Rich Halley

REVIEWS

"As we enter the second decade of the 21st Century, Rich Halley has flourished into one of the world's very finest jazz tenor saxophonists... His cavernous tenor sound and impassioned soloing long ago stepped outside of these, and numerous other primal influences and can only be compared, as a point of reference, to that of players such as Don Byas, David S. Ware, David Murray, Coleman Hawkins, and George Adams."

-Dave Wayne, jazzreview.com

"Freewheeling and satisfying."

-Eric Fine, DownBeat

"A free rider from the Left Coast, tenor saxophonist-composer Rich Halley is a powerful player with one foot in the Coleman Hawkins-Don Byas camp and the other confidently striding into the edgier realms of such ferocious players as David S. Ware and, at his most intense, Peter Brötzmann or Albert Ayler... In New York, he’d be a star on the avant-garde scene; but for now, you have to fly to Portland to see this tenor titan perform."

-Bill Milkowski, Jazz Times

"One of the best avant garde jazz records so far this year, this gets my nod easily over some of the more highly touted records coming from New York or Chicago. It goes to show that excellence in jazz isn’t necessarily tied to a location."

-Victor Aaron, Something Else!

"No saxophonist out there is playing with more fire, muscle, sheer guts or wild abandon than Halley. But as out there as he can get, there's always a boppish discipline, a thread of containment"

-Dan McClenaghan, allaboutjazz

"Halley triangulates the sprawling tenor tradition and the compositional trajectory begun by Ornette Coleman, a heady proposition... This mark of maturity is also abundantly clear on his solos on “Gray Stones/Shards of Sky” and “The River’s Edge is Ice,” where he effortlessly blends tinges of Hawk and Newk with avantish exhortations... what Halley offers with "Live at the Penofin Jazz Festival"...is perhaps one of the more profound statements that can be made in these times."

-Bill Shoemaker, pointofdeparture.org

"Catchy, robust and often boisterous but also extremely erudite, the Rich Halley Quartet’s Requiem for a Pit Viper is one of the most dynamic, entertaining albums of the year in any style of music."

Lucid Culture

"Chronicles a fiery, upbeat performance that combines composed and improvised music in an interesting and enjoyable set of tunes... Halley is superb throughout; confident, tight and fluid, whether trading lead lines with Bradford or creating his own dynamic solos."

-Bruce Lindsay, allaboutjazz.com

"The desolate, rugged landscapes in the cover snapshots are a fitting analogue to the deliberate articulation of Halley's tenor sax in this bare bones trio. Based in Oregon and trained as a field biologist with previous records about Saxophone Animals and Coyotes in the City, Halley obviously comes at free jazz from far afield. And he's collaborated with Dave Storrs and Clyde Reed for so long that they get the balance just right. A Minus"

-Tom Hull, The Village Voice

"Live" is full of surprises and edgy, angular twists and turns..."Streets Below" out-funks even Coleman's Prime Time, and it's hot, with polyphony like Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Sevens. All these lateral references might suggest pastiche, but Halley is a scary student of the jazz game, so it all comes out as earthy as,well, the earth itself... Halley is clearly a master, and versed in music theory. If he keeps engendering thoughts of other artists, and waxes poetic, it is because he has so artfully hidden his art. This is poetry for the inner ear."

-Gordon Marshall, allaboutjazz.com

"The music's appeal is its unusual and engaging mixture of structure and freedom—sometimes very wild freedom. More than a decade into an always gripping effort to perfect his singular, adventurous, often torrid free bop small ensemble sound, Rich Halley sounds supremely-inspired by the company he is keeping, and he may have made his best CD to date with Requiem for a Pit Viper."

-Dan McClenaghan, allaboutjazz.com

"Halley has a most robust brawny tone with an innate sense of (real/implied) swing, which frees-up bassist Clyde Reed and drummer Dave Storrs to be on an equal footing with him. While not immediately "catchy' in the usual sense, the nine tracks on "Plains" are rhythmically and melodically engaging, the results of actual compositions with plenty of room for expression, not collective blow-outs or improv-frameworks. Halley's sound is his own, in the continuum of David Murray, Don Byas and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, heartfelt without sentimentality..."Mountains and Plains" is edgy "mainstream" now to the future jazz primed for the mind, body and soul."

-Mark Keresman, Signal to Noise

"While Halley's tenor technique is all-inclusive, occasionally breaking out with more jagged screeches, honks and multiphonics, he's equally concerned with space, thematic development - even groove. Proof that free jazz can be accessible, even though many of Halley's compositions are loose sketches to be used as jumping-off points, the album is surprisingly listenable - surprising, that is, if you haven't already heard the trio's earlier recordings. "

-John Kelman, allaboutjazz

"Halley is an advanced, modern player with a ferocious, warbling tone, complete command of his horn and an eclectic approach that takes in both traditional improvising and free-wheeling, expressive sounds... [Coyotes in the City is] a fine new album that nicely captures the fierce spirit of the group."

-Paul DeBarros, Seattle Times

"The album consists entirely of original compositions by Halley, which immediately cast it in the light of "cutting edge." Combined with freedom of expression, independent thought, purposeful execution, the courage to follow the inner self, the talent to give it voice, and then, to let the chips fall where they may; suddenly, jazz in its purest, essential form is possible; jazz that must survive; jazz that is the original American art form, becomes the reality. This is the free jazz of The Rich Halley Quartet."

-C.J. Bond, jazmuzik.com

"There have been times when jazz and the spoken word appeared inseparable. Brief times, but times when the combination was a powerful artistic and (counter) cultural force. Children Of The Blue Supermarket brings those times back, a reminder of how effective a partnership the jazz musician and the poet can create. Maybe it's the new thing."

-Bruce Lindsay, allaboutjazz

"Play Halley's exceptionally well-recorded new "Objects" (Louie) loud, and hear not only the easy flow of why-didn't-I-think-of-that structures, but the subtle note-to-note variations in volume, shaping and tone (imagine if Dexter Gordon grew up 30 years later) that only masters can achieve. Halley's logic contrasts with the playful reactivity of longtime trio mates Clyde Reed (bass) and Dave Storrs (drums), who...create DNA-specific free jazz."

-Greg Burk, LA Weekly

"Like the very best of them, every time Rich Halley puts his horn in his mouth it's a celebration of the sound of the saxophone. His powerhouse blowing capacity and testosterone-soaked sound hearken to the great Sonny Rollins and the late Dewey Redman. His ensemble approach featuring two horns—cornet and saxophone, supported by bass and drums —comes from the classic Ornette Coleman period. But the music's personality is pure Rich Halley."

-Dan McClenaghan, allaboutjazz.com

"Tenor saxophonist Rich Halley teams up here with acclaimed cornetist Bobby Bradford for a foray through some of Rich's own compositions. Imaginative ideas abound and all are executed with considerable flair and polish. The front line horns are backed with spirit by bassist Clyde Reed and drummer Carson Halley. This is music that retains hints of the jazz style of earlier years while never losing the feel of contemporary improvised music."

-Bruce Crowther, swing2bop.com

"Prominent USA West Coast jazz artists, saxophonist Rich Halley and cornetist Bobby Bradford, disseminate a restless spirit, boosted by memorable compositions and compelling improvisational jaunts... Vibrant and loaded with unanticipated surprises, Halley's broad jazz vernacular and enviable chops help consummate a diverse program that yields several knockout blows."

-Glenn Astarita, allaboutjazz.com

""Objects" is classic sax/bass/drums blowing and it's tremendous stuff all round. Halley's tenor playing is stern and carefully-weighted, his lines so definite they sound like they're carved on the air; his soprano has something of the genial detachment of Steve lacy. This is a group which often reverses roles: here, the horn is often the most stable element of the music, while bassist Clyde Reed and drummer Dave Storrs are the quickchange artists. There's one standard, a gorgeous tumultuous "Over the Rainbow"...The other five pieces take their bearings from simple but effective heads by Halley, though the peformances are sufficiently freewheeling that there's no telling where they'll go."

-Nate Dorward, Paris Transatlantic Magazine

"Whether he's playing tenor or soprano sax, Halley is fierce, his style a heady mix of mainstream and "out" concepts. Of the six tracks here, five are loosely structured but finely developed free pieces, and they find the trio stretching vigorously. Storrs throws odd vocalizations into the mix on the funky "Back in the 400 Club" and the epic finale, "Thickets/Pavement" which Halley begins on wood flute. But just when you think you've got Halley pegged as a maverick free player, along comes "Over the Rainbow", rendered in the classic tenor ballad tradition, summoning Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins, Coltrane, Liebman and beyond."

-David R Adler, All Music Guide

"Dan Raphael is... terrific here: the phrases just shoot out, nearly every one hitting an unexpected target somewhere beyond you... Striking as the poetry might be on its own, the sax shadowing it heightens every line. Halley has a distinctive sound and style, comparable (not to say similar) to Von Freeman. He can't stretch out much here, but is terrific nonetheless."

-Tom Hull, Jazz Prospecting

"Tenor saxophonist Halley's raspy tone and swaggery timing make him a fine Bradford foil, and the trumpeter is expert at bending his sound to fit his partner's. He knows when to lay back, or quietly harmonize, or twine his line around the tenor in counterpoint, or leap up to lead the charge...Drummer Dave Storrs brings an effective combination of busyness and lift, evoking Edward Blackwell's parade beats just enough to make Bradford feel at home. Vancouver bassist Clyde Reed has a plump tugged-string tone and a slippery sense of time that lets him place accents along a sliding scale within a bar. He and Storrs push ahead and build tension at once. With support like that, Bradford and Halley can sail and wail. The music swings: it's tuneful, it's cohesive."

-Kevin Whitehead, The Absolute Sound

"Recorded in less than four hours, the Oregon session is one of those that distinguish jazz from other kinds of music. With the ADAT machines turned on the morning after an evening concert by the four, they just played -- with a break for sandwiches and stories. The result is the sort of spontaneous and exciting CD that Nashville sweeteners and Los Angeles multi-trackers try to duplicate during several months of studio time and usually fail to equal."

-Ken Waxman, jazzweekly.com

"Halley and company's carefully crafted aesthetic really works. There is nice interplay, superb tenor, memorable pieces, and a variety of grooves, soundscapes and textures. Don't miss this one if you can help it!"

-Grego Applegate Edwards, Cadence

""Mountains and Plains" works well on many levels. Creative writing, great sound, and seasoned musicianship add up to a session filled with beauty and wonder"

-Randy McElligott, jazzreview.com

"You know what you are getting into when the music starts to boil and spark on the first track. The saxophonist remarks in the notes for this disc that some of the music was written for a series of outdoor concerts in a nature setting east of Portland and that also reflects in the music; there is an air about Reed's rich dark tone on the upright bass that blends with Storr's restless percussion to create a buoyant support for the tenor saxophonist, particularly on the sinuous "Half Light" where Halley waxes breathy like Dexter, then catches fire. The opposite side of his nature comes through loud and clear on the final selection "Rimrocks" where he lights into multiphonics that threaten to scorch the disc."

-Steve Vickery, Signal to Noise

"While bursting with the vitality and imagination of free jazz, the music manages to retain more than a semblance of focus and direction. In addition to the highly improvistional goings on, we get to hear the grit, sweat and virtuosity of a band which has not forsaken all those jazz personages and styles that have gone before them... Recommended."

-Dave Nathan, allabout jazz.com

"Halley's inventive circular breathing on the soprano sax and his rhythmic drive show that he deserves far more recognition."

-Aaron Cohen, Down Beat

"Rich Halley... plays with a burly, quaking sound on both tenor and soprano, slightly menacing but also redolent of of ecstatic lyricism. His forte is an expressionistic free jazz with roots in late Coltrane, post-bop Rollins, Ornette Coleman and other 60's icons. But Halley's superb technical command, imagination and taste ensure that everything he plays implies form and a range of emotions that elude many who trod this ground. "Coyotes in the City" finds Halley jettisoning the larger bands he has previously recorded with in favor of a quick-reflex trio with bassist Clyde Reed and drummer Dave Storrs that glides deftly between dense but flowing grooves and liquid rubatos that wail with beauty."

-Mark Stryker, Detroit Free Press

"Rich Halley is probably the least known among these four saxophonists (Joe Lovano, Evan Parker, Gerd Dudek) but he is easily in the same league...On tenor Halley sports a big, big sound. He's effective etching a plaintive melody such as "Over the Rainbow"...or roaring and wailing in a tenor workout like "Grey Stones"."

-Robert Ianopollo, Cadence

"The Rich Halley Quartet featuring Bobby Bradford agrees beforehand how each tune will start, but then they get to blowing and take the music (and the audience) somewhere fresh each time...Powerful yet accessible, "The Blue Rims" is an admirably creative effort, another in a fine series of discs Halley has recorded for Louie Records"

-Stuart Kremsky, International Association of Jazz Record Collectors

"Halley has a knack for writing open melodic themes full of aggressive swing that provide effective structures for freewheeling exploration. Storrs and Reed are masters at propelling the pieces along with an elastic sense of time, moving back and forth from pulsing groove to open freedom with relaxed authority."

-Michael Rosenstein, Signal to Noise

"The interplay between Halley and Bradford hearkens back in its atonality to Ornette's playing with Don Cherry, but the play never ceases to swing, in no small part because of the tirelessly inventive rhythms laid down by Reed and Storrs...There is a harmonic richness to this album distinct from the occasionally remarked fury of earlier releases, as well as an unmistakable understanding between the two horns...This record feels in every way a Jazz record, that, to paraphrase Halley one last time, respects tradition by striving to extend it."

-Michael Coyle, Cadence

"As fine a free jazz outing as you'll hear...sonic rambles gelling into taut, bopping melodies that break apart and reassemble in surprising ways: a set that tops last year's "Objects"."

-Dan McClenaghan, allabout jazz

"Coyotes in the City" is a freebop session of the sort that illumines the music of the past without being in thrall to it. Halley and his trio creates intimate, expressive modern jazz that demands sustained interest. The chemistry amongst these players is readily evident - especially on "Rimrocks", a piece that burns with a relaxed, intuitive intensity that cannot be learned (or taught). Highly Recommended."

-Dave Wayne, jazzweekly.com

"Saxophonist Rich Halley communicates with a whispered tone that moans softly like the wind one moment and roars violently like falling rocks the next. The key is spontaneity. He steers his trio through adventures the same way a trailblazer would lead his party over unsettled terrain. Directions change often, and the three veteran artists converse cohesively through a wide array of impressions."

-Jim Santella, allaboutjazz

"Kudos, then, to Oregon saxophonist Rich Halley for seeking Bradford out and hiring him for this date with the sturdy rhythm section of bassist Clyde Reed and drummer Dave Storrs. Like many of Halley's compositions, several of the half-dozen recorded by the quartet are influenced by nature and the cosmos, and the music is appropriately varied, wild and spiritual."

-James Hale, Coda

"West Coast Tenor Saxophonist Rich Halley leads his sextet through 5 compositions,which feature tight arrangements, feisty soloing and positive vibes. The drama and excitement is captured live at this Berkeley, California venue. ...What ensues is a collection of Halley original compositions which display forward motion, strong grooves and at times complex yet well-coordinated horn charts. Modern, thoroughly entertaining and fast paced, Halley and company deliver the goods in sparkling fashion. ****1/2"

-Glenn Astarita, All About Jazz

"When the first ferocious sounds of Rich Halley's "Coyotes in the City" came growling out of the stereo, I thought: Ornette on tenor and Ornette's playing with an attitude today. ...That opener - a take no prisoners tour de force entitled "Green, Brown and Blue" - burns for thirteen-plus minutes, long enough to singe the little hairs in your ear canals. ...The CD as a whole - after the first frontal assault of the opener - is atmospheric, eerie, beautiful in a restrained and dangerous-sounding way. Halley's tenor playing is muscular in the Sonny Rollins sense, and his compositions and backing are cohesive, tight and sublime."

-Dan McClenaghan, The American Reporter

"Halley's music springs from a more turbulent impulse and his compositions - filled with dark and somber hues and barely contained furies- are used to anchor some heady freer blowing... Halley is a potent tenor player with a big sound and expressive facility"

-Stuart Broomer, Cadence

David Leibman Review in Saxophone Journal

Coyotes in the City review on jazzweekley.com by Ken Waxman
Review of Live at Beanbenders on The Improvisor
Review of Louie Records and Coyotes in the City on All About Jazz by Laurence Donohue-Greene

Biography

Biographical article from Jazz Forum

Thumbnail Biography

Rich Halley is a saxophonist and composer who has released more than a dozen critically acclaimed recordings. He performs in settings that range from solo to large groups and most frequently with the Rich Halley Trio and Quartet which often include Bobby Bradford on cornet, Michael Vlatkovich on trombone, Clyde Reed on bass and Carson Halley on drums. Rich also leads the Outside Music Ensemble, a four horn two percussionist group that performs acoustically in outdoor settings.

For over two decades, Rich was the leader of the Lizard Brothers, a sextet whose performances combined exploration and jazz tradition. He was the leader of Multnomah Rhythm Ensemble, a group that combined new jazz with multi-media.

Rich has performed throughout the US, in Canada and in the Middle East. He has performed with Andrew Hill, Bobby Bradford, Vinny Golia, Tony Malaby, Julius Hemphill, Michael Bisio, Oliver Lake, Obo Addy, Michael Vlatkovich, Rob Blakeslee and Bert Wilson. Rich is a founder of Oregon's Creative Music Guild.

Rich Halley was educated as a field biologist. His lifelong interest in nature and his love of adventure has informed his music and led him on many trips into wilderness regions around the world. He lives in Portland, Oregon.