PRESS REVIEWS
"Morris makes splendid use of every tool in his kit... making sure that everyone in the ensemble has an essential role to play. His themes are picturesque, at times esoteric, but always anchored in the jazz tradition, even when interposing Norse folk music or contemporary classical motifs. Most notably, they are fresh and original. While clever solos by most hands are sprinkled throughout, for the most part they are subordinate to Morris's luminous charts, from which they spring as naturally as water from a fountain... The verdict here is an emphatic thumbs up."
—JACK BOWERS, ALL ABOUT JAZZ​
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"Inspired by his world travels, this is an impressionistic guide to spots around the world. Except he's doing it with a big band that plays in a way of his own devices that he writes and arranges for with an out of the ordinary, singular vision. A cat whose work plays it straight while coloring outside the lines, he wants to bring you into the tent and doesn't worry about the ars gratis artis effect. Fun stuff that works on a lot of levels."
—CHRIS SPECTOR, MIDWEST RECORD
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"An often cinematic affair that pulls in worldly influences from all parts of the globe that Morris has resided, this is an exceptional display of modern jazz. 9/10."
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One of the Top 10 Jazz Albums of 2022
"As the pair paddle the river’s twisting 80-mile length—accompanied by Ben Morris’s lovely, almost subliminal jazz piano—their progress is captured by cameras at every imaginable angle…”
"Ben... captured and reflected what was going on so perfectly: the spirited march forward, the sadness of the demise of much of the river, and the gentleness, the bucolic lyricism, the hope... all inspired!"
—BLYTHE DANNER​​
“There was so much thought behind Ben Morris’s work, yet without being didactic. I love the sound of fire in that work–crackle, roar, fizzle. Kudos to the Loop38 brass players who really got to shine in Longleaf. [It] is the kind of work that makes a great impact beyond the concert hall... It was great to see how the project brought together musicians, forestry experts, rural residents, city people, and nature lovers.”
—SHERRY CHENG, ARTS AND CULTURE TEXAS MAGAZINE
"The whole production came together really well, seemed generally coherent, and at times felt deeply moving... ​Witnessing the power of prescribed fires that bring out the richest growth, especially near the end of the show, was my favorite part. ... The 'Dawn Chorus' segment then had the camera looking up at a starry night sky, the black outlines of trees lacing the edge of the screen; nighttime nature sounds played as musicians sought to echo owl hoots with their own instruments, and the combination felt gloriously serene.
…the piece deftly showcased the young performers in music of appropriate difficulty for each age group. The catchiest number of the evening came from the ensemble of grandparents: Performed by the youngest children, bent over walkers, their disco-inspired theme song urged the nervous parents to remember that 'You have to live a little when you’re a kid.' The audience of enthusiastic adults and children was a testament to Glimmerglass’s efforts to be not just an artistic powerhouse, but a centerpiece of its upstate community.”
