Podcast 890: A Conversation with Quentin Angus

Quentin Angus has received national and international recognition for winning three ASCAP 'Young Jazz Composer Awards', five Downbeat Magazine Awards in the 'Composition' and 'Soloist' categories. The State of Things  is his third album as a leader. He carefully chose his collaborators for the album, choosing the topnotch drummer Nate Smith as the core of his band. Pianist Can Olgun and bassist Desmond White solidly round out the rhythm section. Vocalist/lyricist Michael Mayo is a new talent to me, and based on his work here, most definitely deserving of wider recognition. The album is mostly Quentin originals, although some reharmonized standards are also here, most notably "Pure Imagination" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," both with revised time signatures. Angus holds a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy), awarded with a 'Dean's Commendation', a Master of Music Degree (Jazz Performance) under the tutelage of jazz great John Abercrombie, awarded 'Summa Cum Laude', and a Bachelor of Music Degree (Jazz Performance). Angus' is the author of five original transcription books of Gilad Hekselman improvisations and has also been published by PickUp Music, Jazz Lessons Videos, Mel Bay, Jazz Heaven, and the NZMiC music journal. He has performed and recorded with jazz luminaries Nate Smith, Ari Hoenig, Kevin Hays, Shai Maestro, Linda May Han Oh, and Will Vinson. Podcast 891 is my conversation with Quentin Angus, as we discuss his interest in composition over improvisation, his time under the tutelage of the legendary Abercrombie, and his views on the importance (in some cases) of a formal jazz education. Musical selections include "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and the original "Broken Bones."