WALLACE RONEY ¡V PRESS SUMMARY
¡§Chris Botti's horn playing was a little disappointing after hearing Wallace Roney on the
same stage two nights ago.¡¨
Roger Friedman, Fox News ¡V March 16, 2006
¡§It¡¦s a new millennium and the players of today are morphing the music to higher heights and expanding the boundaries of jazz music to the outer limits while still keeping tradition alive. The Wallace Roney band is an exciting ride into the present and
the future. Catch them when you can!¡¨
LeRoy Downs ¡V JazzCat.com 12/2005
¡§But the true contemporary aspects of the music traced beyond turntables and
synthesizers to a broader conceptualization of 21st century jazz, in which each
lengthy piece was a virtual platform for unfettered soloing, with ensemble
passages serving primarily as bridging and connective links. That meant plenty of space
for the Roney brothers to stretch out improvisationally. Wallace was particularly
impressive, spinning through the faster numbers with explosive streams of notes,
and engaging the evening's sole ballad number with affecting lyricism.¡¨
Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times October 21, 2005
¡§I had only heard of Wallace Roney thanks a friend loaning me a copy of his
funky album Village. Two years later his name pops up on Soho's schedule and
my jazz radar goes on red alert. Discouraged at first by the $25 ticket price, I
persevered knowing it would be worth it. What I couldn't foresee was that I was
in store for the finest jazz performance of my life¡KI could fill pages with superlatives in attempts to convey the power, virtuosity, and precision of each musician and the songs they played. For now I'll just let those thoughts fly through my head. Wallace Roney and his band are out there, carrying the torch for the greats of jazz history, ready to blow your mind if you should be so lucky to find them playing your local spot.¡¨
Tyler Blue ¡V Jambase.com October 2005
¡§As Roney¡¦s concept becomes more eclectic, it paradoxically becomes more focused. Mystikal continues his path towards combining past and present--with, most importantly, a clear eye on the future.¡¨
John Kelman ¡V All About Jazz November 2005
¡§This amazing trumpet player blends the bebop tendencies of the
Parker/Dizzy era with the more contemporary Miles Davis jazz-fusion
sound, and he's one of few leaders to include a turntable player in his
band¡KIn fact, it was the work of turntablist Val Jeanty that most impressed at
Roney¡¦s recent appearance at Joe¡¦s Pub on September 30. She
complemented the band¡¦s sound with several effects, such as spacey
sounds and spoken word samples. This instrument, mostly connected to
the realm of hip-hop, seemed to fit into the group seamlessly.¡¨
Ernest Barteldes ¡V All About Jazz ¡V January 2006
¡§The hush on stage at Joe¡¦s Pub was circumvented with the squeal of brass. Its piercing shrill evolved into a cacophony of instruments screaming, wailing, writhing, throbbing, breaching the silence with a language and tonality that took on a musical expression all its own. It had an intelligence that created and recreated itself while giving order to chaos. The Wallace Roney Band was playing pure jazz¡KHarmonies emerged touching levels of vibrations too high to be discerned by mind, understood only at the heart level. As the melodies, harmonies and vibrations crescendo and converged without restraint, it was reborn and sought to be free. Once released, it merely stopped, leaving behind the power of its expression with all in the room. This was the music of Wallace Roney.¡¨
Deardra Shuler ¡V The Black World Today ¡V October 2005
¡§Wallace Roney has been around for years. He has an extensive catalog as a leader and sideman. Despite his performance resume, his name is often omitted in conversations with my musician friends. Names like Dave Douglas, Roy Hargrove, and of course Mr. Marsalis, are the common trumpeters mentioned in discussions among brass players. The facts are that Wallace Roney may be the only trumpeter around making improvised music sound current in modern times. His current recording, Mystikal captures the very essence of jazz in a modern setting.¡¨
Antonio Aday ¡V Jazz Improv Magazine ¡V Volume 6, Issue 2 2005
Wallace Roney Sextet at the Green Mill, Chicago
¡§On the second night of a two-day stand at Chicago¡¦s Green Mill, trumpeter Wallace
Roney blended acoustic postbop and electronic groove over three deeply satisfying sets.
It¡¦s not as if this sort of stylistic synthesis is unheard of these days, but it was notable
on just how successful Roney¡¦s synthesis has become. Roney was accompanied by his
sextet of brother Antoine Roney on tenor and soprano sax, Clarence Seay on acoustic
bass, Eric Allen on drums, Robert Irving III on acoustic piano and Yamaha Motif
synth, and DJ Val Jeanty on turntables. The group was profoundly tight, attuned and,
on this Saturday gig, noticeably listening--no one was content to merely play changes on
the more boppish tunes nor did anyone lose concentration on the long groove
numbers. This was a band that reached for, and attained, some lofty musical heights.¡¨
Paul Olson ¡V All About Jazz - August 27, 2005
Wallace Roney: Straight-ahead sounds from a forward thinker
¡§Indeed, if there's one word to describe Roney's celebrated career in jazz, it's evolution. The musician's influences include such progressive artists as Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Ornette Coleman and his mentor, Miles Davis.¡¨
Kris Alavattam For the Dayton Daily News ¡V August 21, 2005
Wallace Roney - Prototype (High Note HCD 7116)
¡§Prototype, on which Roney explores territory that Miles [Davis] first opened up during his electric period, is a smart and thoughtful album¡KFor anyone still missing Miles¡¦ voodoo jazz excursions, Roney is a more than adequate torch-bearer.
4 stars
The Times/The Eye ¡V 20 Nov 2004 - John Bungey
¡§Magnificent, magisterial music¡KA marvelous album¡¨
4 stars
Jazzwise ¡V Dec 04/Jan 05 ¡V Tony Hall
¡§Geri Allen channels Herbie Hancock¡¦s sparse comping and exotic chords, as Roney hovers like a hummingbird above the tunes¡¨
The Wire ¡V Dec 2004 ¡V Art Lange
¡§ This CD uses elements of hip hop, electronics and even turntables without sacrificing the immediacy and individuality of jazz performance. His playing has a poise and assurance that few can match, while his band supports him admirably.¡¨
Jazz CD of the Week
The Observer ¡V 7 November 2004 - Dave Gelly
¡§¡Kstrong, original music, superbly scored and performed, of the kind we should be enjoying at the London Jazz Festival later this month. Regrettably, we won¡¦t, but there¡¦s always this album.¡¨
4 stars
Evening Standard ¡V 5 November 2004 ¡V Jack Massarik