Everything in a dream

Here is the new Ron Horton's album, which music was composed and/or arranged by him within the two last years -after his acclaimed "Subtextures"- and was developped in a series of concerts hosted by the Jazz Composers Collective at The Jazz Standard and other venues around New York City.


Tracklisting:

1. Yellow Violet (Hill) 6:30
2. Bring it on (Horton) / Pheonix (Giuffre) 6:23
3. Saint Ita's Vision (Barber) 8:10
4. Everything in a dream (Horton) 4:10
5. Lua cheia sobre Lisboa (Horton) 5:50
6. Did-it, did-it, did-it (Horton) 8:08
7. Sintra breeze (Horton) 6:56
8. Grovellin' (Horton) 4:13
9. Lamento d'Arianna (Monteverdi) 5:36

All compositions by Ron Horton, except where noted


Personnel:

Ron Horton (trumpet, fluegelhorn), John O'Gallagher (alto sax), Tony Malaby (tenor sax), Frank Kimbrough (piano), Masa Kamagushi (bass, except on #7 -solos on #1,5,6,11, Right channel), John Hebert (bass, except on #5 -solos on #3,7,9,11, Left channel), Mike Sarin (drums).

Recorded, mixed & mastered by Michael Marciano at Systems Two Recordings, New York City, June-August 2005

Photography: Susana Paiva, João Henriques



Produced by Ron Horton

Executive producer: Jordi Pujol


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Reviews:

"On this CD, his third as a leader, Ron Horton's virtuosity and imagination exceed 2003'remarkable "Subtextures". For one thing, the trumpeter has more to work with, expanding from a quartet to a septet with three horns and - on a number of tracks - two basses.

Given that Horton's previous album included a piece called "Malaby", it is satisfying this time to hear the actual Tony Malaby on tenor, along with altoist John O'Gallagher, pianist Frank Kombrough, drummer Mike Sarin and bassists John Hebert and Masa Kamaguchi. Once again, Horton opens with an Andrew Hill piece - last time it was "Cantarnos"; this time it's "Yellow Violet" from "Dance with Death".

Also, having adapted Messiaen for quartet on "Subtextures", Horton turns his attention to captivating melodies by Samuel Barber ("Saint Ita's Vision") and Monteverdi ("Lamento d'Arianna"). These pieces, along with six worthy originals and a brief look at Jimmy Giuffre's "Phenis", cover a wide sonic spectrum and feature improv and ensemble writing at the highest level. Horton tilts toward the darker end of th eharmonic spectrum but breaks free of tonality on the title track as well as "Grovellin'."

-David R. Adler
JazzTimes, October 2006

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"En esta mi primera toma de contacto con la música de Ron Horton la impresión no ha podido ser mejor. Everything in a Dream es el tercer trabajo del trompetista a su nombre y lo cierto es que su música huele ya a la de un consumado compositor. A la hora de incorporar obras ajenas sabe, además, elegir con gusto y vestir los temas con arreglos que encajan en la línea que persigue. Ésta es, a grandes rasgos, la de una formación habilitada para practicar un hard bop de corte moderno (sobre todo por el front line de los metales) pero en la que tienen mucho espacio la lírica y, en dosis más moderadas, incursiones en el free y en el universo pre-free de Coleman /Cherry (el corte homónimo o Grovellin son una buena prueba). Quizá la mejor composición de Horton sea la balada Lua Cheia Sobre Lisboa, con un eco de la música de Kenny Wheeler, tanto por la melancolía que desprende como por la sensibilidad con la que el trompetista dibuja la melodía -que en este caso prima sobre las improvisaciones.

Respecto a la formación sorprende el concurso de dos bajistas de similares características. Excepto dos temas en los que no comparten trabajo, su labor conjunta suena muy ensamblada y es difícil apreciar que son dos los que están ahí detrás. Para los que hayan tenido la fortuna de escuchar en directo a Masa Kamaguchi será un placer reencontrarse aquí (yo ya lo he hecho en Lines and Ballads del saxofonista Matt Renzi FSNT 065) con una forma muy interesante de entender la labor del contrabajista, aunque el estudio parece restarle algo de su energía desbordante al japonés. Otro tanto puede decirse del saxofonista alto John OGallagher, compañero de aventuras de Kamaguchi por España, y, aunque muy correcto, quizá un poco comedido aquí respecto al despliegue de escalas que desarrolla como líder de sus diferentes formaciones. Atención al solo de Horton en Sintra Breeze: su escucha merece por si misma la compra del disco."

Quinito L. Mourelle, www.tomajazz.com

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"Like many of his peers, trumpeter/composer Ron Horton is conservatory-trained, with an equitable view of both the classic jazz tradition and the structural innovations of post-war free jazz. Epitomizing the new face of the creative mainstream, Horton is equal parts swinging hard bop stylist, modern classicist and exploratory avant gardist. All these facets appear on Everything In A Dream, Horton's most definitive statement as a leaderhis third overall and second for the Fresh Sound label.

His previous album, 2003's phenomenal Subtextures, set the stage for his recurrent investigation into merging classical forms with jazz structures. Horton gives Samuel Barber's Saint Ita's Vision and Claudio Monteverdi's Lamento d'Arianna magisterial readings in an improvisational context. He also demonstrates his mastery of the jazz tradition with a swinging cover of Andrew Hill's obscure Yellow Violet. The AACM-influenced title track and the freewheeling, dynamically episodic Grovellin' exemplify his more adventurous side.

As a composer, Horton's lush, chamber-like arrangements are neither pretentious nor pedestrian. His septet reveals proficiency in navigating his capricious stylistic transitions. Ubiquitous drummer Michael Sarin is an eclectic accompanist and a suitable foil for the dual basses of Masa Kamaguchi and John Hebert. Endowing the septet with an expanded rhythmic and melodic foundation, both bassists exercise remarkable restraint, whether playing unison passages together or accompanying one another during solos.

Horton's updated third stream approach is a perfect vehicle for pianist Frank Kimbrough's idiosyncratic, yet graceful impressionism. The unfettered saxophones of Tony Malaby and John O'Gallagher provide the ensemble's most visceral playing. O'Gallagher's spiraling sonic vortex on Did-it, Did-it, Did-it is as fervent as Malaby's torrid variations on Bring It On/Phoenix.

Every member of the septet is given ample solo time, including the leader. Horton reveals a romantic streak on the gorgeous Mediterranean-flavored ballad Lua Cheia Sobre Lisboa and soars assuredly on Lamento d'Arianna. Dedicated to Lester Bowie's performance of the same piece, from the Art Ensemble of Chicago's 1970 classic Les Stances A Sophie, Horton does the master proud. Occasionally revealing a strident side, his opulent tone and classical phrasing sit out a few tunes, including the assertive hard bop punch of Bring It On/Phoenix. Similarly, he spins a web of splayed, smeary expressionism while weaving parallel lines with Kimbrough's thorny, linear runs on the rambunctious, angular free bop of Grovellin'.

Looking past the inevitable Dave Douglas comparisons, Everything In A Dream is a solid release from an up-and-coming composer with burgeoning talent who sees well beyond stylistic boundaries."

Troy Collins -All About Jazz

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Tracklist