Dan Phillips / Hamid Drake - L’avventura di Vivere (October 22, 2021)

“L’avventura di Vivere” is the second duo collaboration between Dan Phillips and Hamid Drake after 2017’s “Trail of Inevitability” and their fifth work together overall. Other collaborations have included Chicago Edge Ensembles’ “Decaying Orbit” and “Insidious Anthem”as well as the Quartet Next “Dutiful Dissent” album. This eleven track album features Drake and Phillips in a wide variety of moods, shapes textures and colors. From intense duo improvisations to layered minimalist pieces.

Dan Phillips is an American guitarist, composer educator and band leader who has worked professionally in New York, Chicago, Bangkok and Tokyo as well as touring globally. Dan is the leader of the critically acclaimed Chicago Edge Ensemble, Quartet Next, Dan Phillips Trio, Dan Phillips Quartet. Dan has performed with jazz musicians such as Hamid Drake, Gerald Wilson, Danilo Pérez, Hugo Rasmussen, Avreeayl Ra, Matt Darriau, Jim Black, Michael Zerang, Dave Rempis, Jeb Bishop, Mars Williams, Jim Baker, Ben Street, Chris Speed, Mike Sarin and Ed Thigpen and many more.

Hamid Drake is an American jazz drummer and percussionist. By the close of the 1990s, Hamid Drake was widely regarded as one of the best percussionists in jazz and improvised music. Incorporating Afro-Cuban, Indian, and African percussion instruments and “L’avventura di Vivere” is the second duo collaboration between Dan Phillips and Hamid Drake after 2017’s “Trail of Inevitability” and their fifth work together overall. Other collaborations have included Chicago Edge Ensembles’ “Decaying Orbit” and “Insidious Anthem”as well as the Quartet Next “Dutiful Dissent” album. This eleven track album features Drake and Phillips in a wide variety of moods, shapes textures and colors. From intense duo improvisations to layered minimalist pieces.nfluence, in addition to using the standard trap set, Drake has collaborated extensively with top free jazz improvisers. Drake also has performed world music; by the late 1970s, he was a member of Foday Musa Suso's Mandingo Griot Society and has played reggae throughout his career. Drake has worked with trumpeter Don Cherry, pianist Herbie Hancock, saxophonists Pharoah Sanders, Fred Anderson, Archie Shepp and David Murray and bassists Reggie Workman and William Parker (in a large number of lineups). He studied drums extensively, including eastern and Caribbean styles. He frequently plays without sticks, using his hands to develop subtle commanding undertones. His tabla playing is notable for his subtlety and flair. Drake's questing nature and his interest in Caribbean percussion led to a deep involvement with reggae.

1. L'AVVENTURA DI VIVERE Part 1

2. L'AVVENTURA DI VIVERE Part 2

3. L'AVVENTURA DI VIVERE Part 3

4. L'AVVENTURA DI VIVERE PART 4

5. L'AVVENTURA DI VIVERE PART 5

6. L'AVVENTURA DI VIVERE PART 6

7. L'AVVENTURA DI VIVERE PART 7

8. L'AVVENTURA DI VIVERE PART 8

9. L'AVVENTURA DI VIVERE PART 9

10. L'AVVENTURA DI VIVERE PART 10

11. L'AVVENTURA DI VIVERE PART 11

Dan Phillips - Guitar

Hamid Drake - Percussion

PREORDER

Dan Phillips Trio - Divergent Flow (March 1, 2018)

The album begins with the title track “Divergent Flow”, which begins with a composed harmonic line played melodically. This harmonic and melodic material is used as starting point for a group improvisation that leads to and outro melody played by arco bass. The concept of composed melodic material used as an improvisational vehicle is a common theme for the Trio. This is followed by “The Unravelling”, which features a simple melodic theme that is the basis for a rubato improvisation by the group. “Fixed Agenda” is an ostinato that is the jumping off point for Dan and the group to soar. “Extricated From” and Latitude” are free group improvisations that showcase this Trios improvisational approach that is open, democratic and compositional all at the same time in its approach.

“Dip” features minimalist written material with open solo sections for each musician to improvise and then come together for a group improvisation. “Spin Cycle” features a composed melody play over a churning free rhythm by Tim and Krzysztof that gravitates toward a group concept before returning to the melody for the outro.

Dan Phillips is an American guitarist, composer educator and band leader who has worked professionally in New York, Chicago, Bangkok and Tokyo. His Chicago based Trio has released three original recordings “Journey in Mind”, “Moment of Clarity” and “Destination Unknown”. His Bangkok Quartet has two releases “Bangkok Edge” and “Bangkok Edge Live” he also produced an educational/ concert DVD “Jazz Guitar Basics and Beyond”. He is also the leader of the “Chicago Edge Ensemble” which just released its first album “Decaying Orbit” featuring Chicago greats Hamid Drake, Jeb Bishop and Mars Williams. He has appeared at the Montreal Jazz Festival in Canada, Copenhagen Jazz Festival in Denmark, Ashikaga City Jazz Festival in Japan, Pattaya Music Festival, Bangkok Jazz Festival, Chiang Mai Jazz Festival and Hua Hin Jazz Festivals in Thailand, and All Souls and Empty Bottle Jazz Festivals in Chicago. Dan has also presented Jazz workshops throughout Asia, Europe and The U. S. He is currently Lecturer of Guitar and Jazz Studies at Silapakorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. He completed his undergraduate studies at Berklee College of Music where he was selected to represent the college at the Montreal Jazz Festival in his senior year in the “Berklee All Star” ensemble. He completed his graduate studies at Northwestern, University. Dan has performed with jazz musicians such as Gerald Wilson, Danilo Pérez, Judy Roberts, Hugo Rasmussen, Jeff Parker, John Stowell, Matt Darriau, JimBlack, Hamid Drake, Jeb Bishop, Mars Williams, Ben Street, Chris Speed, Pat Zimmerly, Mike Sarin and Ed Thigpen and many more. 

For more info check out www.danphillipsmusic.com or www.facebook.com/danphillipsguitarist/

Krzysztof Pabian hails from Europe as a classical-trained bassist. He began his music studies at the age of 8 on accordion and piano and switched to bass at age 14. Krzysztof moved to the U.S. in 1993 where he studied at Northwestern University to graduate with two Masters degrees in jazz and classical double bass performance. Krzysztof has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Civic Orchestra and worked in an array of ensembles under the direction of Pierre Boulez, Daniel Barenboim, Christopher Eshenbach, Zubin Mehta, George Solti, Lawrence Foster, Pinchas Zukerman and Krzysztof Penderecki to name a few. In the area of jazz Krzysztof has performed with Danilo Pérez, Judy Roberts, Eddie Henderson, Max Roach, Ron Blake, Hamid Drake, Mars Williams, Dave Rempis, Michael Zerang, Jim Baker, Jarek Smietana and the Lincoln Center Jazz Sextet to name the few. Krzysztof has toured throughout North America and Europe with various groups and configurations. 

For more info check out www.pabian.com

Tim Daisy was born on July 15th, 1976, in Waukegan, Illinois, and began playing the drums at age 11. Soon he was involved in a rock band with his brother, playing shows around the northern Illinois and the Southeastern Wisconsin area. At age 17 a friend gave him a copy of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps,” which had a profound impact on him and began his fascination with improvised music. Tim began formal lessons with percussionist Joe Varhula at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois, from 1995-1996, and moved to Chicago in 1997, quickly becoming involved with the city’s vibrant improvised music scene. In 1998, he formed Triage with Dave Rempis and bassist Gordon Lewis (who was replaced by Jason Ajemian in 2000). Also at this time, he became involved in the “58 Group,” a modern dance ensemble led by choreographer Ginger Farley, with musical direction by saxophonist and composer Cameron Pffifner. In 2000 Tim joined forces with young alto saxophonist Aram Shelton and bassist Jason Ajemian to form Dragons 1976, and continues to record and tour with this group to this day. Tim joined the Vandermark Five in 2001 and has been an integral member of the band since that time. During this period he also ran the Thursday night improvised music series at The Nervous Center in Chicago. Other active projects include Bridge 61, the Dave Rempis Quartet, Kyle Bruckman’s Wrack, and his own Festival Quartet; past collaborations have included work with the Chicago Improvisers Group, Sound In Action Trio, Unclocked, Arrive, Scott Rosenberg’s Red, and Fred Lonberg-Holm’s Lightbox Orchestra. In November, 2003, Tim was selected as one of “Thirteen Drummers For The Future” by Downbeat Magazine. 

For more info check out timdaisy.wordpress.com

Dan Phillips Quartet - Converging Tributaries (2017)

The first release from a Chicago based Quartet featuring the two compositions by guitarist Dan Phillips and group improvisations with Jeb Bishop on Trombone, Timothy Daisy on Drums and Krzysztof Pabian on double bass. 

Although this is the first release for this unique quartet, Krzysztof and Dan have 20 plus year relationship. Jeb Bishop is similarly a long-term compatriot and also a member of Dan’s “Chicago Edge Ensemble” which released its first recording ”Decaying Orbit” this year. Tim is well known figure in the Chicago experimental/free jazz scene and has performed extensively with all members. The album features Dan Phillips’ unique compositional style as well as extended group improvisations or spontaneous compositions, which showcase the musicality and creativity of all the members. 

Chicago has justly earned its high esteem amongst jazz & creative music aficionados.

The city that fostered the talents of the AACM, Sun Ra, Fred Anderson, and many more has been kept alive by figures such as Ken Vandermark, Dave Rempis, Michael Zerang, Tortoise and many more. Some of the city’s finest appear on this release, led by fguitarist Dan Phillips.

Although Phillips – a Berklee and Northwestern graduate – has lived in Thailand off and on since 2001 where he works as a Jazz Educator and performer in the region, he grew up in Illinois and lived in NYC for 5 years working with the likes of Jim Black, Ben Street, Chris Speed, Matt Darriau and many more. During this time abroad he has regularly returned home to his beloved Chicago to record and perform with his favorite musicians. From the mid 90s to the early 2000s he lived in Chicago where he led groups featuring local talents Jeff Parker, Chad Taylor, Tim Daisy, Jeb Bishop, Hamid Drake, Mars Williams, Rudresh Mahanthapa, Phil Gratteau, Tatsu Aoki and Larry Kohut. 

The album begins with the title track is a Dan Phillips “Conspicuous Con”, which begins with freely played melodic content that the group improvises on until the climax of a deep grove and new melodic material and individual solos by Dan and Jeb. This is followed by “Swirling Headwaters”. This “spontaneous composition” showcases the strengths of this ensembles’ ability to create various textures, shapes and contours and blend them into cohesive composition through free group improvisation. The third track is the title track and features another Dan Phillips composition. This track features a composed intro and outro with the melody play be arco double bass and trombone. There are individual improvisations by Dan, Jeb and Tim which are interceded by a syncopated swing melody. The album closes out with another group ‘Spontaneous composition” entitled “Latent Entropy”. Once again the group really shows their improvisational prowess in creating a cohesive extended free improvisation.

1. Conspicuous Con 10:57

2. Swirling Headwaters 18:35

3. Converging Tributaries 9:30

4. Latent Entropy 26:46

Dan Phillips guitar 

Jeb Bishop trombone 

Tim Daisy drums 

Krzysztof Pabian double bass