Dana Landry

University of Northern Colorado Jazz Lab Band 1: The Romeo and Juliet Project

by Jack Bowers
June 23, 2017

The University of Northern Colorado's Lab Band 1 has been a dominant force on the intercollegiate jazz scene for many years, first under director Gene Aitken and more recently Dana Landry whose latest enterprise with the band, The Romeo and Juliet Project, was of course inspired by William Shakespeare's incomparable paean to young love and its sometimes grievous consequences. While “searching for a way for UNC's Jazz Lab Band 1 to create an original large-scale work that ...

Don Aliquo: Jazz Folk

by Budd Kopman
February 28, 2007

Jazz Folk is an homage to jazz musicians (the folks) who put their heart and soul into playing creative music. This straight-ahead record sports four Don Aliquo originals, three pieces from bassist Rufus Reid, and two modern standards. While there is nothing especially new here, and experienced listeners will find no surprises, the individual playing and the group aesthetic is excellent. The musicians obviously know and like each other, and the joy of their playing infuses this ...

Don Aliquo: Jazz Folk

by Michael P. Gladstone
January 19, 2007

The music on Jazz Folk has nothing whatsoever to do with folk music. Instead, Don Aliquo reports that he aimed to “capture the soul and spirit of folk music." Perhaps the title refers to “jazz people," which would make more sense.

Don Aliquo is a well-respected saxophonist and educator in Nashville and a Director of Studies as well as Associate Professor of saxophone at Middle Tennessee State University. This is his fourth album, and he accurately describes his ...

Don Aliquo: Jazz Folk

by Dan McClenaghan
December 18, 2006

Tenor saxophonist Don Aliquo is based in Nashville, Tennessee, but his sound on Jazz Folk sounds very East Coast mainstream. His smooth, clean tenor tone and seemingly fluid and intricately articulate flow of always surprising ideas brings veteran saxophonist George Coleman to mind, especially the way he makes it sound so easy.Aliquo teams up here with a fine quintet--trumpet and sax with a rhythm section--on a set that sits right in the middle of the bop tradition. His ...

Dana Landry: Journey Home

by Jim Santella
October 1, 2005

The title track of Journey Home features Dana Landry's cascading piano in a soothing ballad that meanders relentlessly in an inspired sojourn. With soprano saxophone and vibraphone, he gently massages the melody on its trek over long distances and through marathon trials. With his original “Deerhead Sketches," the pianist paints impressions of his native Eastern Pennsylvania landscape.

Jazz surrounded Landry at an early age, growing up in Pennsylvania's Delaware Water Gap. Home to Phil Woods, Bob Dorough, Urbie ...

Dana Landry: Journey Home

by Dan McClenaghan
May 12, 2005

The name that jumps out from the cover of pianist Dana Landry's Journey Home is that of renowned vibraphonist Gary Burton. He joins the '94 Down Beat Award Winner (outstanding soloist) Dana Landry and a first rate band on this bright-sounding straight-ahead set.The sound here has a connect with Burton's outstanding all-star effort from '98, Like Minds, which featured Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Roy Haynes, and Dave Holland. Clean and precise, with a good deal of sharp ensemble ...