Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Burnin' in Ballard, March 11, 2007
Geoffrey Keezer's trio (with Mike Pope and Terreon Gully) are joined here by Joe Locke on vibes for an intense live performance at the Ballard Jazz Festival in Seattle.
Ballard, a Seattle neighborhood that formerly boasted two regular jazz venues but now has none, is a traditionally Scandinavian enclave. That part of the world has always supported this music, so the venue is still appropriate. What transpires here is great individual playing and tight group interaction. Keezer has been one of the best young keyboardists for several years, and is heard here on electric instuments as well as his more familiar acoustic one. Mike Pope is solid and collabarative as always, and Terreon Gully is among the most interesting and innovative of what is an outanding cadre of younger jazz drummers.
Joe Locke shows why the vibraphone remains one of the most enjoyable instruments to hear in this setting. The instrument doesn't have many exponents, but along with the estimable Bobby Hutcherson and younger players like Steve Nelson and Stephon Harris, Joe Locke keeps the vibes available as a solo voice.
With the exception of James Taylor's "Native Son", all the compositions are either Keezer's or Locke's. The performance is well-paced, each composition played long enough to give the two composers plenty of time to explore, and the live recording by Reed Ruddy is excellent. If you're partial to jazz recorded live, as many of us are, this is an excellent performance by a small band generating big energy. Highly recommended.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Live in Seattle" - what the reviewers say..., November 4, 2006
Jason West (All About Jazz):
"As can be the case on special occasions, this live recording is ripe with sonic excitement, spontaneity, and the ubiquitous impression that something extraordinary is happening right before one's ears.
That undoubtedly was the feeling of those who filled the Mars Hill Church on November 19, 2005 for the third annual Ballard Jazz Festival's headline concert. The wow factor, in full force at the start of the show, had morphed into an I-can't-friggin-believe-what-I'm hearing phenomenon by the end of the night, as a normally subdued Seattle jazz audience found itself hooting and hollering as if the Seahawks had won the Superbowl.
Six tracks of original compositions (plus James Taylor's "Native Son") are captured here--three by Locke and three by Keezer--creating an enjoyable yet intricate challenge to listeners who attempt to name the composer of each tune without peeking at the credits--so similar are the musical visions, so subtle the thematic differences that separate Locke's and Keezer's writing for this group. [..]"
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Harvey Siders (JazzTimes):
"[..] Co-leaders vibist Locke and pianist Keezer are so close in their musical philosophy that when one itches, the other scratches. They comp respectfully behind each other, not that either leaves many gaps. And each knows how to heighten the energy of the other. Regarding group excitement, the quartet is propelled by a kinetic rhythm section: bassist Mike Pope and drummer Terreon Gully. [..]"
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Dr. Michael Matheny (RadioIO Jazz):
"Setting the pulse and vibrations is drummer Terreon Gully with Mike Pope locking firmly on to the foundation with both electric and acoustic bass. Just these two players are fun to follow through each track. But it is Geoffery Keezer who is (simply mad!) on piano and Locke himself that fill every space of the sound spectrum left in the mix. The music is intelligently horizontal and vertical. Once you think you are in the groove and the standard has been set, you are taken to a higher level as you follow the agile dialogue between Keezer and Locke. The results are magical."
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome! A Must Have For Keezer and Locke Fans!, December 3, 2007
What can I say this album smokes! From the interplay of all the musicians, to the compositions, to the overall sound quality, it's a definite 5-star album. I can't believe this is a live album, because it's so beautifully recorded.
"Live in Seattle" is an album that fans of pianist Geoffrey Keezer and vibraphonist Joe Locke need in their collection. Geoffrey (or he also goes by Geoff) is a fantastic pianist. He's had a long and varied recording career. I think his best collaborations have been Tim Garland, Christian McBride, and more recently Joe Locke. Keezer brings a certain beauty to the piano. He has this almost abstract quality, but at the same time his chords are so full and so tasteful. He's also a great composer. Check out his album "Falling Up."
Joe Locke has been on the scene for quite some time and has played with so many jazz musicians. I think his best session work is with Frank Kimbrough and David Hazeltine. Locke also has some great solo albums checkout "Beauty Burning" and "Mutual Admiration Society." His style is post-Bobby Hutcherson, but with his own character and personality thrown in.
The rhythm section of Mike Pope (bass) and Terreon Gully (drums). Both of these players are monster players. Mike Pope has played with alot of fusion musicians like Al Di Meola and Chick Corea. Terreon Gully can be heard on many recordings, but the Stefon Harris album "Evolution" is really worth checking out. I think Gully also played on the Stefon Harris album "The Grand Unification Theory."
"Live in Seattle" is a great album. Every song is great from start to finish. The opening tune "Van Gough By Numbers" really sets the pace for the rest of the album. A pretty technically demanding song, but is just executed so flawlessly.
If you're a fan of any of these musicians, then pick this album up now. Highly recommended!
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~ Geoff Keezer
~ Joe Locke
~ Brad Mehldau
~ Pat Metheny
~ Charles Lloyd Quartet
by Joe Locke Geoffrey Keezer Group 
