Read
about Fresh Spin...
Pete
Mills new release, Fresh Spin,
is the follow up to the saxophonist’s
critically acclaimed 2004 Summit Records
debut, Art and Architecture (4
Stars, All Music Guide). Featuring
Tony Monaco on the B3 organ,
Fresh Spin is released on Monaco’s
Summit imprint, Chicken Coup Records. It
also includes the exceptional guitar work
of NYC based Pete McCann,
drummer Jim Rupp and bassist
Andy Woodson. Eleven compositions
fill this high energy groove and bop-based
recording, including a little known Horace
Silver composition Diggin’ on
Dexter and Billy Strayhorn’s
haunting ballad A Flower is a Lovesome
Thing. Organ marvel Tony Monaco fires
up the B3 on this recording, the first to
showcase his talents since 2005’s
East to West (top 5 JazzWeek Radio
Chart). Read
more...
DownBeat Magazine
Downbeat Magazine gives Fresh Spin 3 1/2 Stars Read
more...
JazzTimes Magazine
"...tenor man Mills and B3 Burner Tony Monaco lay down the law in this thoroughly entertaining set." Read
more...
All
Music Review
Tenor saxophonist Pete Mills
and organist Tony Monaco make
for a very potent musical team throughout
Fresh Spin. Although the instrumentation
is that of a 1960s soul-jazz organ group,
the music, other than two standards ("A
Flower Is a Lovesome Thing," a tenor
guitar duet, and guitarist Pete McCann's
"Cooked Cheese") is comprised
of Mills' orginals. Read
more...
www.allaboutjazz.com
Brimming with the essence of good cheer, Mills and crew communicate a distinct sense of musical merriment during the entirety of this impacting and irrefutably entertaining jaunt. Read
more...
Jazz Review
Fresh Spin covers much territory and, defying expectations, goes beyond a survey of traditional tenor sax classic recordings, like “Body and Soul” or “Moody’s Mood for Love,” and instead reshapes the music to reflect Pete Mills’ own talent and personality. And like his previous album, Art and Architecture, Fresh Spin reaffirms the fact that much jazz talent remains to be discovered outside of New York City and on some of the more specialized labels. Read
more...
Read
about Art and Architecture...
All
Music Guide (4
Stars)
Pete
Mills, a tenor saxophonist inspired by his
mentor Walt Weiskopf, is an excellent player
influenced by but not derivative of John
Coltrane. On Art and Architecture, most
of the music is straight-ahead post-bop,
utilizing chord changes in the themes but
not necessarily always tied to them in the
improvisations. Mills' dry tone is showcased
at its best on the augmented blues-with-a-bridge
"Dot Com," "In Walked Bud,"
a brief duet with guitarist Pete McCann
on "Chelsea Bridge," and the lighthearted
"Pumpkin Shoes." The band really
gets to romp on the funky "Clubfoot"
and there are fine spots along the way for
McCann and pianist Bobby Floyd, with bassist
Dennis Irwin and drummer Matt Wilson being
stimulating in support. The program has
plenty of variety in moods and grooves,
and Mills fares quite well in every setting
of this excellent modern jazz set.
-Scott
Yanow, All Music Guide
JazzTimes
Magazine
Weiskopf protege Pete Mills
has released his own second CD as a leader,
Art and Architecture (Summit), which is
buoyed by the stalwart bass and drums team
of Dennis Irwin and Matt Wilson, assisted
by pianist Bobby Floyd and/or guitarist
Pete McCann (acoustic and electric). Whatever
the instrumentation-sometimes a tenor sax
and guitar duo (Strayhorn's "Chelsea
Bridge") or a tenor sax-bass-drums
trio (Strayhorn's "Isfahan" and
Monk's "In Walked Bud")-Mills
demonstrates a firm control of his instrument
and of his material, all except the aforementioned
being compositions of his own. His tunes
include a nice bossa ("Seven Shades
of Blue"), a couple of straightahead
burners ("Spin Dri" and "April
Tune"), some funk-laden, backbeat blues
("Dot Com" and "Clubfoot"),
a lovely ballad ("Remembrance")
and a quirky, fast-paced head ("Pumpkin
Shoes"). Everybody plays well in a
mainstream modern mode, with the leader's
versatile tenor-kick-butt on "Clubfoot"
and gorgeous on "Isfahan"-a key
element of the album's success. Read
more...
-- David Franklin , the December 2004
Dayton
Daily News
Pete
Mills: Music on a 'high level' performer
recieving critical acclaim for his compositions.
Read
more...
--Matt
Warner, Dayton Daily News 8/03/04
All About
Jazz.com
It's nice to hear a mainstream
set hit the ground running like this. Saxophonist
Pete Mills opens his Art and Architecture
with the frictionless propulsion of “Dot
Com,” a tune that zips forward on
the rhythm section momentum of a sleek monorail
riding a cushion of magnetism, on a workout
that lets you know that straight ahead jazz
is alive and well, juiced up even, in the
hands of a younger generation. Read
more...
-
Dan McClenaghan All About Jazz.Com August
23, 2004
Jazz
Review.com
Art And Architecture, consisting
mostly of Mills' own compositions, is an
outstanding work, the equal or better of
many releases from entertainment conglomerate-owned
labels, as if Mills had suddenly arrived
with his talent already formed, when in
reality, of course, such natural-sounding
ability is the result of years of hard work.
Read
more...
- Don Williamson, JazzReview.com
Dayton
City Paper
Columbus saxophonist Pete
Mills has released his second CD on the
Summit Label and it’s a real winner.
His cohorts on the record include guitarist
Pete McCann, bassist Dennis Irwin and drummer
Matt Wilson — all in-demand New York
players, along with Columbus piano legend
Bobby Floyd. Read
more...
- Don Henke, Dayton City
Paper, October 13,
2004
All About Jazz.com
(Review #2)
Straightahead jazz combines
pleasant memories with fresh energy when
it's created by a unit such as Pete Mills'
quintet. His lovely tenor saxophone tone
soothes while it cascades around the room.
The session remains peaceful and quiet throughout.
Mills stretches out on up-tempo romps and
lays back casually for lyrical ballads.
Read
more...
- Jim Santella, All About Jazz.Com
All
About Jazz.com (Review #3)
If
there is one defining aspect about Pete
Mills, it is his ability to pave a path
that is in direct communication with his
listeners. Though he often shows a big,
brawny disposition, he never overplays his
hand. And while there is turmoil and a roiling
heat as he takes the high post-bop road,
he also showcases a softer side with ballads
that shimmer and glow in the emotional nest
he builds for them. Read
more...
- Jerry D'Souza , All About Jazz.Com
More
Reviews
The
record title here is justified for what,
by all accounts, is a very well crafted,
well-designed session. The sound is great;
the program (of mostly originals) is compelling;
and the assemblage of musicians is high
quality and highly complementary to Mills’
vision.
-Gerard
Cox Columbus Alive August 18, 2004
“…after hearing the CD, I would
give it six stars if I were judging it.
Your playing is wonderful and your writing
is superb. I love it.”
- Saxophonist Jimmy Heath
“This recording gets to the heart
of what Pete’s music is all about.
It’s strong, musical and personal,
showcasing his talents as both a composer
and a fine tenor saxophonist, and the band
is first-rate.”
- Milestone recording artist, saxophonist
Jim Snidero
The
Columbus Dispatch’s Curt Schieber
writes of Mills’ compositions as being
“impressive” with solos that
are “ear opening…with a tone
that is big and rich…[His CD Momentum]
recalls the post-bop of mid-1960s Blue Note
records. But it also echoes other decades
and other labels. It is remarkable first
and foremost though, in its pursuit of pure
jazz.”
“[Momentum]
established Mills as a composer of complexity
and character and an imaginative but exacting
improviser.”
-
Curt Schieber, The Columbus Dispatch
