Greg Marvin
WAKE-UP CALL!
(Planet X CD 007)

Greg Marvin (ts); Tom Harrell (tp);
James Williams(p); George Mraz (b);
Lewis Nash (dr) Skyline Studios, NYC

    This is an incredibly intimate format for Greg Marvin to step into. The great deal of finesse in both tone and internal rhythm sense between Greg's tenor and Tom Harrell's flugelhorn is remarkable in acuity and style. To be into Greg's fluid sound and enviable sensitivity makes listening to this CD nothing less than pure joy.
    The material here is orchestrated very well in a totally improvisational manner, yet, still maintaining a simmering quality harmonically that allows you to bask in its ambiance. I like the feeling Greg Marvin gets. I've been a fan of his for years, since his first records. The prevailing feeling from this collection of fourteen originals is a feeling of great original ambiance. The degree of intimacy is also due to Greg's respect for the music, by hand picking a special rhythm team - James Williams on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums.
    ...My hat goes off to Greg Marvin. His job as a leader, tenor player and composer is fantastic! His refreshing richness as a musician is worth a serious listen by all. Here is a player who can fervently exploit any tempo on the metronome, while at the same time being very intense and thematic. This is a testament to his prowess as a tenor player. Unfortunately, at this point in time, Greg has been forced to live in Europe due to the lack of serious work for jazz players here in the United States. There is no reason he should not be privy to the gigs and recordings that others obtain who have half his talent or experience, or commitment to the real music.
    ...Here is a master musician making a meaningful contribution to Jazz as an art form, and who's listening? Who is offering him a tour of the states? What major jazz magazines have done any articles on him? This is something that bothers me, namely the neglect of vital talent like Greg Marvin. This man has some musical dividends that many listeners would love to hear. Not many cats on today's scene push the envelope like Greg Marvin. His ability to push forward with good humor and unparalleled virtuosity is worth all of our attention. Greg Marvin is on to something. He lends a vital daring spirit to this already open-ended session. This one is an absolute must! By far his most creative and stunning project to date.
Tim Price
Saxophone Journal

   ... Marvelous too, is the ease with which saxophonist Greg Marvin and trumpeter Tom Harrell converse on Marvin's new Wake-Up Call! (Planet X). Like any intimate exchange between equals, there are questions-and-answers, overlaps, telling silences, and an overriding sense of heightened attention. The best expression of this (and there are many) can be found in the lyrical introduction to Marvin's "2/12 Reflection". Not to slight Marvin's other quintet-mates - pianist James Williams, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Lewis Nash (all of whom are integral to the group's success) - but the story here lies in the intertwining lines drawn by Marvin and Harrell, which compel from start to finish. Ther timbres (and, on most tracks, their pitches) are so close, that they seem off-shades of the same color. Harrell's reputation has been growing steadily, and so should Marvin's, based on this and several earlier outings on the Timeless and Criss Cross labels.
(Wake-Up Call! is available through North Country Distibution.)
Larry Blumenfeld (Editor in Chief)
JAZZIZ