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Tunnel Six: Alive

By Dan McClenaghan
May 11, 2013
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The formation of the American/Canadian sextet

Tunnel Six

band / ensemble / orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">Tunnel Six wasn't planned. The six musicians met up at the 2009 International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music at the Banff Center in Alberta, Canada, and discovered rare group chemistry after having played together there. Since then the group has performed across Canada and the U.S., and cut two CDs, Lake Superior (OA2 Records, 2010) and now Alive, recorded at their live shows in Vancouver, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle.

The line-up—sax and trumpet, guitar and piano, bass and drums—is a chamber-like collective with more energy than groups that are usually tagged that way. An equilibrium of input, both in tune-smithing and playing is the mode of operation; but it's tempting to call trumpeter

Chad McCullough

trumpet
b.1981

" data-original-title="" title="">Chad McCullough a leader of sorts. He penned three of the nine tunes, and dishes up some fine solo spots; and he did the cover photo and layout too.

Saxophonist Brad Dietschi does a tight, sizzling solo on his "Tides of Certainty," in front of some sharp metallic comping by guitarist Brian Seligman. McCullough's "Pinwheel" features some lyrical horn work, fine and intricate interplay between the guitar and

Andrew Oliver

piano
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrew Oliver's piano, and includes a hypnotic interlude where Oliver lays down a steady groove for bassist Ron J. Hynes and drummer Tyson Stubelek to churn and rumble over.

Alive is a cohesive statement, from start to finish, full of expansive, slightly blurred—from the melding of guitar and piano—soundscapes, hot horns and seamless instrumental interaction.

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Track Listing

The Wagon & the Gun; Columbia; Heavy Weight; Tides of Certainty; Pinwheel; No Mongoose; Up Hill; Cowboy; The Admiral's Lament.

Personnel

Tunnel Six

band / ensemble / orchestra

Ben Dietschi: saxophones; Chad McCullough: trumpet; Andrew Oliver: piano; Brian Seligman: guitar; Ron J. Hynes: bass; Tyson Stubelek: drums.

Album information

Title: Alive | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Self Produced

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