Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » David Binney: Graylen Epicenter

David Binney: Graylen Epicenter

By C. Michael Bailey
February 10, 2011
View read count

Track review of "Graylen Epicenter"

Alto saxophonist and producer David Binney has become a ubiquitous presence in jazz in the last 20 years fronting his own bands while appearing with

Donny McCaslin

saxophone, tenor
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Donny McCaslin,

Uri Caine

piano
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Uri Caine,

Joel Harrison

guitar, electric
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Joel Harrison,

Edward Simon

piano
b.1969

" data-original-title="" title="">Edward Simon and

Bobby Previte

drums
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Bobby Previte. He might be considered the logical next step in jazz saxophone after

Wayne Shorter

saxophone
1933 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Shorter and

Michael Brecker

saxophone, tenor
1949 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Brecker (

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins remains in an orbit by himself), never mind that he is not a tenorist. Binney has been sharpening his direction over his last two recordings ( Aliso (Criss-Cross, 2010) and Third Occasion (Mythology Records, 2009)) on his way to Graylen Epicenter which achieves a certain anxious stateliness that is quite cutting edge.

The title track, "Graylen Epicenter," is the lengthiest piece on the one- hour-plus recording. It possesses many moods and movements, the most provocative being

Wayne Krantz

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Krantz's funky R&B guitar solo early on in the piece. The introduction is a modal march over which Binney, tenor saxophonist

Chris Potter

saxophone, tenor
b.1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Potter and trumpeter

Ambrose Akinmusire

trumpet
b.1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Ambrose Akinmusire spin their discursive silk. Krantz spins, slaps and snaps his way through

James Brown

vocals
1933 - 2006

" data-original-title="" title="">James Brown by way of

Jaco Pastorius

bass, electric
1951 - 1987

" data-original-title="" title="">Jaco Pastorius, sounding at once like an electric bass and an electric guitar. His playing is very melodic and soulful. A head break incorporates the vocalization of uber-siren

Gretchen Parlato

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Gretchen Parlato and Binney seconding the horns. Binney takes a long solo with a noisy rhythm section, making what has become his brand of jazz: assertive, overt, confident. All of these are reasons why Binney is at the center of jazz.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

All of Time; Graylen Epicenter; Equality at Low Levels; Everglow; From This Far; Terrorists and Movie Stars; Same Stare, Different Thought; Home; Any Years Costume; Waking to Waves.

Personnel

David Binney

saxophone, alto

David Binney: alto and soprano saxophones, vocal; Gretchen Parlato: vocal; Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet; Chris Potter: tenor saxophone; Craig Taborn: piano; Wayne Krantz: guitar; Eivind Opsvik: bass; Brian Blade: drums (1-4, 6, 8-10); Dan Weiss: drums (1, 5, 6, 9, 10); Kenny Wollesen: percussion, vibes; Rogerio Boccato: percussion; Nina Geiger: vocal harmony (10).

Album information

Title: Graylen Epicenter | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Mythology Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Johannesson & Schultz
< Previous

Geoffrey Keezer / Peter Sprague Band...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.