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"Thomas Marriott is one musician who personifies what is special about the Seattle attitude. A trumpet player whose music can fit into any decade, he is both historically traditional and in the moment. Although his new album "Both Sides Of The Fence" has had 3,300 radio spins over the past eight months, he is not content to exploit the success of that particular sound."
-Bill White, The Seattle PI, November 29th, 2007
NEWS
JAZZ TIMES REVIEW (MAY 2008)
Thomas Marriott, Crazy: The Music of Willie Nelson (Origin)
Thomas Marriott is one of two first-tier trumpet players to come out of Seattle in the last decade. The other is Cuong Vu. Marriott is the more “inside” of the two, but not by much. Crazy is creatively off-the-wall. It is also a sincerely affectionate tribute. Marriott does not offer bebop versions of Willie Nelson songs but uses them to provoke extravagant acts of the imagination. Some (“Phases & Stages,” “You Wouldn’t Cross the Street”) are freely reharmonized. Another (“I’m Building Heartaches”), hollered contrapuntally by Marriott and soprano saxophonist Mark Taylor, sounds like a Nelson melody arranged by Ornette Coleman. Marriott has serious chops and a luxuriant trumpet sound that he sometimes splashes through a digital-delay system. His group concept is to let the dogs out. His sidemen run wild over country and western. Taylor’s soprano brays amid the rasping densities created by Ryan Burns’ Moog or Fender Rhodes. Matt Jorgensen’s drums surge and storm.
Thomas Marriott, Crazy: The Music of Willie Nelson (Origin)
Thomas Marriott is one of two first-tier trumpet players to come out of Seattle in the last decade. The other is Cuong Vu. Marriott is the more “inside” of the two, but not by much. Crazy is creatively off-the-wall. It is also a sincerely affectionate tribute. Marriott does not offer bebop versions of Willie Nelson songs but uses them to provoke extravagant acts of the imagination. Some (“Phases & Stages,” “You Wouldn’t Cross the Street”) are freely reharmonized. Another (“I’m Building Heartaches”), hollered contrapuntally by Marriott and soprano saxophonist Mark Taylor, sounds like a Nelson melody arranged by Ornette Coleman. Marriott has serious chops and a luxuriant trumpet sound that he sometimes splashes through a digital-delay system. His group concept is to let the dogs out. His sidemen run wild over country and western. Taylor’s soprano brays amid the rasping densities created by Ryan Burns’ Moog or Fender Rhodes. Matt Jorgensen’s drums surge and storm.
The best pieces are “Crazy,” with a lilting, sweet, only slightly ironic Marriott solo and a middle section that goes officially but briefly crazy, and “On the Road Again,” a song about happy times on tour. Marriott was on the road with Maynard Ferguson and Rosemary Clooney and “hated every minute of it.” He turns the piece into a mordant, deadpan dirge. This album is a kick in the pants.
-Thomas Conrad
MAYNARD FERGUSON ALUMNI BAND TRIBUTE
Thomas just returned from St. Louis where he was a featured soloist with the Maynard Ferguson alumni band. The band played to a crowd of thousands for what wold have been Maynard's 80th birthday. To view a video of the rehearsal go here:
NEW ALBUM UNDERWAY
Production is underway on a new album scheduled for release in 2009 on Origin Records. This new project, featuring Joe Locke, Jeff Johnson, Bill Anschell, Matt Jorgensen & Mark Taylor, was recorded on March 20th at Robert Lang Studios. The album features five new original compositions by Thomas, as well as five new versions of some old (and new) classics. Check in here for the most recent updates on Thomas' new album.
GOLDEN EAR AWARDS
On January 20th, Thomas Marriott was awarded 2 Golden Ear Awards by the readers of Earshot Jazz magazine and the local jazz community. Thomas won the "Best Instrumentalist" award and "Best Album" award for the 2007 release, "Both Sides Of The Fence" which spent nearly four months on the national jazz chart, JazzWeek, and peaked at number 9. Thomas now holds a total of five Golden Ear awards, winning in 1997 for "Best Emerging Band / Artist" (with the Marriott Brothers Quintet), in 1998 for "Best Acoustic Jazz Group" (for the Marriott Brothers Quintet), and in 1999 for "Best Emerging Artist."
NEW ALBUM!!
CRAZY: THE MUSIC OF WILLIE NELSON
READ THE REVIEW IN THE MAY ISSUE OF JAZZ TIMES
Thomas' new album "Crazy: The Music Of Willie Nelson" was released on January 22nd, 2008 to critical acclaim. This new release is in stores everywhere now - be sure to pick up or download your copy today! The new album features reworkings of classic songs by the great American singer-songwriter Willie Nelson. The band includes Mark Taylor (alto), Ryan Burns (moog & rhodes), Geoff Harper (bass), Matt Jorgensen (drums) as well as special guests Rick Mandyck (guitar) and Wayne Horvitz (keys). This is an album you won't want to miss!
BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE
Thomas' 2007 release, "Both Sides Of The Fence," spent more than 3 months on the national jazz chart JazzWeek, and peaked in the top ten at number 9. It was also number 30 on the JazzWeek "Top 100 CD's of 2007" chart.
HADLEY CALIMAN'S NEW RELEASE
In 2007, Thomas had the pleasure of producing saxophonist Hadley Caliman's first national release in over 30 years. Hadley Caliman is a veteran of bands led by Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson, Gerald Wilson, Carlos Santana and many others. This new album, "Gratitude," is out as of February of 2008 and features Joe Locke (vibes), Joe LaBarbera (drums), Phil Sparks (bass) and Thomas on trumpet. Pick up or download your copy today!
MARCH RECORDING WITH JOE LOCKE IN NEW YORK
Thomas appeared as a special guest on Joe Locke's new album "Force of Four," recorded in early March at Bennett Studios in New York.
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