Tubalogy 601
Program Notes
an album by...
The Tennessee Tech Alumni Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble
R. Winston Morris, director
Personnel
The Tennessee Tech Alumni Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble
Euphoniums
- Lloyd Bone Jr.
- Darin Cochran
- Eric Paul
- Kelly Thomas
Tubas
- Marcus Arnold
- David Brown
- Joe Murphy
- Timothy J. Northcut
- Richard Perry
- Joseph Skillen
Rhythm
- Guitar:Randy Gouge
- Bass:Ike Harris
- Drums:Jeff Lloyd
- Piano:Steve Willets
Program
- It's All Right With Me ..............................Cole Porter/Joe Murphy
Joe Murphy,tuba
Steve Willets,piano - Moten Swing..............................Bennie&Buster Moten/Richard Perry
Steve Willets,piano
Richard Perry,tuba - Almost Like Being in Love..........Fredrick Lowe/Joe Murphy/Jim Williamson
Steve Willets,piano
Joe Murphy,tuba
Richard Perry,tuba - A Time For Love .................................Johnny Mendel/Richard Perry
R. Winston Morris,tuba
Steve Willets,piano - Pools............................................Don Grolnick/Richard Perry
Richard Perry,tuba
Ike Harris,bass
Joe Murphy,tuba
Jeff Lloyd,drums - That Old Black Magic...............Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer/Richard Perry
Steve Willets,piano - Senor Blues......................Horace Silver/Hank Mobley/Donald Byrd/etc.
Jeff Lloyd,drums
Richard Perry,tuba
Randy Gouge,guitar - Sandu..........................................Clifford Brown/Richard Perry
Richard Perry,tuba
Darin Cachran,euphonium
Steve Willets,piano - In a Mellotone.................................Duke Ellington/Rich Matteson
Kelly Thomas,euphonium
Richard Perry,tuba - 'Round Midnight................................Thelonius Monk/Bernie Walker
Joe Murphy,tuba
Steve Willets,piano - Manteca ............................Dizzy Gillespie/Chano Pozo/Richard Perry
Randy Gouge,guitar
Richard Perry,tuba
Kelly Thomas,euphonium
Jeff Lloyd,drums
"A Review by Dean Somerville"
With the release of his new Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble jazz recording, "Tubaology 601", Winston Morris has scored what is perhaps the most signigicant accomplishment in the 35 years that he has been involved in the making of Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble recordings. The reason?...the ensemble featured here is comprised entirely of his former students, who combined to form the "Tennessee Tech Alumni Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble." All are fine players and very successful professionals, and you're in for a rare treat when you sit down to listen to this album!
The musical selections included offer a wide variety of composers and styles, ranging from Tin Pan Alley (Harold Arlen) to Broadway (Cole Porter and Fredrick Lowe), to the popular realm (Johnny Mandel), to many of the greats of the world of jazz (Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Thelonius Monk, to name just a few).
Another significant aspect of this album is that the majority of the arrangements performed were done by two members of the ensemble, Joe Murphy and Richard Perry, both very gifted writers. Murphy and Perry are also featured prominently as soloists throughout the recording, along with Kelly Thomas. Their performances are consistently fresh, innovative, technically fluent, and absolutely first rate. In addition, they served as co-producers of this album, along with Mark Morette and Winston Morris.
The disc begins with an up tempo, fast paced Joe Murphy arrangement of Cole Porter's "It's All Right With Me" and simply never looks back, concluding with a Richard Perry arrangement of Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca". The pace of the album is excellent, and provides the listener with a relaxing and varied, yet rewarding and inspiring, hour or so of music. The ensemble sounds, the balance, the accuracy, and the attention to musical detail are truly impressive. This is a case of 10 accomplished professional performers joining together to form a rock solid unit and make some memorable music with their mentor.
Though it's difficult to choose a favorite selection when listening to an album of this quality, my personal favorite is track #4, the lone ballad featured on the disc (Johnny Mandel's "A Time For Love"), and also the only selection in which Winston Morris is featured as a performer. The rich sonorities as the piece opens are breathtaking (you just can't achieve this sort of ensemble sound with any other instruments!), Winston Morris performs the piece with impeccable style and grace, and, as you listen to it, you can sense the extraordinary bond that exist between this teacher and his students, be they former or current. It's real, it's tangible, and it is indeed special and unique. It's the Tennessee Tech legacy set to music, and there's nothing else quite like it.
The rhythm section includes Randy Gouge (Guitar), Steve Willets (Piano), Ike Harris (Bass), and Jeff Lloyd (Drums). Their performance is solid, steady, tastefully done, balances with, blends with, and compliments the ensemble throughout. They also contribute some wonderful improvisational work.
I was extremely pleased to note that Winston Morris, in the cover booklet, paid homage to "Tuba Jazz Pioneers" Don Butterfield, Bill Barber, Slide Hampton, Red Callender, Ray Draper, and Rich Matteson. As Tubist we should always be aware of our heritage and those who have been instrumental in builing it for us.
This album is truly a "double treat"...a landmark achievement in both the Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble and Jazz realms, and it's one that you will want to listen to again and again. Run, don't walk, to the nearest CD outlet to pick up your copy! I only have one question for Winston Morris and his TTU Alumni Ensemble; "When are you guys going to get together and do this again?" Sure hope that it's not too long!!!
