''Generations'' is a studio album by American jazz vibraphonist
Gary Burton
Gary Burton (born January 23, 1943) is an American jazz vibraphonist, composer, and educator. Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the prevailing two-mallet technique. This approach caused him to be he ...
. The album was released on via Concord Jazz label. It features Burton with a younger band of guitarist
Julian Lage
Julian Lage ( ; born December 25, 1987) is an American guitarist and composer.
Career
A child prodigy, Lage was the subject of the 1996 short documentary film ''Jules at Eight''. At 12, he performed at the 2000 Grammy Awards. Three years later ...
, pianist
Makoto Ozone
is a Japanese jazz pianist.
Career
He was born in Kobe, Japan. He began playing organ at two and by seven was an improviser. He appeared on Japanese television with his father from 1968 to 1970. At twelve he switched to piano after being impres ...
, bassist
James Genus
James Genus (January 20, 1966) is an American jazz bassist. He plays both electric bass guitar and upright bass and currently plays in the Saturday Night Live Band. Genus has performed as a session musician and sideman throughout his career, havin ...
and drummer
Clarence Penn
Clarence Lacquese Penn (born March 2, 1968) is an American jazz drummer and composer.
Early life
Penn was born in Detroit on March 2, 1968.Kennedy, Gary W"Clarence Penn" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'' (2nd edition). Grove Music Online. Oxf ...
.
Reception
Dave Gelly of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' stated, "A former youthful prodigy himself, Burton has been responsible for discovering and nurturing young talent throughout his long career, and he's done it again. Guitarist Julian Lage was 16 when this was recorded last September. He plays with astonishing maturity, knitting his lines into the group fabric with assurance and producing beautifully rounded solos. The title is apt, since the three main soloists represent different generations - Burton is 61 and pianist Makoto Ozone, an earlier Burton discovery, 43. It is good to hear Burton's vibraphone as part of a full quintet again, superb though his recent series of duet recordings have been. The most unselfish of leaders, he has the rare knack of making others play their best. Bassist James Genus and drummer Clarence Penn complete an ensemble that feels like a band, not just a collection of soloists."
Jerry Karp of ''
SF Gate
The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The pa ...
'' wrote, "''Generations'' was recorded in September of last year with Ozone's regular rhythm section, bassist James Genus and drummer Clarence Penn. It's a rewarding collection in which Lage is revealed as a lithe, assured soloist and a talented composer. With the success of the "Generations" CD, Burton decided to put together a touring band, a decision facilitated by his retirement from
Berklee School of Music
Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...
in Boston after 33 years as a teacher and administrator, the last eight as executive vice president. The demands of that position had forced Burton to limit his live appearances primarily to duet performances with Ozone and another longtime collaborator, pianist
Chick Corea
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz composer, pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain", " 500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba", and ...
. Before getting this ensemble on the road, Burton had gone a full seven years without a working band, a long time for a renowned group leader."
Track listing
Personnel
*Gary Burton – producer, vibraphone
*
James Genus
James Genus (January 20, 1966) is an American jazz bassist. He plays both electric bass guitar and upright bass and currently plays in the Saturday Night Live Band. Genus has performed as a session musician and sideman throughout his career, havin ...
– bass
*
Julian Lage
Julian Lage ( ; born December 25, 1987) is an American guitarist and composer.
Career
A child prodigy, Lage was the subject of the 1996 short documentary film ''Jules at Eight''. At 12, he performed at the 2000 Grammy Awards. Three years later ...
– guitar
*
Makoto Ozone
is a Japanese jazz pianist.
Career
He was born in Kobe, Japan. He began playing organ at two and by seven was an improviser. He appeared on Japanese television with his father from 1968 to 1970. At twelve he switched to piano after being impres ...
– piano
*
Clarence Penn
Clarence Lacquese Penn (born March 2, 1968) is an American jazz drummer and composer.
Early life
Penn was born in Detroit on March 2, 1968.Kennedy, Gary W"Clarence Penn" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'' (2nd edition). Grove Music Online. Oxf ...
– drums
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Gary Burton albums
2004 albums