throughout. Adding to the proceedings are some nice bits of drum work from Joe Porcaro and John Bishop, Brubeck's old clarinetist Bill Smith on clarinet in Mutso Futso, and Mike Lang and Don Grusin (Dave Grusin's brother) on piano.

Additionally, Dan Dean provides able bass from beginning to end as the lineup changes elsewhere. The focus though is always on the vibes and marimba on the frontlines (it is titled Mallet Jazz after all). The intricate lines devised by Collier show off the abilities of the lead duo, and the solos taken by both Collier and Richards alone make the album worth hearing. The rest just adds to the allure.
4 Stars.

All About Jazz (11/04) Review by Dan McClenaghan
Wander into the parking lot of a high school marching band field tournament, through a labyrinth school buses and picnic tables, into throngs of young musicians—teenagers in small packs cruising on foot, gossiping, flirting, maybe throwing a football around as a cold November dusk settles in—and there always seems to be a backdrop of percussion, impromptu practice sessions, the marimbas and the vibraphones ringing out. It's a sound that carries in the brisk fall air, a sound full of bounce and youthful optimism.

So is the sound of Tom Collier's Mallet Jazz, a marimba and vibes fest of (mostly) straightahead tunes. Five of the nine songs here feature a vibes/marimba front line, with Collier on vibes and Emil Richards hitting the marimba bars, rounded out by piano/bass/drum rhythm—Mike Lang, Dan Dean, and Joe Porcaro, respectively. Maintaining a brightly uptempo pace, the group churns ahead, getting funky at times, with Dan Dean using an electric bass that gives the group sound a beefy, modern punch. Two of the tunes feature Don Gruisin on piano and John Bishop on drums, with Collier playing both marimba and vibes, a change in the sonic personality, a bit more laid back while maintaining the same mood.

These are consistently fine mainstream sounds on tunes one through seven, making it nearly impossible to pick a highlight; but “Double Bars,” with its prowling Henry Mancini groove, stands out for this ear. Then there's tune #8, “Mutso Futso,” a major gear change that brings in clarinetist William O. ”Bill” Smith. It's a beautifully abstract, meandering melody that brings Jimmy Guiffre to mind, a masterful little twenty-first century symphony.

A first rate mallet fest.

DUETS REVIEWS

Percussive Notes/Percussive Arts Society (6/06) Review by F. Michael Combs
This CD may take you back to Gary Burton and Steve Swallow, who probably made the only previous vibe-electric bass recording. Tom Collier, who started playing the marimba on the Lawrence Welk Show at age nine, teamed up with bassist Dan Dean some 40 years ago when their families both settled in the same neighborhood. They have chosen some great tunes by Gerry Mulligan, Larry Coryell, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Dave Holland and Mick Jagger. Plus they added four original pieces - two by each player.

The unison lines in the first chart, Coryell's Lines, show unusual technique on the part of both players. Collier also does some very impressive vibe work on Mulligan's Five Brothers where some passages recall Flight Of The Bumblebee. Although Dean's bass playing tends to be in a supportive role, there are moments when he steps into the solo limelight, and his free-spirited and improvisational composition Kill The Butler is a good example.
A truly beautiful and almost "singable" tune is Collier's Pacific Aire where Collier turns phrases and builds lines that set a new musical standard for the vibraphone.

Jazztimes (6/05) Review by Harvey Siders
Tom Collier and Dan Dean show up again - this time up close and personal - on Duets (Origin). Joined at the hip (very hip) for four decades, they boast a passion for exploration and curiosity greater than Lewis and Clark's. This release, culled from four Seattle sessions recorded between 2001 and 2004, reveals a rich, swinging tapestry woven by vibraphone and electric bass. The leaders contributed two originals apiece, with the remaining seven coming from Miles, Coltrane, Gerry Mulligan, Victor Feldman, Larry Coryell, Dave Holland and Mick Jagger - the Rolling Stones' blues "What a Shame" is played unabashedly straightahead. Coryell's "Lines" is a chops-busting, mostly unison workout.

Mulligan's "Five Brothers" provides Dean with a chance for impressive speed walking, during which he quotes "Flight of the Bumblebee." John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" is right up Collier's alley due to its interesting changes, something Collier contributes himself in his soothing "Pacific Aire." Dean offers a remarkable mini tone poem in "Kill the Butler," in which Collier simply plays his derriere off.

JazzReview.Com (5/05) Review by Bruce T. Bernardini
Duets, trios, quartets, and even quintets are all nomenclatures of jazz music. Another name for this would be called bands or banding groups of people. Try to experiment by buying CDs with these different facets and hear the different sounds they produce. A fine example of a duet, is the new CD from Tom Collier (a vibraphonist), and Dan Dean (electric bassist) called Duets. Duets are one of the most difficult avenues to play in jazz. To have the sound successful, you need an instrument, in this case Dean on bass, to play both exact time and has almost perfect rhythm. If this person slows down or speeds up the song, it will literally collapse or destroy the song. In this scenario, Dean does neither, but plays effortlessly in great time. These two people are well seasoned players and by listening to the CD, you can tell they have been together for some time now. It's an interesting theory, that when you play with a person or a band for a while, you can sense that next chord change, even though it's not written in the music. It's kinda like reading each others minds. The jazz people call this hitting the pocket or grooving out. As Collier & Dean start each tune, Dean starts and keeps the beat most efficiently, while Collier will come up and will join him in rhythm, then goes into the melody of the song, while still playing chord changes!

This is a rare classic, to hear finesse, relaxed playing. I listened many times to this CD, and after a while you could swear they were musically talking to each. This makes a quality duo. Being a bass player, I listened to Dean intently. He plays a five string bass. He uses the thicker string or lower string to fill the hole or gaps in the song. There are no gaps at all. Wonderful! He has a beautiful full sounding bass. You will also notice he throws things in, such as sub-melodies, called riffs, or plays textured chords, and even does a nice job of slapping. This is a technique done by pulling up on one bass string, while using your thumb to hit another. It takes a lot of hard work to assimilate this sound.

Track 4 is my favorite. It's the immortal John Coltrane tune called Giant Steps. This is an extremely difficult tune to do with a 4-piece band. The song has many moving chords and if played too quickly it is hard to keep with. Collier & Dean play this song like they wrote it. The amazing part is with these chords passing so quickly in the tune, you cannot leave any quiet gaps or holes. In this rendition, Collier & Dean not only leave gaps and holes, but they play the song in both in a fast tempo and slow. It's fantastic! Almost scary. On track 3, called Now & Then (a ballad) listen how they make wonderful usage of these gaps. The selections on the CD are quite diverse, playing everything from Coltrane, Miles Davis, to even the Rolling Stones. This is a must buy! I give a 4 out of 5 on my jazz-o meter rating!

KZAM Program Notes (3/05) Review by Jeff Hanley, Program Manager
When I was programming a commercial AM jazz station in Seattle called KJZZ, Dan Dean and Tom Collier were the Whistling Midgets. At least that was the name of their first vinyl release. They're older, maybe a little wiser and still a great duo. The bass and vibes go so well together in these tracks on their new CD, Duets. This is a sweet and subtle jazz record.

Audiophile Audition (3/05) Review by John Henry
Speaking of duos, here’s another one you don’t run into every day. Collier started his career early, playing the marimba on the Lawrence Welk Show at age 9. Tom and Dan’s families ended up in Seattle, where the two began performing and recording together. Later at the U. of Washington Tom met and worked with clarinetist Bill Smith, heard on many Dave Brubeck recordings. Bringing in Dan on bass made the Bill Smith Trio. Both also spent time in Los Angeles, and during their careers they have played with such as Dave Grusin, Howard Roberts, Eddie Harris, and Diane Shuur. Only a few years ago did they finally decide to record a duo album together, and this is it.

They’ve chosen some great tunes - from such as Gerry Mulligan, Larry Coryell, Coltrane, Miles, Dave Holland and Mick Jagger - and added four of their originals, making a total of 11. This pairing is sort of a musical tightrope-walking, much as doing a solo piano session without the usual rhythm section. it is immediately obvious that these two have had a long musical relationship and can therefore go on some pretty wild improvisational explorations without falling on their musical faces. Their creativity and widely-spanning musical chops make the album a delight to hear, without any fear of boredom due to the unusual duo instrumentation. 4 Stars.

All Music Guide (3/05) Review by Scott Yanow
This collaboration by Tom Collier and Dan Dean is a bit reminiscent at times of Gary Burton and Steve Swallow, possibly because that project might have been the only previous set of vibes-electric bass duets. Vibraphonist Collier hints at Burton in spots, but also displays his own musical personality, particularly on the more boppish pieces, such as Gerry Mulligan's "Five Brothers" and "So What."

Dean is a particularly fluent and witty electric bassist, and although he is generally in a supportive role, he sometimes steals solo honors. This unusual set, which has interpretations that range from the heated to the introspective, works quite well and is quite enjoyable. 4 Stars.

All About Jazz (2/05) Review by Dan McClenaghan
Ringing right in the middle of Duets, the new release by mallet man (vibes and marimba player) Tom Collier and bassist Dan Dean, is the unlikely—for a jazz set—Jagger/Richards tune, “What A Shame.” It's an instrumental here, of course, but on the Rolling Stones version, the lyric goes: What a shame, nothing seems to be going right... It's a nice take on the tune, but the sentiment doesn't ring true for Collier and Dean. With this, as well as their last Origin Records release, Mallet Jazz, it sounds like just about everything is going right. Mallet Jazz featured Collier and Dean teamed with William O. “Bill” Smith (Dave Brubeck), pianist Don Grusin, mallet man Emil Richards, and drummer John Bishop; and it was an upbeat and engaging success.

For Duets they've pared down the sound to just the vibes and electric bass, a sound that proves, in their hands, rich and bright and glowingly confident. The sound bounces as the duo shines up songs by Larry Coryell (”Lines”), John Coltrane (”Giant Steps”), Miles Davis (”So What?”), Dave Holland (”Backwoods Song”), and Gerry Mulligan (”Five Brothers”), in additions to four originals. Both Dean and Collier are educators—Collier has been director of Percussion Studies at the University of Washington since 1980—and both have impressive worked-with/recorded-with resumes as long as your arms. With this simple configuration, they've created a sound that is compellingly different—like the elastic push and pull of electric bass bumping and tugging at the vibraphone radiance—and everything seems to be going just right when they can find the time to record a sparklingly beautiful set of sounds like Duets.