"Dan is a SERIOUS talent..."
Don Thompson
"One of the best young vibists on the scene today"
Brian Harris, Humber College
"When jazz fans complain that the days of Lionel Hampton, Peter Appleyard and other vibraphone greats are numbered, I suggest they look over their shoulder...Dan McCarthy is on the fast track to Vibe Stardom"
Jaymz B, Jazz 91.1
"Someone that Toronto and Canada are going to want to take a lot of credit for in the near future"
Brian Lillos, former director of Jazz Studies at Humber College
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Toronto Star | All About Jazz | ejazznews.com | TheLiveMusicReport.com
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The Toronto Star
The young vibraphonist from Toronto is now making waves in New York after stops at Humber College and Berklee - the 14 pieces he's forged for his debut album illuminate his glistening tones and graceful phrasing. The fluency, seamless ideas and sensitivity to rhythmic pulse bring to mind (his mentor) Don Thompson and Gary Burton, and they're an effective foil for his command of the vibes vocabulary. Bassist Matt Wigton and drummer Greg Ritchie, who just occasionally sounds out of the loop, are joined on four tracks by Myron Walden on soprano and alto sax (most effectively on the former). Thrusting tracks like "Something Walking" and "Harlem Folk Song" suggest Bobby Hutcherson. Elsewhere there's crafty work on tunes like "Ebo", "Beyond All Others" and "Insight". Recording quality is excellent on a performance demonstrating vitality and vision.
-Geoff Chapman |
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All About Jazz
Dan McCarthy delivers some very good vibrations on this debut recording. Part of the new group of young vibraphonists including Stefon Harris (Evolution, Blue Note 2004) and Ben Adams (Old Thoughts for a New Day, Lunar Module 2006), McCarthy has his own ideas for the idiosyncratic instrument, which requires the skills of both a drummer and pianist to master.
McCarthy honed his craft academically in Canada for eighteen years before moving to New York in 2004. He displays the wares as a leader with Interwords, which reflects on honored vibe players like Milt Jackson and Gary Burton but also gives new visions of the mallet instrument. He has agility and lyricism to go along with his percussion onslaught, but the trio’s performance and the smart compositions garner the most vivid focus.
These musicians are not only versed in hard-swinging tempos like the one on the showstopping “Something Walking,“ where trio-mates Matt Wigton (bass) and Greg Ritchie (drums) get to flex their formative muscles, but also on picturesque numbers like “Orchid,” which has a paced and dreamy theme, and the resounding “Insight,” where special guest saxophonist Myron Walden adds lyricism while the trio navigates through tricky changes.
This recording does not belabor the listener with overly long pieces. Instead, it's spotted with small snippets called “Short Stories” that briefly interject curious themes—such as the toy-like “Short Story #2,” which piques the listener’s attention. But the trio also has plenty of room to stretch out on the Latin-tinted “Ebo,” which features elaborate feats of energy and oneness. The trio plays every selection as if it was the last opportunity—with deep feeling, expectancy and freedom—the very things that makes jazz so appealing. Recommended.
-Mark F. Turner
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eJazzNews.com
Jazz Vibist Dan McCarthy exhibit's a bent for the jazz idiom with his sophisticated harmonies & challenging melodic lines. He swings hard & displays a solid sense of dynamics as well, (writer's note: rare nowadays!). Dan possesses a truly attractive yet modern sound as he immerses us into his world of fleet linear horn lines.
McCarthy's music seems to reflect a warm gentle character & disposition....So, I can only assume that he's well liked by those he interfaces with. Dan delivers his music with great stamina & execution...Exhibiting an apparent inexhaustible ability for artistic invention..A definite plus for any journeyman jazz musician who loves to improvise.
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George W. Carroll/The Musicians' Ombudsman
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The Live Music Report
There seems to be a void of good vibe players coming out of Toronto. In fact, I’m juggling my mind and I can’t remember even one that would have thrilled me over the last couple of decades. Enter Dan McCarthy. A recent graduate of Berklee College of Music [by way of Toronto’s own Humber College], he moved down to NYC a couple of years back and now calls it his home. Having put together his trio, which is completed by New York natives, bassist Matt Wigton and percussionist Greg Ritchie, he went into the studio last June to record his debut Interwords.
The music is exclusively written by McCarthy, which is a welcome change from all debut records from freshmen who feel the need to cover Monk, Coltrane and Miles for the millionth time. For the most part, the tracks are rich in a melancholy feel, wrapped up in intimate interplay between all three members. Ritchie’s light percussive work makes a great partnership with McCarthy’s furiously wild and shimmering vibe melodies. When saxophonist Myron Walden guests on three pieces, his alto and soprano work colours the palette, but doesn’t necessarily add a crucial layer to the work at hand.
In fact, the trio pieces are the stronger ones in the bunch. This is where the members have ample room to play their parts in a more intimate setting, to really stretch out. Sadly, the trio doesn’t stretch out enough. Even though McCarthy’s bouncy vibe work is stunning and airy, I can’t get a sense of all-out adventure. It’s as if Dan McCarthy was purposefully holding his trio back. Perhaps too cautious to truly show off his improvisational muscle on a debut, Interwords is still a stunning first listen from a talent who is sure to make some noise south of the border or back in his home town.
-Tom Sekowski
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