Dennis is a young, very talented musician who I think will
develop into something quite interesting - Stan Getz in 1979
One of the most talented instrumentalists in the region, Rea has long distinguished himself in varied settings,
creating a dynamic, lyrical, enigmatic blend of modern jazz, boundary-pushing rock, experimental music, and world
music traditions. In Seattle, he has participated in some of the most impressive homegrown musical outfits,
including the late 1990s juggernaut quartet Stackpole, with whom he won the 2000 Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Award
for best Northwest 'outside jazz.' - Earshot Jazz
[LAND / EARTHSTAR]
“The first time I heard LAND guitarist Dennis Rea, he was playing the greatest phased guitar solo of all time on
Earthstar's 1979 classic of Euro-electronica, French Skyline.”
- The Wire (UK)
[VIEWS FROM CHICHENG PRECIPICE]
a unique masterpiece — Disk Union (Japan)
Everything is exactly right about this album
Read more
Dennis is a young, very talented musician who I think will
develop into something quite interesting - Stan Getz in 1979
One of the most talented instrumentalists in the region, Rea has long distinguished himself in varied settings,
creating a dynamic, lyrical, enigmatic blend of modern jazz, boundary-pushing rock, experimental music, and world
music traditions. In Seattle, he has participated in some of the most impressive homegrown musical outfits,
including the late 1990s juggernaut quartet Stackpole, with whom he won the 2000 Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Award
for best Northwest 'outside jazz.' - Earshot Jazz
[LAND / EARTHSTAR]
“The first time I heard LAND guitarist Dennis Rea, he was playing the greatest phased guitar solo of all time on
Earthstar's 1979 classic of Euro-electronica, French Skyline.”
- The Wire (UK)
[VIEWS FROM CHICHENG PRECIPICE]
a unique masterpiece — Disk Union (Japan)
Everything is exactly right about this album. ... I do not often utter the word ‘masterpiece,’ but I would do it for this
CD.” — Herman te Loo, Jazz Flits (Netherlands)
It does for [traditional Chinese music] what Miles and Gil Evans did with Spanish music on Sketches of Spain, this
time with Rea's guitar taking a prominent role and the musical ensemble providing an intricately enmeshed pastel
sound quality filled with light and shadow. ... It is an achievement that has no real parallel in the music offerings
out there lately. And it reconfirms that Dennis Rea is an important emergent figure on the music scene of today. -
Grego Applegate, Gapplegate Guitar & Bass Blog
“Spectacular — a perfect fusion of modernity and tradition. ... Views From Chicheng Precipice is a brave
record in its choice of instrumentation and respects the arrangement of the traditional musical material. The result
is an amazing listening experience that goes far beyond the usual attempts at fusion between East and West. —
Daniel Orlandi, La Voce (Italy)
...a profound work, essential and nuanced, to be seized with repeated plays - La Luna Alfonso (Italy)
[MORAINE]
Moraine are among the foremost standard-bearers of a modern form of jazz-rock that yearns to break free from the
ponderous heritage of the Seventies. A near-perfect blend of lyricism, atmosphere and raw energy, Groundswell
embodies, in many ways, the modern progressive ethos. Highly recommended to all open-minded prog listeners,
this is essential listening for lovers of instrumental progressive rock. – Raffaella Berry, Fire of Unknown
Origin
a new catalog of exquisite sonic adventures that greatly dignify the contemporary progressive scene. – Cesar Inca
Mendoza Loyola, Autopoeitican (Peru)
“...with its combination of rock energy, chamber classicism, and sophisticated jazz harmonies, Manifest DeNsity is
simply _good_ music - at times, great music - played by an unusually configured collective. Like a square peg and a
round hole, Moraine defies reductionist categorization...” - John Kelman, All About Jazz
[Moraine] morph the best of various musical worlds ... turbulent strings passages, thrusting rhythms, and jubilantly
executed melody lines ... There's a lot to sink your mind's eye into here, but the ensemble equalizes the cerebral
factors with hearty melodies and pumping jazz-rock grooves. ... A musical highlight for 2009, regardless of genre or
rigid categorizations... - Glenn Astarita, Jazz Reviews.com
...Dark timbres, dense harmonic aggregations, and exotic
melodies abound ... Rea's guitar work continually imbues the
proceedings with splashes of color from his global grab bag of stylistic goodies - including liberal dashes of
oriental intrigue.
- Barry Cleveland, Guitar Player
Incredible jazz chamber rock fusion ... Moraine will intrigue and energize the listener as they obliterate all
boundaries. ... people looking for something new and different will enjoy this powerful and intelligent music. -
Brad Walseth, JazzChicago.net
(5/5 stars) If Moraine is not the discovery of the year, it is only because they might be the discovery of the decade.
... it's pure instrumental music with an unusual sound, close to both the best examples of prog rock and the best
examples of jazz-rock ... it's just great! - Iouri Lnogradski, Jazz Russia
Intelligently written, brilliantly executed, with gusto and just enough good sense. ... I can't find another band to
compare them to - and that's huge. ... Oh, so rich. Bravo. - Francois Couture, Monsieur Delire (Canada)
[IRON KIM STYLE]
One of the best albums of the year ... The energy of this album is really unparalleled. And the consistency of the
project is above all suspicion. Even old Miles would be very proud of these grandchildren based in Seattle. -
Mauritius Comandini, All About Jazz (Italy)
That the entire content was composed on the spot is rather jarring: these gentz follow each other with almost
shocking precision, alert to each others' subtlest cues and signs, cohesive while fully independent in each line and
measure. - Mark S. Tucker, Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange
Although this entire disc is improvised, it often doesn't sound that way. This is jazz/rock at its finest without any of
that fusion excess. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery (NYC)
For a fusion album that really is fusion, this is one of the best examples you'll hear in today's jazz-rock world. -
Dead Earnest (Scotland)
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