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Unifying One’s Voice With One’s Music
Stan Killian releases his album entitled, Unified
“I wanted to unite my seemingly disparate influences into a program of what my idea of modern jazz is: the feel of deep swing with combined melodic voices, informed by the various jazz languages.” This is how Stan Killian describes his newest album, Unified. It features his own group, the Stan Killian Quartet, to create a solo album that encompasses his true talent of the tenor saxophone.
His music showcases a mix of his Texas roots thrown into the Big Apple. His career has taken him from the laid-back, southern hospitality to the bustling metropolis, NYC, where he currently makes appearances at different jazz clubs including The 55 Bar. Having accompanied famed sensations as The Supremes, The Temptations, Antonio Sanchez and Gene Jackson, it is no surprise that his album enlightens a talent that is truly unique and inspirational. Not only that, but having performed internationally at jazz festivals and even a Presidential Inaugural Gala are credible all their own. Killian began “gigging” at age sixteen with his father, a pianist, who has notable performance credits himself.
Since his arrival in New York City, he has certainly made a name for himself. Under the label Sunnyside Records, Killian’s album features tracks that include Bryan Copeland and Corcoran Holt (bass), Benito Gonzalez (pianist) and Darrell Green and McClenty Hunter (drums). Each of these musicians make up the Stan Killian Quartet and accompany each other perfectly. Special guest appearances on the album include Roy Hargrove and Jeremy Pelt (trumpet) and David Binney (alto saxophone). The entire CD is a soothing mix of tones that can perfectly compliment any ordinary afternoon. “Twin Dark Mirrors,” as well as tracks that include “Eternal Return,” “Unified,” and “Windows of Time” are just a few of those represented on his album. The song titles are as captivating as the music itself, and the rhythm and movement of each piece are uniquely sensational. A mix of fast and slow paced songs give the feel that one is drifting along in the scenes of a motion picture, each with a signature blend of the talented artists who contributed to it.
“I sought simply to write the most beautiful melodies I could imagine,” Killian remarked as one of the two focuses of his album—the other seen above. With the grace of his talent, the flair of his quartet and the guest appearances that make up Unified, he can be quite satisfied with his goal.
Available here.