Name: Unified [Digipak] *
Brand: Sunnyside
SKU: 18408408
Price: 14.07 USD
Availability: InStock

Performer Notes

Personnel: Stan Killian (tenor saxophone); Benito Gonzalez (piano).
Audio Mixer: Michael Perez-Cisneros.
Recording information: Peter Karl Studios, Brooklyn, NY (04/08/2010); Peter Karl Studios, Brooklyn, NY (04/24/2010).
Photographers: Wayne Tucker; Kat Kojic.
Stan Killian makes an impressive debut as a leader with Unified, featuring the tenor saxophonist with pianist Benito Gonzalez, a rotating cast of bassists (Corcoran Holt or Bryan Copeland), and drummers (Darrell Green or McClenty Hunter), along with a few guests (trumpeters Roy Hargrove and Jeremy Pelt plus alto saxophonist David Binney). The leader, a big-toned player with a versatile sound, wrote six of the CD's seven songs, all of which stand up to repeated hearings. "Twin Dark Mirrors" throws a bit of a curve, with Killian's Coltrane-like sax and Hargrove's soft-spoken trumpet trading licks over Gonzalez's glistening piano in the introduction, then the piece shifts into an upbeat, strolling post-bop mood; it's not surprising to learn that it is Killian's salute to Miles Davis' recordings with Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Wayne Shorter. Pelt joins Killian for a lively workout in "Center," which is built upon a solid, catchy rhythm. Binney is added for Gonzalez's spry "Elvin's Sight," a boisterous, midtempo cooker with an infectious Latin undercurrent. Both saxophonists shine with their contrasting solos, with Killian being more reserved than the adventurous Binney, while the composer's turn in the spotlight is solid hard bop. The blend of the two saxophonists creates a lush mood in Killian's quiet ballad "Unified." The various combinations of bassists and drummers provide a solid foundation for the soloists throughout the sessions. Recommended. ~ Ken Dryden

Professional Reviews

Down Beat (p.74) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Stan Killian has the air of a great thinker, and on UNIFIED, his intellectual nature is reflected in both his compositions and carefully shaped solos."

JazzTimes (p.69) - "On the moving title ballad, Binney and Killian blend beautiful harmony lines before engaging in freewheeling simultaneous improvisations."

Album: Unified [Digipak] *
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Twin Dark Mirrors
2)	Elvin's Sight
3)	Unified
4)	Center
5)	Isisceles
6)	Window of Time
7)	Eternal Return
8)	Enhanced Digital Booklet

Album: Unified [Digipak] *
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Twin Dark Mirrors
2)	Elvin's Sight
3)	Unified
4)	Center
5)	Isisceles
6)	Window of Time
7)	Eternal Return
8)	Enhanced Digital Booklet