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Michael Dease

Michael Dease is one of the world's eminent trombonists, lending his versatile sound and signature improvisations to over 200 recordings and groups as diverse as Grammy winning artists David Sanborn, Christian McBride, Michel Camilo, and Alicia Keys. Born in Augusta, GA, he played the saxophone and trumpet before choosing the trombone at age 17. In 2001, Dease moved to New York City to become part of the historic first class of jazz students at The Juilliard School, earning both Bachelors and Masters degrees, and quickly established a reputation as a brilliant soloist, sideperson, and bandleader.

Never More Here (Posi-Tone, 2019), Dease’s newest release, is a reflection of the influence of Charlie Parker on his life, and is much deeper than a collection of Bird tunes. These songs depict Parker’s influence in other’s creative di- rections, paths less-traveled by proteges J.J. Johnson, Jackie McLean, Jimmy Heath, and John Lewis. Parker’s influence sparkles in artist-composers Eric Alexander, and Eddie Daniels represented here. As a bandleader, this is Dease’s seventh album for Posi-Tone and thirteenth of his career, and features Renee Rosnes, Rufus Reid, Lewis Nash and Steve Wilson to shine new light on these mostly rare songs.

Dease recently won the 64th Annual Downbeat Magazine Critic's Poll for Rising Star Jazz Trombonist, the 2017 Best Jazz Trombonist from NYC's Hot House Magazine, and is a sought-after and three-time Grammy award winning lead, section and bass trombonist with today’s leading jazz orchestras. His experiences include bands led by Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton, Charles Tolliver, Rufus Reid, WDR Big Band, NDR Big Band, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band. However, it is on the frontline of quintets and sextets led by master musicians like The Heath Brothers, Winard Harper, Renee Rosnes, Bill Charlap, Claudio Roditi, Lewis Nash, and Rodney Whitaker where Dease has revitalized the trombone’s image. Not content to simply improvise, Dease arranges and composes for many different bands and constantly adjusts his tone and timbre to add just the right flavor to the music.

Dease’s unique blend of curiosity, hard work, and optimism, has helped him achieve worldwide recognition, including awards from ASCAP, The International Trombone Association, Yamaha, Eastern Trombone Workshop, New York Youth Symphony, among others. Dease was recently profiled in Cicily Janus’ book, The New Face of Jazz: An Intimate Look at Today’s Living Legends (Random House). His experience in the studio led him to produce several recording sessions for emerging artists, often composing and writing liner notes for the releases.

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37
Album Review

Kent Engelhardt & Stephen Enos: Madd For Tadd

Read "Madd For Tadd" reviewed by Jack Bowers


The masterworks on this second edition of Madd for Tadd are presented on two discs, one of which bears the name of one of composer/pianist Tadd Dameron's classic themes, “Our Delight." Oddly, the other is named for the only non-Dameronian item on the menu, “Central Avenue Swing," written by saxophonist and Dameron chronicler Kent Engelhardt who adapted the composer's tasteful charts for a big band and co-leads the ensemble with trumpeter Steve Enos. Although he is most ...

1
Album Review

Clark Gibson: Counterclock

Read "Counterclock" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


Saxophonist Clark Gibson's Counterclock demonstrates the synergy that can be generated by an outstanding group of performers, including trumpeter Sean Jones, trombonist Michael Dease, Hammond B-3 organist Pat Bianchi, vibraphonist Nick Mancini and drummer extraordinaire Lewis Nash. While pushing the boundaries, the set list, with one exception, is made up of original compositions by Gibson and Mancini. The opener, “Conflict," captures Gibson's emotive alto saxophone work as he is pushed along by Nash's drumming and Bianchi's ...

3
Liner Notes

Ark Ovrutski: 44/33

Read "Ark Ovrutski: 44/33" reviewed by Howard Mandel


Wherever a jazz musician starts their professional journey, he or she must come to grips with what one must do to create a personal approach based on technique, imagination and feeling. Composer and bassist Ark Ovrutski likes to say that since the age of 20 he has been an “international homeless traveller." But with the release of 44/33, his third album as a leader, Ark proves he has arrived. With its program of bright melodies, tight ensemble collaboration, ...

1
Radio & Podcasts

Michael Dease, Bob Brookmeyer, Archie Shepp and More

Read "Michael Dease, Bob Brookmeyer, Archie Shepp and More" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


This program has a wide range of newer and older modern jazz, including recent music from Michael Dease and Anthony Branker and older work from Bob Brookmeyer and the Archie Shepp Attica Blues Big Band. Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextett “I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (Mosaic) 00:00 Bob Mintzer “Canyon Winds" from Soundscapes (MCG Jazz) 00:55 Buselli/Wallarab Jazz Orchestra “Bebop" from Basically Baker, Vol. 2 ...

8
Album Review

Michael Dease: The Other Shoe: The Music of Gregg Hill

Read "The Other Shoe: The Music of Gregg Hill" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


Gregg Hill is a jazz composer favored by several jazz musicians who have recorded entire albums of his work, such as guitarist Randy Napoleon and bassist Rodney Whitaker. Here trombonist Michael Dease joins the party with a full album of Hill pieces arranged for a quintet. Hill's writing on this album delves into a wide array of conventional forms such as blues, ballads, and Latin jazz, but always with unique twists and ideas present. Some of his compositions ...

2
Radio & Podcasts

Trombonist Michael Dease: The Other Shoe

Read "Trombonist Michael Dease: The Other Shoe" reviewed by David Bixler


Trombonist (and baritone saxophonist) Michael Dease uses his new record, The Other Shoe, as an opportunity to shine the light on those around him. It features the music of the composer Gregg Hill and a young band comprised of clarinetist Virginia MacDonald, pianist Luther Allison, bassist Liany Mateo, and Colleen Clark on drums and cymbals. In this episode of LINER NOTES I am joined by Michael and Gregg as Michael shares his thoughts about the motivation behind this project.

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Liner Notes

Michael Dease: The Other Shoe: The Music of Gregg Hill

Read "Michael Dease: The Other Shoe: The Music of Gregg Hill" reviewed by AAJ Staff


"Think of any big city," Greg Hill says, introducing the narrative armature of his composition, “The Other Shoe," the denouement and title track of this stimulating collaboration with Michael Dease, who arranged each of Hill's 10 compositions contained herein. “It's 2 in the morning, you're still awake, and your neighbor comes in upstairs. You hear the first clunk when his shoe hits the floor. Then you wait. He may be inebriated. It may take a while to get the other ...

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1

Performance / Tour

A masterful night of jazz

A masterful night of jazz

Source: Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes

Trombonist Michael Dease was well armed with ample doses of creativity, gentility, humor, and swing when he joined the Naples Philharmonic Jazz Orchestra as the sextet opened its 10th concert season on Wednesday, October 30. Dease, 37, is a busy young performer and educator. In addition to touring the world as a first-call player, he teaches music at Michigan State and runs a summer jazz camp in North Carolina. He also plays trumpet, saxophone and piano. This evening with the ...

1

Radio

Jazz This Week: Michael Dease with WGHS Jazz Bands, Javier Mendoza's Latin Jazz Experiment, Montez Coleman, Mary Dyson, Joe Mancuso, and More

Jazz This Week: Michael Dease with WGHS Jazz Bands, Javier Mendoza's Latin Jazz Experiment, Montez Coleman, Mary Dyson, Joe Mancuso, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

The first part of January typically is time off for a lot of touring musicians who'd just as soon stay home as deal with bad weather, audiences suffering from empty pockets or the post-holiday blahs, and so on. So even though the weather in St. Louis actually has been pretty nice for this time of year, it's no surprise that most of this week's jazz and creative music highlights are once again local in origin. Tonight, the jazz/funk/R&B combo Good ...

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Recording

Michael Dease - Grace (2010)

Michael Dease - Grace (2010)

Source: Something Else!

By PicoCurtis Fuller, one of the greatest living trombone players of all time declared “I predict that Michael Dease will become one of the world's great trombone masters." And when you hear Dease's fluid, lush style, it's not hard to see the young phenom as the legitimate successor to Fuller.Yet, Dease, who will turn 28 later this month, has a biography that says “potential realized." A masters degree in jazz performance from Julliard and multiple winner ...

"Michael fills the trombone with a full sound. Great range, great facility. The slide does NOT hamper him." —Benny Golson

“I am simply amazed by the talent and sincerity of this young man, Michael Dease, one of the finest trombonists I have ever seen in my life. A brilliant musician. I am also sincerely proud of his original compositions, and am honored to have one written for me.”

“I predict that Michael Dease will become one of the world’s great trombone masters.” —Curtis Fuller, jazz legend, interview on September 3rd, 2004

“Michael Dease is one of the finest musicians out there today

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Primary Instrument

Trombone

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Michael Dease teaches private lessons by appointment at his studio in New York City, as well as online via Skype. Lesson fees operate on a sliding scale- starting at 100.00 USD per hour. Lessons with Michael Dease are clear, efficient, one-on-one sessions focused upon reaching your specific goals and unlocking your potential as a musical artist. Skype lessons proceed exactly as in-person lessons, with the added conveniences of in-home learning and flexible scheduling. Michael's students have won international awards, attended prestigious conservatories of music such as The Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music, and distinguished themselves in the professional world as recording artists and jazz soloists. To schedule a lesson, contact Michael via email at [email protected] and indicate your preferred method (NYC or Skype) and available time(s). PayPal is the preferred method of payment- please see the button for lesson options.

Clinic/Workshop Information

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Counterclock

Cellar Music group
2024

buy

Deep in the Soil

Origin Records
2024

buy

The Other Shoe: The...

Origin Records
2023

buy

Madd For Tadd

Self Produced
2023

buy

Best Next Thing

Posi-Tone Records
2022

buy

The Jazz All Stars...

Le Coq Records
2021

buy

Call to Order

From: Deep in the Soil
By Michael Dease

Wake Up Call

From: The Other Shoe: The Music of...
By Michael Dease

Outrospection

From: Outrospection: The Music of...
By Michael Dease

Realization

From: Realization
By Michael Dease

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