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Tom Collier
What are they saying...?
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 CombsThis 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
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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.
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.