MP3 Open Space - JAZZ: Jazz Fusion

Vibraphone-fronted quintet; modern post-bop groove. Creative, forward-thinking.

9 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Jazz Fusion, JAZZ: Acid Jazz



Details:
"The Greg Harris Vibe Quintet is equally adept at long, dreamy, ruminative pieces and more aggressive, driving numbers." Open Space is "unfailingly lush and rich." -All About Jazz.com

"The grooves are every bit as enjoyable as the solos. Open Space overflows with good vibes, in more ways than one." -Westword Newspaper (Denver)

"The tunes are so well-written that even the classical music junkies religiously attend the shows," says Jennie Dorris in the Daily Camera. "They have a lot of energy and know how to relate to a younger audience."

www.gregharrismusic.com


Review of the Vibe Quintet album "Open Space" @ AllAboutJazz.com by Stephen Latessa..........

The Greg Harris Vibe Quintet is equally adept at long, dreamy, ruminative pieces and more aggressive, driving numbers. As the name of the group suggests, Harrisâ vibes are the focus of the music on Open Spaceâwhether they take the lead or simply frame and define the space around the other players.

For example, bassist Rob Fahie fashions a series of fine, throaty statements on his composition âLucid Dream,â on top of which Harris plays rolling and sparkling accompaniment. The effect is like nothing so much as the stars twinkling around the somber night sky. Fahie and Harris further conspire to conjure the slinking melody of âLong Corridors.â With a sheepish melodica from Harris, cautious guitar work from Matt Fuller, and skeletal, muted trumpet lines from Erinn Bone, the piece is like an extended tiptoe down the corridors of the title.

âFlank Fuzzâ is the extroverted opposite of the two aforementioned titles. Drummer Bill Larson lays down a straightahead groove and the band piles on. Fuller plays some effective muted gasps that contribute markedly to the forward momentum of the piece. Harris emphasizes the speedy, gliding aspect of his instrument and foregoes the dreamy crystalline accents he brings to the more pensive performances.

The Greg Harris Vibe Quintet is a finely integrated band that does an admirable job exploring often winding and intriguing compositions. The results on Open Space are unfailingly lush and rich.

by Stephen Latessa
Reprinted with permission. Copyright (c) [2006] AllAboutJazz.com and [Stephen Latessa]. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=20855

Here's another review of our album "Open Space" in the Westword

Denver, CO June 1st 2006 issue

by Michael Roberts

Vibraphonist Greg Harris is best known around here for his membership in Pete Wernick's Flexigrass, a quirky, innovative ensemble that blends jazz and bluegrass. Open Space, for its part, focuses on the former -- and while its musical blend is mellower and more conventional than the Live Five's, the results are just as noteworthy.

Harris is an egalitarian bandleader, providing plenty of opportunity for his fellows to shine. Indeed, trumpeter/flugelhornist Erinn Bone may get more spotlight time than the man whose name is above the title; that's certainly the case on "Reach," a Bone composition. Likewise, guitarist Matt Fuller steps forward throughout tunes he penned, including "Open Space Park." Yet the grooves are every bit as enjoyable as the solos on cuts such as "Flank Fuzz," during which Harris, bassist Rob Fahie and drummer Bill Larson create a backdrop every bit as intricate and intriguing as what's in the foreground.
Open Space overflows with good vibes, in more ways than one.