:: Greg Garrison ::
:: w/ Bill Frisell, Bryan Sutton and Ron Miles ::
:: Dazzle ::
:: July 16 and 17 ::
Greg Garrison
Low Lonesome
Independent
4.5 out of 5 stars
Wow! Former Punch Brother and Leftover Salmon bassist Greg Garrison sure has taken a diverse turn for his first solo outing Low Lonesome — a jazz album, recorded live, with a crack lineup of Coloradoans.
Though the bands he played for were always gregarious, Garrison seemed to be the quiet, stoic one in both groups (at least, in comparison to his frontmen) and that’s apparent on Low Lonesome. It almost feels as if for the first time, we’re hearing what’s been going on in Garrison’s internal dialog for years.
Recorded live with trumpeter Ron Miles, saxophonist John Gunther, keyboardist Erik Deutsch and drummer Marc Dalio, the album winds through Garrison’s original compositions with a maturity and grace that is magnificently detailed and refined. Miles, in fact, plays so tremendously that the album is as great a showcase for him as it is for Garrison.
For a man who used to be part of the “Pasta on the Mountain” gang, this album is almost the antithesis of Garrison’s former musical career. But just because it’s opposite in its packaging doesn’t mean it can’t still be fun.
— Brian F. Johnson