Dennis González, often credited Dennis Gonzalez (August 15, 1954March 15, 2022), was an American jazz trumpeter, artist, and educator from Texas. He hosted ''Miles Out'' on KERA-FM for over twenty years.
Early life
González was born in
Abilene, Texas
Abilene ( ) is a city in Taylor and Jones Counties in Texas, United States. Its population was 125,182 at the 2020 census, making it the 27th-most populous city in the state of Texas. It is the principal city of the Abilene metropolitan statis ...
, on August 15, 1954. He relocated to Oak Cliff in 1976. He later established the Dallas Association for Avant-Garde and Neo Impressionistic Music (daagnim) in the late 1970s, doing so at the suggestion of Anthony Braxton and
Art Lande
Art Lande is an American musician who was born in New York City, United States, on 5 February 1947.
Born in New York, Lande began piano at age 4. He attended Williams College and moved to San Francisco in 1969. In 1973 he recorded '' Red Lanta,' ...
. The daagnim organization, which functioned both as a group of musicians and as a record label, was based on and named after the AACM.
Career
González' primary musical instrument was the trumpet (including B♭, C, and pocket trumpets), though he has also played
drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a she ...
s,
flute
The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...
,
synthesizer
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
, and
baritone saxophone
The baritone saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use - the bass, contra ...
. '' AllMusic'' describes González as " talented trumpeter who has recorded a consistently rewarding string of lesser-known dates," whose "playing falls between advanced hard bop and free jazz."
'' The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' observed that González' recordings during the 1980s for Silkheart Records represented "part of a determined effort to wrest creative initiative back from New York and the West Coast." ''The Penguin Guide'' commented among González' greatest achievements was having coaxed saxophonist Charles Brackeen out of retirement during the late 1980s, and that by the early 1990s, González "more than ever before... seems the heir of Don Cherry." Additionally, Henry Grimes' November 2003 appearance on González' ''Nile River Suite'' was the bassist's first official recording in more than thirty-five years.
González began working for Dallas radio station KERA-FM in 1978. There, he hosted a music program called ''Miles Out''. He ultimately worked with KERA for 21 years, but left after the station had largely shifted from music programming to a news and talk format. González was also employed as a teacher and taught at Spence Middle School, Woodrow Wilson High School, and
North Dallas High School
North Dallas High School is a public secondary school located in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas, Texas, United States. It enrolls students in grades 9- 12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District. As of 2017, the principal admini ...
.
For several years during the 1990s, González retired from jazz performance and recording. In 2001, he formed a trio, Yells at Eels, with his sons Aaron ( double bass) and Stefan (
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
, vibraphone). In 2010, the trio recorded with Ariel Pink, appearing on the song "Hot Body Rub" on the album '' Before Today'', and on a vinylEP, ''Ariel Pink With Added Pizzazz''. González's most recent offering with Yells at Eels is a collaboration with Fort Worth experimental drone rock outfit
Pinkish Black
Pinkish Black is an American experimental sci-fi avant-metal synth-doom band from Fort Worth, Texas. The musical duo includes drums and synthesizer/keyboard only.
Formation (2010)
In 2005, the members were part of an experimental hard rock trio ...
, entitled ''Vanishing Light in the Tunnel of Dreams'', which was released in May 2020.
Personal life
González was married to Carol until his death. Together, they had two children: Aaron and Stefan.
González died on March 15, 2022, at Methodist Dallas Medical Center in Dallas. He was 67, and suffered from several unspecified health issues prior to his death.
Discography
As leader
*''Air Light (Sleep Sailor)'' (Daagnim 01, 1979)
*''Kukkia'' (Daagnim 04, 1981)
*''Stars / Air / Stripes'' (Daagnim 05, 1982)
*''Witness'' (Daagnim 08, 1983)
*''Anthem Suite'' (Daagnim 11, 1984)
*''Little Toot'' (Daagnim 13, 1985)
*'' Stefan'' ( Silkheart, 1986) with John Purcell
*'' Namesake'' (Silkheart, 1987) with Charles Brackeen, Malachi Favors
*''Dallas-London Sextet: Catechism'' (Daagnim CD01, 1987)
*''Debenge, Dbenge'' (Silkheart, 1988)
*''The Desert Wind'' (Silkheart, 1989) with Charles Brackeen
*''Hymn for a Perfect Heart of a Pearl'' (Konnex, 1990)
*''The Earth and the Heart'' (Konnex, 1989) with Nels Cline, Alex Cline, Andrew Cyrille
*''Forever the Falling of Stars'' (Daagnim, 1995)
*''Home'' (Daagnim CD06, 2001)
*''Old Time Revival'' (Entropy, 2002)
*''NY Midnight Suite'' (Clean Feed, 2004)
*''Nile River Suite'' (Daagnim CD09, 2004)
*''Idle Wild'' (Clean Feed, 2005)
*''No Photograph Available'' (Clean Feed, 2006)
*''Dance of The Soothsayer’s Tongue'' (Clean Feed, 2007)
* ''The Gift of Discernment'' (Not Two, 2008)
*''Renegade Spirits'' (Furthermore, 2008)
*''Hymn for Tomasz Stanko'' (2009)
Faruq Z. Bey
Faruq Z. Bey (born Jesse Davis; February 4, 1942 – June 1, 2012) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer from Detroit, Michigan. Bey was known for his work with Griot Galaxy, which played distinct compositions, often by Bey. Odd meters and ...
w/ Northwoods Improvisers Septet
*''A Matter of Blood'' (Furthermore, 2009)
*''Songs of Early Autumn'' ( NoBusiness, 2009)
*''The Great Bydgoszcz Concert'' (
Ayler Ayler is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Albert Ayler (1936–1970), American jazz saxophonist, singer, and composer
* Donald Ayler (1942–2007), American jazz trumpeter, brother of Albert
* Ethel Ayler (1930–2018), America ...
, 2009)
*''ScapeGrace'' (Clean Feed, 2009)
*''Cape of Storms'' (Ayler, 2010)
*''The Hymn Project'' (Daagnim, 2011) with Ingebrigt Håker Flaten
*''So Soft Yet'' (Clean Feed, 2011)
*''Resurrection and Life'' (Ayler, 2011)
*''Colorado at Clinton'' (Ayler, 2013)
*''In Quiet Waters'' (ForTune, 2014)
With Charles Brackeen
*''
Bannar
Bannar ( fa, بن نر) is a village in Gowharan Rural District (Hormozgan Province), Gowharan Rural District, Gowharan District, Bashagard County, Hormozgan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 150, in 36 families.
References ...
Worshippers Come Nigh
''Worshippers Come Nigh'' is the fourth album led by saxophonist Charles Brackeen which was recorded in 1987 and released on the Swedish Silkheart label.Alvin Fielder
*'' A Measure of Vision'' (Clean Feed, 2007)
With Tina Marsh and the Creative Opportunity Orchestra
*''The Heaven Line'' (CreOp Muse 002, 1994)