DYAD
© Copyright-David Thorne Scott
(786851226621)
Record Label: David Thorne Scott
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David Thorne Scott (voice) and Mark Shilansky (piano) perform fresh treatments of jazz standards and original tunes in a freewheeling duo performance.
David Thorne Scott and Mark Shilansky have been playing music together for over five years, but it took a happy accident to bring about their latest project. David had a collection of 20 or so new songs and arrangements, and had the idea to go into the recording studio with Mark to create demo versions of as many songs as they could crank out in three hours. The result was a sublime meeting of the minds. The music called out to be released as a CD, called DYAD.
A dyad is something that consists of two parts, such as a musical chord containing only two tones. A dyadic chord is a deceptively simple sound because it invites the listener to become aware of deeper and finer levels of detail. In the same way, hearing the Scott/Shilansky duo is a fascinating experience in which even tiny musical gestures seem to be magnified.
David Thorne Scott grew up in Kearney, Nebraska; went to college in Madison, New Jersey; pursued advanced study in Creston, Iowa and Miami, Florida; and currently resides in Somerville, Massachusetts with his wife and young children. David is an Associate Professor at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He studies with Mark Baxter.
Mark Shilansky is an Assistant Professor at Berklee, and at the University of New Hampshire. He has 4 CDs to his name as a leader, including his latest, a latin-jazz outing entitled "Join the Club." A New Hampshire native, he has been a mainstay of the Northeast music scene for years as a pianist, composer, and producer, having performed and/or recorded with such artists as the New York Voices, Luciana Souza, Kenny Wheeler, and Clark Terry.
David's album "Shade", co-produced by Mark Shilansky, was chosen as a Top 5 Vocal Jazz CD in the Jazz Education Journal. His arrangements for jazz choir are published by Hal Leonard Publishing and UNC Jazz Press. He was awarded a Berklee Faculty Fellowship to study and transcribe classic vocal group arrangements from the 1930s and 1940s. David was a finalist in the professional division of the New England National Association of Teachers of Singing "Song and Aria Competition." He is a member of the vocal jazz groups Vocalogy and Syncopation.
For more information, see www.davidthornescott.com and www.markshilansky.com, or myspace.com/davidthornescott and myspace.com/markshilansky
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Haunting vocal style,
author: Improvijazzation Nation -- Rotcod Zzaj
What an experience this DYAD production is... Scott's vocals mesh perfectly with Shilansky's piano... they bill it in the liners as "...a sublime meeting of two minds"; & that just about sums it up. It's not strictly jazz, though it certainly leans in that direction, with some great scat work, but cuts like "Boulder To Birmingham" bring clear visions of Marlboro men & other heroes trudging across the majestic plains in search of lost loves. David's version of John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High" will stay in your mind for years to come... he's got a haunting vocal style, with clear and definitive talent that many will fall in love with right away. Shilansky's keyboards, though quite melancholy at times, also convey a playful spirit. Whatever that "magic" is that players glom onto at times, these two have "got it". A very interesting album that adventurous listeners everywhere will enjoy! I give it a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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all right!
author: Steve Thomas (Steve Thomas & the Co-Conspirators)
Dave, just dropping a line to tell you how much I enjoyed your singing with Mark Shilansky the other night. I’ve also been digging the DYAD duo album. Pretty exemplary playing and singing. The vocal/piano duo is one of my favorite set-ups: the absence of bass and drums, of the specific time thing, opens up more space to maneuver in. “The Song Is You,” the album opener, is a good example. It starts with what sounds like a relaxed rubato opening; only gradually do you realize that it’s really an up tempo that, without “burning” bass and drums, has a looser, conversational feel that allows for more give-and-take. A real duet. Very interesting.
My favorite tunes are the originals: “Fall into You,” “Deciding Where to Land,” “Grow,” and “Agitated.” As a singer-composer myself, I appreciate the intersection of interesting, intelligent lyrics with a jazz musician’s approach to melody/harmony/rhythm—and the relaxed swing that you and Mark bring to the performances. In a better world, "Fall into You" would be a hit; it certainly is at our house. “Timber! . . .” Love the way you make that high note bloom on the first line. What’s a little 5/4 between friends?
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Leonard Bernstein would approve
author: Ellen Winters
Tremendous. I have always been a fan of David's voice, but this project really showcases the vocal depth and warmth that he brings to the table.
This is a wonderful triumph. It's great to hear his smooth, lyrical sound and his treatments of the tunes are just lovely. There's no other word except maybe, sublime. And what a beautiful songwriter! "Grow" is gorgeous and I love the lyrics. I was also really thrilled to hear "Simple Song" from Bernstein's "Mass." His voice was made for that song and I loved the uniqueness of the arrangement. It's very bold but if anyone knows anything about the "Mass" or about Bernstein, bold is a word that comes straight to mind. I think Lenny would approve.
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Freedom, Spaciousness and Intimacy
author: James Gavin, author of Chet Baker biography
It's wonderful. I'm drawn to piano-voice albums; I love the freedom and spaciousness and intimacy of them, and I think you and Mark Shilansky, whom I hadn't heard before, did a terrific job. So nice to hear "Boulder to Birmingham" and "A Simple Song" again, too. I hope to get to see the two of you in person in the near future.
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