John Murph's LINER NOTES to SWING LOW

I’m pleased to share the story of my debut baritone saxophone recording through the masterful lens of journalist and writer John Murph- see below.

Swing Low is the result of the act of reclamation. After nearly two decades of being a top-ranking trombonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader, Michael Dease returns to an instrument that played a crucial role in his artistic trajectory – the baritone saxophone.

On the new album, the award-winning musician – who won again the No. 1 position in Down Beat magazine’s Critics Poll for “Best Trombonist” – leaves the trombone duties on three songs to Altin Sencalar, while solely focusing on the baritone saxophone. Dease leads a splendid ensemble that also includes frequent collaborators – drummer Rudy Royston, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, pianist Art Hirahara, and bassist Boris Kozlov.

Dease describes Swing Low as “a love letter” to himself. Before focusing on the trombone, Dease began his musical journey in Augusta, Georgia by playing the recorder when he was nine years old. Two years later, he switched to alto saxophone, while playing in the concert and symphonic bands. When jazz became his calling, he gravitated toward the tenor saxophone and trumpet in his mid-teens, before settling on the trombone at age 17.

So, how does the baritone saxophone fit into his formative years?

A Once Disenchanted Baritone Saxophonist

When Dease was an 8th-grade student at the John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School entering the 9th grade, he auditioned on alto saxophone for one of the school’s top bands Even though the band contained many members in their senior years, Dease was already demonstrating the musical prowess of a prized competitor. “Even at [age] 13, I’d decided that I loved music more than anything,” Dease recalls.

Dease took the “chair test” for the magnet school’s top band and “whooped ass.” The test consisted of playing all the major scales and arpeggios, music sightreading, and playing an étude.  “I worked my butt off because I was scared of being placed in the lower band,” he says.

Dease’s hard work didn’t exactly pay off. After the auditions, the band director told Dease that he would be placed in the concert band – the lowest high school band. He confronted the band director, who confessed that Dease delivered the best audition. “He told me that I had beaten all the seniors,” he remembers, “But it was their last year in high school. And he couldn’t kick out any of the seniors for a freshman.”

The band director’s confession crushed Dease to the point of making him want to give up music. “Music was the place where the playing field could be leveled,” “he argues. “It didn’t matter how expensive your instrument was or how many private lessons your parents could pay for. My parents couldn’t pay for an expensive instrument or private lessons. For me, music was the place where you could work hard and be a part of something greater than yourself. So, when the band director told me that I couldn’t be in the top band even though I had the best audition, it was like a door being slammed in my face.”

The band director, nevertheless, relented after Dease’s confrontation. But he told Dease that he would have to play baritone saxophone in the top band. A teenaged Dease still felt slighted by the band director’s reconsideration, which led to his long-held disdain for the baritone saxophone. Dease quit band in the 9th grade but he stayed at the magnet fine arts school by taking creative writing.

“For me, the baritone saxophone represented something in life in which you were not being rewarded for your hard work,” Dease explains. “So, it’s crazy for me that almost 30 years later, playing the baritone saxophone feels so right.”

Reclamation

When Dease turned 40 in August 2022, he began reassessing his career as a professional musician and educator. “I felt like I hadn’t said ‘yes’ to myself in this musical area of my life,” Dease explains about the baritone saxophone fitting into artistry. “[Playing the baritone saxophone] has always been like an undiscovered place in my musical life. And I didn’t want it to become a regret. I’m not a fan of regrets, especially when you can do something about them.”

Dease returned to tenor saxophone on a few projects. Then he sat in with an octet on baritone saxophone during his first week on faculty at Michigan State University College of Music, where he serves as a full-time professor of jazz trombone.

Dease recalls feeling “really good,” when he revisited the baritone saxophone, “even though it’s a weird instrument in my musical history.”

And while Dease acknowledges the technical differences between playing the trombone – a brass instrument with a slide and metal mouthpiece – and the saxophones – which have keys and reed mouthpieces – he says that at this point in his artistry, playing those instruments just “feels like singing.”

“I teach all my students to sing multiple things like scales, solos, melodies, and tunes,” he says. “It teaches them proper phrasing and the mechanics of using your diaphragm, having proper posture, relaxation, dynamics, control, and nuance. So, from those perspectives, the baritone saxophone and trombone have more in common than differences.”

Swinging Low on the Bari Sax

Even though, Swing Low marks Dease’s first album as a leader, playing the baritone saxophone, it documents him continuing his herald status as a torchbearer for modern post-bop as he delivers a tantalizing program of cherry-picked jazz standards, riveting originals, and a few outstanding compositions from up-and-coming jazz stars.

The album exudes one of Dease’s core beliefs – that many of his jazz contemporaries are not honoring the greats that came after the likes of Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Wayne Shorter. “There is this wide body of work that started being composed in the mid-1970s and continued through the ’80s, ’90s, and early 21st century that is being ignored,” Dease says. “[The jazz scene] now has become sort of a ‘dog eat dog’ world, in which the only advocates that we have for our compositions are ourselves.”

“I always try to include music on my albums by people who influenced not just me, but the scene as a whole,” he continues. “I look at some of those people’s work and try to find something that I see in myself.”

To Dease’s point, Swing Low includes “Julian’s Tune,” a snazzy mid-tempo burner, composed by one of his lodestars – trombonist Julian Priester. After Sencalar delivers a sterling trombone solo, Dease follows with a shining improvisation that demonstrates his mellifluous tone and fluid phrasing.

“Julian Preister is somebody who has an amazing body of work and has made historical contributions that have moved the course of jazz with so many important groups,” Dease says, “He’s also an esteemed educator. But for some reason, he’s been overlooked.”

On the spry “Melancholia” which features Jensen’s muted trumpet lines swing majestically in unison with Dease’s velvet-toned baritone saxophone, the leader pays homage to another favorite under-celebrated composer and arranger –Bill Cunliffe, who wrote the tune, specifically for Swing Low.

Cunliffe is better known for his work on the West Coast’s Hollywood music scene. When Dease was studying jazz trombone, he noticed that a lot of the popular Los Angeles-based large ensembles were mostly white. And if he saw any Black musicians in the bands, it was mostly because the bandleader was also Black. With Dease being biracial to white and Black parents, he’s very sensitive to racial segregation.

“Bill believes very deeply in Black music; he was a protégé of Mary Lou Williams,” Dease says. “He lives in Los Angeles and whenever he puts bands together, there’s always people of different backgrounds and races.”

Drummer, composer, and educator, Terri Lyne Carrington’s 2022 book, New Standards: 101 Lead Sheets By Women Composers also influenced Dease. That guidance on Swing Low resulted in the inclusion of Melba Liston’s transfixing ballad “Just Waiting,” on which Dease’s robust baritone saxophone renders the comely melody alongside Jensen’s gorgeous trumpet lines, atop the rhythm section’s swooning accompaniment.

Dease admits that he first thought “Just Waiting” was a Quincy Jones composition, partly because Liston was a ghostwriter and arranger for Jones’ big bands. Dease later became entranced by the Liston composition after recognizing shades of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.

Another important female composer included in Carrington’s New Standards book is pianist, composer, and bandleader Renee Rosnes. Dease tips his hat to Rosnes with his hypnotic rendition of her composition, “Galapagos.”  Dease says that this is the fourth Rosnes composition that he’s recorded; he’s also featured Rosnes on several of his previous albums such as Coming Home (2013), Never More Here (2019), Best New Thing (2022),

“Renee is an amazing pianist, who’s written all of these great tunes, but if people don’t record her compositions, hardly anyone would know her body of work unless they’re directly hipped to her,” Dease asserts, “and we will continue having few new jazz standards by ignoring people like her. If it were up to me, everyone would be recording herher compositions like our community does for Wayne, Monk, and Ellington.”

On Swing Low, Dease also uses his platform to showcase the compositional brilliance of two emerging jazz talents – guitarist Ben Turner and clarinetist Virginia MacDonald. Dease delivers a sublime reading of Turner’s mid-tempo “Appreciation,” which prances to a pneumatic strut, thanks to Royston’s delicate drumming and Kozlov’s gentle bounce.

Dease met Turner after the young hopeful had transferred from Temple University to Michigan State University College of Music, where he got a chance to work with him. “Ben stood out for me because he likes to cultivate musical relationships outside of the classroom,” Dease says. “So, I’ve worked with him in some of my ensembles. He had this really nice tune, ‘Appreciation’ and I asked him to send me a chart of it.”

With regards to MacDonald, Dease includes her suspenseful ballad, “Up High, Up Low,” which becomes another showcase for the leader to pair his hearty baritone saxophone with Jensen’s expressive melodicsm.

“When I first heard Viriginia play the clarinet, it gave me chills,” enthuses Dease, who first encountered her playing in a video on Facebook. “It was the same chills I get when I listen to Lester Young or Charlie Parker. So, I reached out to her. Her sound and style convinced me to add clarinet to some of my bands. Virginia is still quite young. But I believe that her music should be known to a wider audience.”

Swing Low also showcases Dease, the composer on three compelling compositions – “Don’t Look Back,” a wistful romantic ballad, addressing the dilemma of unrequited love; “Phibes' Revenge,” a thrilling up-tempo excursion, dedicated to actor Vincent Price’s portrayal of Dr. Anton Phibes in the 1971 horror-comedy flick, The Abominable Dr. Phibes; and “New Blues,” an experimental burner with a turbulent rhythmic undertow that he wrote about 20 years ago when he was exploring polytonality, pedal points, and graduated dissonance.

Dease frames Swing Low with two endearing staples. The album kicks off with an elegant take on Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz’s early-1930s composition, “Dancing In the Dark,” a piece Dease first heard on Charlie Parker’s 1950 LP, Charlie Parker with Strings. On Dease’s version, the leader references Rosnes’ conversational duet performance with pianist Bill Charlap from their 2010 album, Double Portrait.

The album concludes with a flickering rendering of George and Ira Gershwin’s “Embraceable You” on which Dease’s baritone saxophone croons the alluring melody, accompanied only by Kozlov’s sturdy bass counterpoint. Dease’s rendition of this timeless standard is in honor of the 125th anniversary of George Gershwin's birthday.

Moving Forward With Forgiveness

As Dease embarks on his next chapter as a crowned trombonist, composer, bandleader, educator, and now a recovering baritone saxophonist, he says that all of those interconnected musical personalities are starting to feel like one multifaceted thing. He also recognizes how returning to the saxophone refines his trombone voice and vice versa.

“To play the baritone saxophone – this big horn with dexterity and trying to deepen my sound and to not play in a contrite way – is a fun challenge every day,” Dease says before recalling playing saxophone, trumpet, and trombone more recently in one of legendary alto saxophonist David Sanborn’s bands.

“David played every note on the saxophone like it could be his last,” Dease says. “For me, that put a whole new spin on me holding the baritone saxophone. It made me take having this different side of my artistic voice more seriously.”

Spiritually, Dease now compares playing the baritone saxophone to someone praying instead of merely reading the Bible. “Playing the baritone saxophone at this point is more like mediation,” he says. “And it’s like forgiving myself for ignoring that side of me for so long.”

                — John Murph

John Murph is an award-winning journalist who has written for Down Beat, TIDAL Music, NPR Music, Smithsonian Magazine, Grammy.com, and The Washington Post.                    

Dream a little dream...

Director of Artist Relations for Yamaha Artist Services John Wittmann visited Michigan State University on Wed, giving a joint presentation with his colleague, Program Manager Jalissa Gascho. They hit on many elements of musicianship, self awareness and branding ideologies during their hour masterclass.

On the ride home, my wife Gwen mentioned one of the nuggets of advice from John… “make sure you make time to dream” or, something like that. She was telling me that her it resonated with her as a teenager back in the day, that she DID dream of reaching specific goals, namely a life playing music as a soloist and ensemble member, with a family, and a way to put the family first while doing what she loved- music. I told her, “well, sounds like you are living your dream” and, simply, she agreed.

My story is eerily similar. Maybe that’s how we found each other.

I wonder if my teachers could see my dreams alive in me? Or, on me like a coat and hat. Who knows how dreams look… But, I knew then and certainly now in hindsight: It is my dream-come-true to be a musican. And, I didn’t have my successes served up to me on a silver platter… so to speak.

This gets lost in translation all the time: No matter how EASY it may seem to me when I play the trombone, trust me - this stuff ain’t easy. It wasn’t easy when I was learning how to do it, either. I have to focus like a chess master every time I play, and hear the sound I want in my head like clockwork. Then, I’d listen to Wycliffe Gordon and Conrad Herwig and think to myself, “well, THAT will never happen, uhhh..” But, I had a response to this.

I dreamt of playing like my heroes. I had BIG dreams of traveling the world with my trombone, playing all kinds of music. Rather than work at IHOP, or JC Penney’s like I did as a teen, I never wanted to do regular work again- I had this crazy dream that I’d use music as my goods and services.

It’s those DREAMS that kept me open-minded and searching for the musical and technical answers to my instrument. There’s no fuel like a fertile imagination. I love it. So I say to you, if you haven ‘t done so lately- write down your dreams. I’ll share my 17 year old dreams with you to get started.

Dreams

I want to be a modern-day Curtis Fuller trombonist extraordinaire, and do what he does in the music world.

It’s my dream to see the world.

I want my family to be kept together and strong with positivity, and change the cycle of conflict and separation from my upbringing..

I want to make a CD recording and have someone listen to and enjoy it.

4 simple but powerful dreams that I’m working on achieving and maintaining. They were a beacon for me as a kid. Dreams are deep - they can be on the open side or very specific. Try revisiting yours if it has been a minute. When I touch base with mine, they have a way of stabilizing me.

zzzzz,

MD

Enter 2018: Babies, Bass, Drums, and Website. let's go.

Hey- thanks for reading and stopping by.  

Brooklyn, the cute little baby that keeps popping up in my photos, she just turned two!  We had a fun party at a local kids playroom and many of our good friends stopped by with their kids- what a blast that was!  And next week, we have the ultrasound of our next child.  We are very excited! Also exciting, but in a different way, is my growing fascination with Bass and Drums.  My basement is now set up with a Gretsch Catalina Club, some cool cymbals, and a bass that I'm buying from Rodney Whitaker so I can practice whenever I want! It's set up like a gym with these little stations, so I just walk around and stop at instruments for a little practice session.  I have a lot of work to do, especially on the drum set.  I'm curious to see how this informs my trombone and saxophone playing- they are ALL connected!  

The new CD is out to radio now- glad to hear the positive feedback that it has been getting. The recording, entitled REACHING OUT makes more than a few connections: Generational between veteran and younger talents, under-appreciated compositions by masters Cedar Walton, Kenny Drew, nods to my trombone heroes Steve Turre, Conrad Herwig, plus some material outside of straight-ahead jazz.  This was the the first time that I felt comfortable in recording pop tunes.  When I was younger and in college, reading all the jazz mags, I remember reading reviews where critics just destroyed great musicians for doing that- using works like corny, sellout, etc.  and thinking that playing a pop tune was the kiss of death to artistic sincerity.  Then I started hearing adventurous arrangements of some old pop that sounds like a sonic math problem, thinking to myself, man, is a song A SONG when it is barely recognizable?  Is that the price for original artistry?  Seems like murky waters diving through material like that ... I just didn't know how I felt about recording that music until I heard Ronald Isley sing "ALFIE" and thought to myself- wow... I love these songs too, and I want to play them in my voice the way I hear them and share the part they played in my own story.  It's all so personal, and I see myself as an messenger, an emissary rather than a translator.  And to people that appreciate my small part in the music- also appreciate Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston, Hank Williams Sr., Otis Redding, and in the case of my newest CD, Paul McCartney/Boyz II Men/Extreme, they are part of why I became a musician, play trombone and all the rest.  

If anyone is interested in seeing the complete artist notes that I wrote about each track, leave a comment here and I'll post them shortly.  

I'm going to get back to enjoying my Sunday.  Stay warm, strong and optimistic ya'll. 

Yours with a Hi-Five,

Michael

If you are new here, here's a breakdown of what's on this simple site.

1. Latest CDs are available on the Music Page.  There are more starting back from 2005, and I'll get to adding those one of these days.  

2. Links and Resources send you to more information about my teaching, colleagues and musical gear.  

3.  News and Gigs are about events that I find exciting, and are mostly related to my career- teaching and playing jazz music.  

4.  Lastly, my thoughts and checkins are mostly captured by my twitter/instagram/facebook blurbs on the home and bio page!  Follow me there, or you can check them all when you stop by here.  

Birthaday! On the Road Again: Tokyo, Japan & New Listening

35 today!  I was wondering what the first thought would be when this day came.  Here it is.

[wakes up at 3AM (jet lag)]  say to myself:  "35 huh?"  ...   [looks around, finds bottle of water]  "I should drink that bottle of water so I stay hydrated."  [watches CNN...]

Yes so that's it.  I thought about staying hydrated so I don't get tired or unnecessarily hungry throughout the day.  It was a good idea, almost exciting, and that is the narrative of today's birthday morning:  priorities shifting and maturing.  The bottle of water is tied in to my teaching today at the fantastic Seiko Summer Jazz Camp.  These kids sound so good and have an eager brightness about them, that I want to match them- even exceed their enthusiasm if I can.  The water will help!  

Don't get me wrong- I'm not completely boring, yet!  It's that birthdays "down the road" become less about the self, more about relationships, and realizing they are the the same in concept and affect.  

Enjoying a birthday is deep.  Later, I'll sit back and enjoy ....  turn of the computer for a second and chill, but mornings bring reflection.  Watching my musical brother Ulysses Owen's teach at, and grow this jazz camp is humbling and joyful all at once.  We were finding our way at Juilliard 16 years ago, and now we are poised to deliver the guidance we so craved.  It's tremendously rewarding to recount the stories we have learning from greats like Mulgrew Miller, Curtis Fuller, Renee Rosnes, Illinois Jacquet, to young(er) folks. Although I'd prefer (in a perfect world, as if!) to be home with Gwen and Brooklyn on my b-day (and who wouldn't???), this is a close second! The music needs it.  

These rich memories and contemplation will need to be balanced with a cigar, company and heavy laughing but that's for later.  Plus, I probably don't want to write about that so you get stuck with the ruminations.  LOL Moving on...

I'm checking out some new music - Gerald Cannon's "Combinations" - recommended.  

Alright, more later- thanks for visiting and swing on.

Mike Dease

On The Road - Daddy Stuff - More Music

I just spent a wonderful three days on the road with my wife, baby girl and in-laws while getting a chance to speak with three different university music programs.  If this is the grinding music work that folks worry about in-between shows, I'll take it!  I was thinking about this en route to the Delta Sky Club and now that I have about 20 minutes I can delve into it a little.  

A question that I frequently receive from todays teenagers is a variant on the old standard- "Are you happy doing what you do?" and "Are you doing what you set out to do?"   The question is almost NEVER stated that clearly or unequivocally and there are many forms of it, including "Did you always want a family?" or when I was playing 6 nights a week "Do you teach?"  or when I teach a week at MSU or a residency "Do you still play?" and so many strains more of this theme.  As I was answering each individual flavor of question, I realized that they were all going to the same issue- are you happy?   It's absolutely one of my favorite questions now because it deals with everything!  Practice - Role Models - Ups & Downs - Money - Swing - Relationships - Ambition - Humility - Confidence - and you name it.   I feel like everyone's specific answers to these questions will vary tremendously in the FINE DETAILS, but the common thread is the search, no the Journey and Quest for Happiness.  I think that hits at the heard of Jazz music, the idea that we collaborate to create something greater that our individual parts- we seek compatibility and dialogue within the music and it reflects our natural desire to, well... be happy!  Or substitute enlightened, satiated, challenged, loved- any of the human emotional qualities that define our sense of happiness.  

It's an interesting time in the world- nuff said.  I'm not quite ready to go off on the political thang.   It's definitely interesting in the Dease household as we learn to navigate our jobs, friends and Google Calendars with baby Brooklyn in sway.  Gwen and I make Brooklyn a priority as we plan our months, and oddly enough it has made teaching and performing even more important!  With a more rigid schedule, I'm able to devote more focused energy into my work at MSU and my commitments to performing around the world become more specific and balanced.  My colleagues know that if I'm there holding down the trombone chair or teaching a combo that I have a high value towards that organization and experience.  Having a family has made that commitment towards excellence a non-starter- and it has already shown great dividends.  My wife Gwendolyn and my good buddy Jason Hainsworth have fantastic new CDs (released this Friday Oct. 21!) on the Origin Label, I had the opportunity to produce and compose for both projects!  Last month in September I participated as a player and leader on three sessions for my good friends at Posi-Tone Records- keep an eye out for CD's by LA legend Doug Webb and stablemate vibraphonist Behn Gillece in 2018.  

Probably most amazing for me to watch is the growth with my trombone students- actually ALL the students at Michigan State University.  I keep getting these wonderful comments from audience members about how the 'bones are "throwing down" like they've never heard, and I believe it after hearing the last concert!  I really dig being a part of their story and it makes me glad to have beat the street in NYC so long to be able to share some of that experience and hard knocks with them.  We just had my good friend Russell Malone in as guest artist, and we will spend a total of three weeks with future guests this year- some of the baddest in the world: Anat Cohen, Steve Wilson, Rufus Reid and my main man Conrad Herwig.  

If you are in that boat trying to figure out what to do, remember this: Don't be afraid to dream.  Get around smart people that care about you, and that want to help you.  Have big goals and write them down.  Figure out what small goals you need to achieve to get you started.  Get to know yourself and learn what makes you happy - chase it!  Teaching the music brought me to meet my wife, and I couldn't have taught it if I couldn't play.  Everything works together- find your happiness.  ~Mike

Update Nov 18th 2015

It has been a powerful Fall 2015- I can tell you that for sure.  This terrible shift towards domestic and international terrorism is providing a dose of humility towards us all and the roles play in our families and communities.  Tomorrow is not promised.  I feel like this awakening however rude it is renews the call upon artists to be the peacemakers around the world.  Music is our artistic bridge and that cultural thread of relativity. Dizzy Gillespie’s simile of musicians being like medical doctors has become literal. We must make the world a better place through our music.  Art is life. Life is love.  

I’m not a huge fan of travel (unless it’s a vacation!) but I give it up to long plane rides- you can get a lot of things done!  One of them is this blog.  Here there are no Twitter character limits or Facebook-Safe considerations.  If you have found your way to my website and clicked on this blog, I’m going to take that as a cue that you are interested in what's going on over here- good, bad, and well… you know.   To start with some good, the jazz students at MSU are sounding great and making big strides.  I direct the jazz trombone studio, big band and beginning improvisation class and it’s inspiring to see how they grow inside a semester.  The jazz trombone students are really bringing it to lessons.  

Big news at the Dease house continues to be our forthcoming baby girl whom we named Brooklyn Parker Dease. Her due date is Jan. 23rd and we are ecstatically prepping the house for her arrival.  Grandma picked her out some beautiful furniture, and we’ve decorated her room with all kinds of colorful wall patterns and stickers.  She has about 300 stuffed animals already so when she’s old enough to snuggle with them- that’s covered.  We named her after my Mom’s birthplace Brooklyn, NY (also my old ‘hood) and after saxophonist Charlie Parker.  Yes, we are slowly preparing for her to not want to be a musician!  lol

This Summer and Fall has been exciting music-wise.  Look for recordings in 2016 with my good friend saxophonist Jason Hainsworth and his killing band Glenn Zaleski, Adam O, Jonathan  Blake and Josh Evans.  Bassist Ark Ovrutski had me produce his forthcoming CD on Origin Records called “Intersection” with legendary drummer Duduka Da Fonseca.  We’ve also had some amazing gigs with Christian McBride’s big band and I believe a new record is dropping in 2016 on Mack Avenue Records.  I’m still getting some great feedback from my latest CD for Posi-Tone Records  “Decisions” - thanks everybody for checking it out and supporting my music.  We just finished a 4-night residency at Grosse Point, Michigan’s stellar jazz establishment, The Dirty Dog Cafe to a sold-out weekend.  It was great to get to that music again with my partners Rodney Whitaker, Sean Dobbins and especially two of the our students at MSU Pierre Charles and Markus Howell.  

***Pause for sleeping through this 9hr flight.  ***

Just landed in Kiev, Ukraine on the way to Odessa.  I’m here to play trombone as the special guest with several big bands as part of their Jazz Festival.  I’ll save some of the rest for another day- I gotta build my blogging chops!!!  Thanks for checking in over here, and see you next week.  

PS, if you dig blogs like this- let me know!  Would love to hear from you.  

Michael