Music critics from the American NPR Music praised Brazen Heart one of the best albums of the past year, while JazzTimes readers voted Dave Douglas’ podcast A Noise from the Deep best in this category.
After the release of the 2012 album Be Still, which he dedicated to his late mother, Dave Douglas released Brazen Heart by the end of 2015, dedicated to his brother who passed away few months prior.
“What is your reaction to such great loss?”, asks this trumpeter, composer and one of the most influential jazz artists of our time and answers – “Love. Love and more love is the only possible answer.”
On his current album Dave Douglas brings music that was written two years ago, when he toured with his quintet through 50 American states, symbolically marking his 50th birthday. Beside Douglas, the ensemble consist of tenor saxophonist Jon Irabagon, pianist Matt Mitchell, bassist Linda Oh and drummer Rudy Royston.
Brazen Heart was released by Douglas’ own record label Greenleaf Music for which he, together with Michael Bates, edits a podcast called A Noise from the Deep that brings talks about music, improvisation, composing and concerts with important names in jazz. At this link you can listen to conversations with Henry Threadgill, Greg Osby i John Zorn among others.
Nine of 11 compositions on Brazen Heart were written by Douglas, while one of the two not original compositions honors yet another “never to be overcome love from the world of jazz, the great Charlie Haden”.
Listen to Deep River performed by the quartet of Dave Douglas whom we listened to at Jazz Fest Sarajevo in 2008, in a trio with violinist Mark Feldman and double bassist Scott Colley.