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PULS0
The local jazz musician
and graduate student
recorded his first solo album,
a somber winter soundtrack
CD review
Aaron Shakra
Pulse Reporter
Unless you’re a student in the
University’s School of Music, it’s
unlikely the name Dave Gamwell
will ring a bell. However, the local
jazz musician and graduate stu
dent has put out his own solo disc,
“Flip Side of the Coin.”
Camwell recorded the album
during his master’s degree work at
the University of Northern
Colorado. He spent about 50 hours
in the studio, although the record
ing and mixing process took about
a year. He discussed details about
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his album through e-mail.
“It took much longer than I
thought it would, and was much
harder as well,” Gamwell wrote.
“When you’re so intimately
involved with a project, getting
everything just right on the
rehearsals, arrangements and
mixes takes a long time.”
The musicians on “Flij^Side of
the Coin” were mostly friends and
fellow GTFs that Gamwell hand
picked for their musicianship. He
said working with friends con
tributed to an enjoyable recording
environment.
To an untrained ear, some of
these tunes might strike listeners
as elevator music. This analogy
isn’t meant as an insult, but rather
is based on the fact that jazz takes
time to really hear. Sometimes the
greatest part of a given tune won’t
be heard without patience and a
willingness to be — to just be —
with the music. Jazz is one of the
most technical and complicated
forms of music performed today.
Generally, this is because it com
bines the best of improvisation
with the best of technical theory
into a cohesive whole.
This makes “Flip Side of the
Coin” difficult to criticize,
because, on one hand, there is
really nothing wrong with this
disc. It consists of covers, or rein
terpretations of other jazz tunes
by John Goltrane, Pat Metheny
and Andy Nevala. Gamwell also
provides three of his own compo
sitions, including the album title
track and one called “Jessica
Rabbit.” He is clearly a talented
saxophone player, performing
alto, tenor and soprano versions of
the instrument on the album.
On the other hand, the mood of
“Flip Side” is rather somber. It
might be perfect as a soundtrack
for this wintery time of the year —
Courtesy
Graduate student Dave Cantwell's first
solo album can be found online at
www.davecamwell.8k.com.
these gray, overcast (but some
what light) afternoons. Still,
there’s nothing really exciting
here for people who don’t already
jive with jazz. Anyone who is just
starting to listen to the genre
might want to check out some less
contemporary jazz before moving
on to Gamwell’s style. However,
considering this is Gamwell’s first
album, it’s easier to forgive his
music for not being revolutionary.
Gamwell plans to work on a
cruise ship in Alaska this summer
and work on writing and arranging
new material in his free time.
“I have a list of new stuff that I’d
like to record. First though, I will
be finishing my doctorate and get
ting a job. I literally will not have
the time to do another CD until
I’m done (with) school or days
have 37 hours in them,” he wrote.
As far as this reviewer is aware,
the album isn’t available in stores.
However, it can be found (along
with MP3s and an interesting
paper on classical violinist Niccolo
Paganini) on the musician’s Web
site at www.davecamwell.8k.com.
Contact the Pulse reporter
at aaronshakra@dailyemerald.com.
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CamwelVs album ‘FlipSide’
demands appreciation of jazz