Trombonist Michael Dease pays fitting tribute to his ongoing relationship with the music of Charlie Parker on his aptly enti- tled album “Never More Here.” The album runs much deeper than a simple collection of Bird tunes. The program seeks to provide a musical compendium of Bird's message and his personal influence on Dease and other members of the Jazz diaspora via the compositions and performances of several key proteges and devotees of his music. To provide as- sistance in bringing his vision to fruition, Dease assembled an all-star lineup of musicians including alto saxophonist Steve Wilson, pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Gerald Cannon, and powerhouse drummer Lewis Nash, along with a number of special guests like Randy Brecker, Rufus Reid, and Jocelyn Gould. With a thoughtful program of inspired performances and an inclusive message of influence, “Never More Here” remains focused, insightful, steadily swinging, and refreshingly melodic enough to evoke a wide assortment of bright mo- ments to discerning jazz fans everywhere.
4 out of 5 stars - by Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
Trombonist Michael Dease released Bonafide (Posi-Tone Records) in 2018. The disc was a testament to some of his influences—pianist Geri Allen, trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, trombonist J.J. Johnson. For his 2019 testament, Never No More Here, he tips his hat to saxophonist Charlie Parker. But he doesn't cover "Confirmation" "or "An Oscar For Treadwell" or "Segment," familiar Parker tunes; nor does he offer up ''Loverman" or ''Star Eyes," familiar Parker vehicles. Instead Never No More Here" reflects on the artists that Parker influenced—trombonist J. J. Johnson, alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, saxophonist Jimmy Heath, pianist John Lewis.
The foremost among those Parker-influenced players here is Johnson, the man who changed the role of jazz trombone, beginning with his stint with the Count Basie Band in the mid 1940s, and a period small combo bebop recordings with Savoy and Prestige Records in the late forties—a period contemporary with Parker's finest work. Dease sounds as if he himself is influenced by Johnson—the bold, smooth tone, the fluidity and suppleness of articulation. Indeed, Never No More could be considered a companion piece to Johnson's Heroes (Verve, 1996), with its similar instrumentation—a quintet fronted by the trombone and a reedist, plus guests, and with pianist Renee Rosnes in the rhythm section. Rosnes was Johnson's late career pianist of choice—Johnson called her a genius—and she sat in the piano chair on Heroes.