Drew Gress Youtube

Mingus Fingus · #1 01-01-2009, 04:59 PM

Hey Friends,

Great, great, great video of Drew Gress on Youtube that's been up for a couple of months now. I have the full quicktime video of his masterclass at Gage's...bought it from the site and i've gotten a lot out of it.

the youtube clip is just him playing autumn leaves solo, and he turns it inside out. all the rhythmic superimposing he does is extra amazing to me when he has nothing to play it against. he's really one of the greats around today. check it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4IeDqRPIuE

adam.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #2 01-01-2009, 07:01 PM

Great clip. Nobody turns rhythm inside out like Drew, except maybe Jean Michel Pilc. I wonder if they've ever played together? That would give a whole new meaning to "you don't know where one is".

Nathan Parker · #3 01-02-2009, 07:36 PM

Quite impressive. I'm not really familiar with his work, does anyone have any recomendations as far as albums he plays on goes. I would like to hear him in an ensemble setting.

His tone is absurd. That's a ton of sustain.

And by absurd, I mean it in a good way.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #4 01-02-2009, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nathan Parker

Quite impressive. I'm not really familiar with his work, does anyone have any recomendations as far as albums he plays on goes.

He's on a million records, but check him out on Fred Hersch's "Dancing in The Dark" - one of my favorite records of all time.

Marc Piane · #5 01-02-2009, 10:22 PM

The Ravi Coltrane CD "In Flux" hasn't left the cd changer in my car for several years. Drew KILLS. I also really dig Fred Hersch Live at the Village Vanguard. His solos stuff is great too.

If you see Drew in the lineup of ANY record get it.

Joe Gress · #6 01-02-2009, 10:28 PM

It's funny, every time I hear his name, I have to do a double take.

He has the same last name as me.

I wonder if he (or his family) is originally from the same area of Germany my dads family is from.

Nathan Parker · #7 01-02-2009, 10:53 PM

Thanks for the info. I will try and snag some money out of the wife's purse to buy those.

damonsmith · #8 01-02-2009, 11:58 PM

That kicks ass. He is really great, I like what he does in Marc Copland's trio quite a bit. Hearing him with a lot of interesting harmonic interplay is best.

Marcus Johnson · #9 01-03-2009, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nathan Parker

His tone is absurd. That's a ton of sustain.

Check out his solo album "7 Black Butterflies"..... the bass tone on that one is ridiculous. Some of the best recorded bass ever, IMHO. Shakes the room.

Another nice one is the live Fred Hersch trio at the Vanguard.

Whoops...sorry, Marc, I missed that last one in your previous post. I love the Ravi album, too. I feel a little Drew Gress binge coming on....

Mingus Fingus · #10 01-03-2009, 01:01 PM

agree completely with marcus on 7 black butterflies. one of my favorite albums that i own. i recently read an interview with drew (i dont think the interview was too recent) that said when he sent the mixed and mastered record to (drummer) tom rainey, his speakers fell off the shelves the first time he listened because of the bass sound. it is HUGE.

Marc Piane · #11 01-03-2009, 01:36 PM

I think this got posted here before. Pretty interesting though.

Marcus Johnson · #12 01-03-2009, 01:38 PM

I haven't heard "Irrational Numbers".... I'm assuming it's uberbass tone again? Did David Torn produce this one as well?

Mingus Fingus · #13 01-03-2009, 01:46 PM

irrational numbers is really good, but i prefer 7 black butterflies. same band, torn produced it also, and drew's sound is still uber. definitely worth checking out, just not quite as good as 7 black butterflies for me.

Marc Piane · #14 01-03-2009, 05:34 PM

I really like both records. If I had to choose I think I like the tunes on 7 Black Butterflies a little more. To me the production is a little over the top. The bass sounds a bit too compressed and there are some delays and reverbs on there that sound suspiciously digital.

Irrational Numbers is more to my liking in that regard.

Marcus Johnson · #15 01-03-2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fingers

The bass sounds a bit too compressed and there are some delays and reverbs on there that sound suspiciously digital.

I think Drew turned it over to David Torn and let him have his way with it. Torn is known for reshaping stuff pretty heavily. I found it a little intrusive at first; now it sounds pretty natural to me after listening to the CD a bunch of times.

That said, I might check out Irrational Numbers..... I like to hear Drew's sound straight up as well.

cnltb · #16 01-03-2009, 06:36 PM

Irrational numbers is a fantastic record, I think.
Same goes for 7 black butterflies!!
Thanks for posting this!

Marc Piane · #17 01-03-2009, 06:39 PM

That's exactly what happened. A very cool idea in theory.

As an engineer that has recorded mainly jazz I am pretty picky about production. Truthfully I tend to lean toward dry for my production druthers. Or rather a recording in which the listener doesn't notice any effects that are used. When the production grabs my attention more than the music I wince. Purely my taste.

All that said 7 Black Butterflies is a great record and one that is on regular rotation in my cd player.

damonsmith · #18 01-03-2009, 07:11 PM

I don't have a strong enough stomach for post Metheny/Frizzle jazz guitar tones, so I can't say I love his first album, I never checked out the others.

Paul Warburton · #19 01-03-2009, 07:25 PM

Having never heard Drew in person I was stunned watching him play. His use of his third finger in the mid to lower positions is amazing.

Greg Clinkingbeard · #20 01-03-2009, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

Having never heard Drew in person I was stunned watching him play. His use of his third finger in the mid to lower positions is amazing.

I DO see what you mean. Does he even use the second finger? He still plays his ass off.