DAVE DOUGLAS

Avant-Garde Jazz / Post Bop / 21st Century Modern / Post-Fusion Contemporary / Eclectic Fusion / Jazz Related Soundtracks / Hard Bop / Fusion / Third Stream / Vocal Jazz / Progressive Big Band / Pop/Art Song/Folk / Jazz Related Electronica/Hip-Hop • United States
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Dave Douglas is arguably the most prolific and original trumpeter-composer of his generation. Since 1993, he has released more than 30 recordings and created a composition catalogue that exceeds 400. His unique contributions to improvised music have garnered distinguished recognition some of which includes a Guggenheim Fellowship, Aaron Copland award, Grammy-nominations, trumpeter, composer, and jazz artist of the year by such organizations as the New York Jazz Awards, Down Beat, Jazz Times, Jazziz, and the Italian Jazz Critics’ Society and —most recently a recipient of the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation’s Jazz.NEXT grant.

Douglas has developed his work for several unique ensembles with whom he’s currently active: the Dave Douglas Quintet, Keystone, Brass Ecstasy, and beginning in 2011, Tea For 3, a trio of trumpeters backed by an acoustic rhythm section. Since 2005, Douglas has operated his own record label, Greenleaf Music, releasing his own recordings, albums by other
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DAVE DOUGLAS Discography

DAVE DOUGLAS albums / top albums

DAVE DOUGLAS Parallel Worlds album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Parallel Worlds
Avant-Garde Jazz 1993
DAVE DOUGLAS The Tiny Bell Trio album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
The Tiny Bell Trio
Eclectic Fusion 1994
DAVE DOUGLAS In Our Lifetime album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
In Our Lifetime
Post Bop 1995
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas' Tiny Bell Trio : Constellations album cover 4.00 | 2 ratings
Dave Douglas' Tiny Bell Trio : Constellations
Avant-Garde Jazz 1996
DAVE DOUGLAS Five album cover 3.00 | 1 ratings
Five
Avant-Garde Jazz 1996
DAVE DOUGLAS Stargazer album cover 3.50 | 2 ratings
Stargazer
Avant-Garde Jazz 1997
DAVE DOUGLAS Sanctuary album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Sanctuary
Avant-Garde Jazz 1997
DAVE DOUGLAS Charms of the Night Sky album cover 4.00 | 2 ratings
Charms of the Night Sky
Post-Fusion Contemporary 1998
DAVE DOUGLAS Magic Triangle album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Magic Triangle
Post Bop 1998
DAVE DOUGLAS Convergence album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Convergence
Avant-Garde Jazz 1998
DAVE DOUGLAS Moving Portrait album cover 3.75 | 2 ratings
Moving Portrait
Post Bop 1998
DAVE DOUGLAS Songs for Wandering Souls album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Songs for Wandering Souls
Eclectic Fusion 1999
DAVE DOUGLAS Leap of Faith album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Leap of Faith
Avant-Garde Jazz 1999
DAVE DOUGLAS A Thousand Evenings album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
A Thousand Evenings
Post-Fusion Contemporary 2000
DAVE DOUGLAS Soul On Soul album cover 4.50 | 2 ratings
Soul On Soul
Hard Bop 2000
DAVE DOUGLAS Witness album cover 3.55 | 3 ratings
Witness
Avant-Garde Jazz 2001
DAVE DOUGLAS El Trilogy album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
El Trilogy
Avant-Garde Jazz 2001
DAVE DOUGLAS The Infinite album cover 5.00 | 1 ratings
The Infinite
Fusion 2002
DAVE DOUGLAS Freak In album cover 3.09 | 3 ratings
Freak In
Fusion 2002
DAVE DOUGLAS Strange Liberation album cover 4.20 | 5 ratings
Strange Liberation
Eclectic Fusion 2003
DAVE DOUGLAS Bow River Falls album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Bow River Falls
Post Bop 2004
DAVE DOUGLAS Mountain Passages album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Mountain Passages
Avant-Garde Jazz 2005
DAVE DOUGLAS Keystone album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Keystone
Avant-Garde Jazz 2005
DAVE DOUGLAS Meaning and Mystery album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Meaning and Mystery
Hard Bop 2006
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas Brass Ecstasy : Spirit Moves album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Dave Douglas Brass Ecstasy : Spirit Moves
Post-Fusion Contemporary 2009
DAVE DOUGLAS A Single Sky album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
A Single Sky
Progressive Big Band 2009
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas & Keystone ‎: Spark Of Being : Soundtrack album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dave Douglas & Keystone ‎: Spark Of Being : Soundtrack
Jazz Related Soundtracks 2010
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas & Keystone ‎: Spark Of Being - Expand album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dave Douglas & Keystone ‎: Spark Of Being - Expand
Jazz Related Soundtracks 2010
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas & Keystone : Spark Of Being: Burst album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dave Douglas & Keystone : Spark Of Being: Burst
Jazz Related Soundtracks 2010
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas & Keystone ‎: Spark Of Being album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dave Douglas & Keystone ‎: Spark Of Being
Jazz Related Soundtracks 2010
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas Brass Ecstasy : GPS Vol 1 - Rare Metals album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dave Douglas Brass Ecstasy : GPS Vol 1 - Rare Metals
Avant-Garde Jazz 2011
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas Quintet ‎: GPS Vol 2: Orange Afternoons album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dave Douglas Quintet ‎: GPS Vol 2: Orange Afternoons
Avant-Garde Jazz 2011
DAVE DOUGLAS Greenleaf Portable Series Volume 3: Bad Mango album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Greenleaf Portable Series Volume 3: Bad Mango
Avant-Garde Jazz 2011
DAVE DOUGLAS Be Still album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Be Still
Post-Fusion Contemporary 2012
DAVE DOUGLAS Time Travel album cover 3.98 | 2 ratings
Time Travel
Post Bop 2013
DAVE DOUGLAS DD|50: Special Edition 50th Birthday Recordings album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
DD|50: Special Edition 50th Birthday Recordings
Post Bop 2013
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas Sextet ‎: Pathways album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dave Douglas Sextet ‎: Pathways
Post-Fusion Contemporary 2013
DAVE DOUGLAS Brazen Heart album cover 4.48 | 2 ratings
Brazen Heart
21st Century Modern 2015
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas Monash Art Ensemble : Fabliaux album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
Dave Douglas Monash Art Ensemble : Fabliaux
Third Stream 2015
DAVE DOUGLAS Dark Territory album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dark Territory
Jazz Related Electronica/Hip-Hop 2016
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas and Frank Woeste : Dada People album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Dave Douglas and Frank Woeste : Dada People
Fusion 2016
DAVE DOUGLAS Serial Sessions 2015 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Serial Sessions 2015
Post Bop 2016
DAVE DOUGLAS Riverside : The New National Anthem album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Riverside : The New National Anthem
Post Bop 2017
DAVE DOUGLAS Metamorphosis album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Metamorphosis
Avant-Garde Jazz 2017
DAVE DOUGLAS Little Giant Still Life album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Little Giant Still Life
21st Century Modern 2017
DAVE DOUGLAS Uplift - Twelve Pieces For Positive Action album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Uplift - Twelve Pieces For Positive Action
Post-Fusion Contemporary 2018
DAVE DOUGLAS Engage album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Engage
Post-Fusion Contemporary 2019
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas, Uri Caine, Andrew Cyrille ‎: Devotion album cover 4.25 | 2 ratings
Dave Douglas, Uri Caine, Andrew Cyrille ‎: Devotion
21st Century Modern 2019
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas, Elan Mehler : If There Are Mountains album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dave Douglas, Elan Mehler : If There Are Mountains
Pop/Art Song/Folk 2020
DAVE DOUGLAS Overcome album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Overcome
Vocal Jazz 2020
DAVE DOUGLAS Dizzy Atmosphere album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dizzy Atmosphere
Post Bop 2020
DAVE DOUGLAS Marching Music album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Marching Music
21st Century Modern 2020
DAVE DOUGLAS Secular Psalms album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Secular Psalms
Third Stream 2022
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas Quintet : Songs of Ascent Book 1 – Degrees album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dave Douglas Quintet : Songs of Ascent Book 1 – Degrees
21st Century Modern 2022
DAVE DOUGLAS Gifts album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Gifts
Eclectic Fusion 2024

DAVE DOUGLAS EPs & splits

DAVE DOUGLAS Showing Up / The Power of the Vote album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Showing Up / The Power of the Vote
Post-Fusion Contemporary 2019
DAVE DOUGLAS Engage album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Engage
Post-Fusion Contemporary 2019

DAVE DOUGLAS live albums

DAVE DOUGLAS Live in Europe album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live in Europe
Eclectic Fusion 1997
DAVE DOUGLAS Live At The Bimhuis album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live At The Bimhuis
Post Bop 2005
DAVE DOUGLAS Keystone: Live at Jazz Standard album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Keystone: Live at Jazz Standard
Post Bop 2006
DAVE DOUGLAS Keystone: Live in Sweden album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Keystone: Live in Sweden
Avant-Garde Jazz 2006
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas & Keystone ‎: Moonshine album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dave Douglas & Keystone ‎: Moonshine
Eclectic Fusion 2008
DAVE DOUGLAS Brass Ecstasy: On Stage album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Brass Ecstasy: On Stage
Eclectic Fusion 2009
DAVE DOUGLAS Greenleaf Portable Series Volume 2: Orange Afternoons album cover 4.00 | 1 ratings
Greenleaf Portable Series Volume 2: Orange Afternoons
Avant-Garde Jazz 2011
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas United Front : Brass Ecstasy At Newport album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dave Douglas United Front : Brass Ecstasy At Newport
Avant-Garde Jazz 2011
DAVE DOUGLAS Dave Douglas & Uri Caine : Present Joys album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Dave Douglas & Uri Caine : Present Joys
Hard Bop 2014
DAVE DOUGLAS High Risk album cover 3.50 | 1 ratings
High Risk
Eclectic Fusion 2015
DAVE DOUGLAS Brazen Heart Live at Jazz Standard Saturday album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Brazen Heart Live at Jazz Standard Saturday
21st Century Modern 2017
DAVE DOUGLAS Brazen Heart Live at Jazz Standard - Friday album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Brazen Heart Live at Jazz Standard - Friday
21st Century Modern 2018
DAVE DOUGLAS Brazen Heart Live at Jazz Standard - Sunday album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Brazen Heart Live at Jazz Standard - Sunday
21st Century Modern 2018
DAVE DOUGLAS Brazen Heart Live at Jazz Standard - Thursday album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Brazen Heart Live at Jazz Standard - Thursday
21st Century Modern 2018

DAVE DOUGLAS demos, promos, fans club and other releases (no bootlegs)

DAVE DOUGLAS UPLIFT: Twelve Pieces for Positive Action in 2018 | Preview album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
UPLIFT: Twelve Pieces for Positive Action in 2018 | Preview
21st Century Modern 2018

DAVE DOUGLAS re-issues & compilations

DAVE DOUGLAS Three Views [GPS Vol 1-3] album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Three Views [GPS Vol 1-3]
Eclectic Fusion 2011
DAVE DOUGLAS Magic Triangle & Leap of Faith album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Magic Triangle & Leap of Faith
Avant-Garde Jazz 2012
DAVE DOUGLAS The Complete Rematered Recordings On Black Saint And Soul Note album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
The Complete Rematered Recordings On Black Saint And Soul Note
Avant-Garde Jazz 2012
DAVE DOUGLAS Brazen Heart Live At Jazz Standard album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Brazen Heart Live At Jazz Standard
21st Century Modern 2018

DAVE DOUGLAS singles (0)

DAVE DOUGLAS movies (DVD, Blu-Ray or VHS)

DAVE DOUGLAS Reviews

DAVE DOUGLAS Brazen Heart

Album · 2015 · 21st Century Modern
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js
Dave Douglas is one of the more consistent artists today, turning out several albums every year that always position him at the forefront of today’s jazz scene. With just a couple months left in 2015, Douglas and his quintet have unleashed “Brazen Heart”, a fireball of creativity and energy that should be a strong contender for album of the year. Its hard to stick a genre tag on “Brazen Heart”, you could tag this avant-garde, modern fusion or post bop, and any of those tags would fit. The music swings, but this isn’t your father’s swing. Drummer Rudy Royston doesn’t just ride the ride cymbal, but instead swings the beat with every piece of the kit in a dizzying avalanche of rhythms.

Every player on here is great, but the real star is Douglas’ compositions that twist and turn in unpredictable ways. Most of these tracks are abstract and intense, yet there are some surprising change-ups such as a gospel ballad (“Deep River”), introduced early on in the track two spot, and another gospel tune, ("There is a Balm in Gilead"), that comes much later. Along with Douglas’ sophisticated and non-cliche structures, which often allow for two or three instruments soloing at the same time, the next salient feature on “Brazen Heart” is the drumming of the aforementioned Rudy Royston. Rudy is part of that cutting edge that is re-defining how the drums operate in a jazz tune. Influenced by the busy ‘all the drums at once’ approach of Ronald Shannon Jackson, Royston constantly shifts the rhythm and often provides rhythms that are a counterpoint to the soloist. Playing against someone like Rudy can’t be easy, I would imagine trying out for this band would quickly separate the lambs from the wolves.

If you want to hear the best that the modern jazz world has to offer, “Brazen Heart” would be a great place to start. This music is intellectual and abstract, but this isn't just technical exercises, this music is also fun, energetic and exciting. When I initially wrote this review, I did not know that this album was dedicated to the recent passing of Dave's brother. Knowing that now, I would say this music comes across more as a celebration of his brother's life, rather than a lament.

DAVE DOUGLAS Freak In

Album · 2002 · Fusion
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js
Dave Douglas is usually known for his very complex and demanding music that tests his fellow musician’s skills to their limit, but on “Freak In”, Douglas takes a bit of a vacation and re-visit’s the 70s and the sound of psychedelic fusion, particularly Miles Davis albums such as “Big Fun” and “In a Silent Way”. While a little more casual than Douglas’ difficult acoustic post bop sets, “Freak In” still presents some excellent tracks, plus a few that are less than excellent. Dave gets a lot of help on here from an all-star cast of modern electronic jazz musicians, particularly Jamie Saft on keyboards and Marc Ribot on guitar. Meanwhile, Karsh Kale on tabla and Ikue Mori on electronic percussion provide the exotic tone colors that are necessary to make this style of fusion interesting.

“Freak In” opens strong with the blazing title track, which is probably one of the more intense fusion tracks recorded n this new century. Unfortunately, opening a CD with your best track means it’s a bit downhill from there. Only “The Great Schism” and “Traveler There is No Road” come close to capturing the fire of the opener. Of the more atmospheric tracks, “November”, “Porto Alegre” and “Maya” are all very nice. The rest of the tracks include a couple of plodding rockers and some incidental music that is not particularly memorable. With a little editing this could have been a very good 40 minute album, but stretching it into an 80 minute CD means some of the additional music is not on a par with the best tracks. Usually Douglas’s compositional skills are very high, but that doesn’t show much on this CD until you get to the bizarre closer, “The Mystic Lamb”, which is a short closing theme stretched into infinity with all manner of variations. Possibly this cut is a tongue-in-cheek humorous salute to Miles’ time stretching classic, “Great Expectations”.

As is the case with this sort of psychedelic music, the sounds and tone colors are almost more important than the notes, and in this respect, Douglas and his crew do not disappoint as they provide plenty of pretty electronic ear candy. Overall “Freak In” is not one of Douglas’ better albums, but it is an enjoyable departure from his usual, and with a little editing, you can put together a very good modern/retro fusion joint.

DAVE DOUGLAS Time Travel

Album · 2013 · Post Bop
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js
What’s modern jazz supposed to sound like anymore, with so many styles to choose from these days, its hard to tell. Hard/post bop continues its popular resurgence, the avant-garde is in full effect with more variety than ever before, fusion and soul jazz are back again as relevant styles, meanwhile, all manner of “nu” influences take musicians in a myriad of different directions. If you are looking for that ‘real jazz‘ that is not a direct throwback to the 60s, then Dave Douglas’ “Time Travel” could be a great place to start. Drawing on a legacy that starts with Mingus and Dolphy, Douglas and his band play an abstract hard post bop sound that often veers into free territory while incorporating modern elements as well. Douglas and his crew know how to swing, but this isn't a look back at the Blue Note era. Much of this band’s modern approach comes from drummer Rudy Royston, who plays in a very loose style that often only implies the pulse while supplying complicated fills and patterns that draw on modern fusion as well as free jazz. One possible precedent for this album could be Herbie Hancock’s VSOP concerts that revisited the 60s Miles Davis post bop sound, but with an aggressive post-fusion approach.

Two great standout cuts on this album that show this band’s sense of humor include “Beware of Doug”, which takes old school jump blues riffs and scrambles them up, and CD opener “Bridge to Nowhere” that has that slam bang T Monk type sound. Those who enjoy a more free style abandon will want to check out “Time Travel” and “Little Feet”, while “Garden State” supplies the high speed post bop rush. “Time Travel” is a great CD, real jazz that continues to move forward without selling out to simpler trendy approaches.

DAVE DOUGLAS Witness

Album · 2001 · Avant-Garde Jazz
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snobb
Dave Douglas is NY-based trumpeter known by his collaboration on John Zorn and other downtown artists albums. But from early 90s he regularly releases his solo albums (usually with help of same downtown musicians)and very often his solo albums are really interesting for open year listener.

"Witness" is conceptual nine-pieces suite inspired by different politicians from all around the world. Being mostly instrumental work,all portraits are painted mostly by moods and rhythms,atmosphere and mix of musical genres and techniques. Generally based on modern transcription of late 60s avant-garde jazz, this album's music is not easy object for any classification.

Such great downtown artists as violinist Mark Feldman and cellist Erik Friedlander give chamber chamber jazz flavor to whole music,but their scene colleague electronics guru Ikue Mori (presented on album in quite unusual role of electronics percussionist)transfer all sound to modern "out" horizons.

Most exotic collaborator on this album is obviously Tom Waits,contributing speaking vocals (not singing) on one of the songs. I believe his participation is very symbolic here - a lot of album's moments sound as modern look on beatniks atmosphere of late 50s.

Interesting and refreshing album even if not for jazz purists.

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