Customer Reviews

State of Mind

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you're a fan of traditional jazz rather than of the heavily R & B-influenced variety, you might've avoided or disliked Ellis's first two albums as a leader. But this set, his first for the Milestone label, is definitely worth the attentions of those of us who prefer our jazz "Straight-up."

Start with the sidemen: These include such post-bop notables as bassist Christian McBride, drummer Louis Nash, and pianist Mulgrew Miller, three artists who can keep things swinging without ever going too far from a path laid by jazz masters of old.

And the selection of tunes is a tribute to some of those masters, as there are compositions of Coltrane, Ellington and Strayhorn, Charlie Parker, Jimmy McHugh, Horace Silver, and the Gershwins.

Mixed in are two of Ellis's own songs, and all are played well.

This album won't ever be one of the classics, but it pays homage to some, and shouldn't be casually passed over by any jazz lover.

State of Mind is a wonderful jazz CD. Dave Ellis is just warming up and his all time best is yet to come, but this has to be his all time best to date. A former Sax player in Bob Weir's RATDOG he is a seasoned professional who has been there and done that. He is a true Sax genius with over tones of a young John Coltrane and Stan Getz combined. His strong rock and roll background gives him that extra drive that you hear and feel in his great playing - it comes off the ground at times. Highly recommended... especially if you are a true jazz lover...

. . . if as leader you select Mulgrew Miller for the piano chair.

Case in point: Dave Ellis, tenor sax player in the Charlie Hunter Band, and his new disc, State of Mind. Miller literally takes over the proceedings and leaves Ellis in the dust. Check out Miller's solo on his brilliant composition, "Soul-Leo," where he rips off stunning and imaginative runs as if they were the merest trifles, while the leader struggles to come up with something, anything significant to say.

Never less than competent, Ellis has yet to find a distinctive voice on tenor sax. Actually, he's pretty convincing on the ballads--a good sign for future development--but seems somewhat lost on the more uptempo numbers.

Yet time and again things really only come alive when Miller is front and center. With literally hundreds of recording dates under his belt, it's no wonder: he's paid his dues, struggled to find his voice, and it gloriously shines forth here. In fact, if one were to regard this as Miller's recording, it would be hard to deny it five stars.

But it's not. However, if you're on to Miller, you will definitely want to add this disc to your collection; it really is one of his finest efforts. Throw in two towering rhythm sections--Peter Washington (bass) and Carl Alan (drums) or Christian McBride (bass) and Louis Nash (drums)--and you have some awesome possibilities for great music, which, it must be said, is regularly delivered. And I don't want to portray Ellis as a stiff; actually, he's developing quite nicely from his Charlie Hunter days and his previous two solo outings.

It's just that he's chosen to put himself in some very rarified settings. That he doesn't always fully rise to the occasion doesn't diminish the quality of the proceedings; it just means that he's not the leader he might one day become. In the meantime, he's made some very creditable music on this disc, brought most fully to life by his choice of top drawer bandmates.

4 and 1/2 stars.

Like one of the prior reviewers, I have been following Ellis' career since his days with The Charlie Hunter Trio and Charlie Hunter Quartet. Unlike that same reviewer, I think that this change of pace album is a classic. As with his first two solo releases "Raven" and "In The Long Run", Ellis puts his own signature sound to some jazz classics as well as his originals and gives a fresh approach to the tenor sax on each. Ellis blends his own style with that of Joe Henderson, John Coltrane, Mike Brecker and Wayne Shorter. He can "squonk" the lower register with the best of them and play fluidly and melodically just as easily. Joining Ellis on this recording is legendary pianist Mulgrew Miller, "Bassenstein" himself Christian McBride, and the always stellar Lewis Nash on drums, just to name a few. I think what makes Ellis a true American original is his ever changing style on each album. From his stint with Hunter to his solo releases, Ellis is never boring and always puts a fresh spin on an old classic making us believe that it is indeed his own. Keep up the great work Dave, I look forward to your next release.

This is a delightful album you can hold as part of your jazz listening life.
Every time Dave Ellis steps out his footing is more solid; his playing more spare and inviting.

However,I hear a turn toward funk just around the corner.

Fabulous record!!!!!! Would recommend it to all!

I really was hoping for better from him. I remember Dave from Charlie Hunter's band at the Elbo Room and always gave him the benefit of the doubt that it was Charlie's material that made him sound like just an o.k. jazz player. He doesn't sound very original and there are a lot of tenor players out there doing a better job of playing other people's licks than he is - he should stick to the pop music...