Earshot (11:11)

"One of the most impressive groups in Seattle right now...Their music is completely 'accessible', if one may use that term with prejudice to no one -- a listener with broad exposure to jazz is likely to find it compelling, and no newcomer to jazz is likely to greet with epithets that often spring from newbies' mouths..."

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The Stranger (Seattle)

"I like how the tunes on this quartet's winning double-disc set 11:11 (Origin) cogently shift from sunny boppish melodies to a pastoral calm and then burst into a propulsive groove conjured from Miles Davis's In a Silent Way. On the front line, Chris Fagan's dry alto-saxophone tone contrasts nicely with David White's shimmering guitar and occasional (and most importantly, tasteful) guitar-synth comping."

All About Jazz, Dan McClenaghan

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“This sax/bass/guitar/drums quartet struck me on first listen as a group that Steely Dan might hire for a recording session. The sound is crisp and clean, modern, with sharp lines and well-defined, ear-grabbing tangents. And democratic, as opposed to a sax-in-front-of-a-rhythm section affair. Then I heard some Pat Metheny shadings when guitarist David White brings the guitar synthesizer into the mix; but the sound is friskier than Metheny's, the group more concise in the collaboration.

The collective sound is the key. Big Neighborhood weaves an upbeat but hard-to-categorize geometrical tapestry with odd meters and buoyant rhythms. A group to keep an eye and ear on in the future;  a group to listen to right now.”

 All About Jazz - New York

Right at the start of this set, on “Anthem for Jolyon Wagg”, we can see and hear what this group is all about. It’s new music alright but it’s smart and well-played and colorful while at the same time being straight ahead, in the pocket and most mellifluous. These guys write smart tunes that give the players a chance to shine and listen to each other. They’re inventive without being arty for arty’s sake. It’s a big neighborhood indeed that allows for this communicative blend of individual artistry and group interplay. As guitarist David White suggests in his notes, it’s a bold blend of compositional know-how and inspired improvisation. What truly astounds about the playing is how quietly these men make their points. Alto saxist Chris Fagan, bassist Doug Miller, drummer Phil Parisot and White make powerful music that talks cogently and doesn’t need to knock a listener over the head. These players understand dynamics, spacing and color...This is a generous and expansive musical experience.

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All Music Guide, Scott Yanow

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“Throughout the set, Big Neighborhood make their unusual playing with time and rhythms sound second-nature and logical. Guitarist David White is often the lead voice and the key soloist, although altoist Chris Fagan has a bright sound and a strong improvising style. The playing of bassist Miller and drummer Phil Parisot is always stimulating and strongly interactive. This group definitely has its own sound and, although connected to the jazz tradition, its playing and improvising are quite original. It may take several listens to get used to Big Neighborhood's unusual approach, but it is worth the time. This is an excellent example of early-21st century acoustic jazz.”

Earshot Jazz (Neighbors), Peter Monaghan

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“You have to like a jazz album...with a tune dedicated to Frank Zappa that quotes 20th –century composer Paul Hindemith. In keeping with that shout-out, the album’s tracks feature plenty of complex, but never obtuse, writing. It is, for example, often intricate and metrically varied, yet still thoroughly thought—and mood-provoking. Most impressive is the assurance with which the quartet performs music that, in lesser hands, might bog down in technicalities, but here is, as the pieces demand,  warm, buoyant, of varied and appropriate humor…

Certainly this ranks as one of the better releases from Seattle ranks in recent years.”

5 6

The Seattle Times

"This is sure a fun band, with great writing by bassist Doug Miller and a West Coast feel for time and dynamics."

Cadence, Frank Rubolino

“White’s guitar and Fagan’s alto saxophone sing out with harmonious clarity on Neighbors. Pushed by bassist Miller and drummer Parisot, the two forward soloists of the Big Neighborhood quartet start with unison statements that spring into more adventurous territory only to return again to music that moves at an easy gait. Melodic chords ring out joyously from White’s guitar; he takes an advanced position and then changes the tempo to glide into music with swinging characteristics. Fagan counters with soaring improvisations; he transports his alto to high tonal altitudes while spewing out impressive solos. The defining sound of the band, however, comes from the interactivity of White and Fagan. They cajole, toy, and bounce sounds off each other as a starting point for the next sojourn where either one is likely to take the reins and make the music gel.

Except for one Antonio Carlos Jobim tune, all the music was penned by either White or Miller. The bassist’s tunes are built on a solid foundation that he lays down as entry points for White and Fagan. There is freedom built into all the music, which frequently shifts gears and direction midtune to maintain an off-balanced posture. A pleasing aspect of this approach is the accompanying vibrations that support the soloist. For example, while Fagan is flying high, White supplements the action with intricate picking or rhythmic additives. White also uses a guitar synthesizer, but most of his output is not augmented and reflects clean and vibrant tonality. Throughout, Parisot imposes a muted beat or a heavy barrage to fit the shifting scenario. His complex message on "Manic" is indicative of his advanced sense of time. Big Neighborhood integrates composition, improvisation, and ensemble interplay in a polished, professional manner. The group cooks.”

More Reviews:

Seattle Times

Cadence

All About Jazz - New York

Earshot