David Sills - Green (2007)

For his third solo affair on Seattle's Origin Records, So Californian sax player David Sills produces a classic sort of sound in combination with the rest of his sextet, formed for this album. The saxes tend to run on parallel melodic lines, the guitar solos hark slightly to the days of Charlie Christian, and the rhythm section provides a casual, bouncing backdrop for the front lines. Some of Sills' previous work (primarily that with the Acoustic Jazz Quartet) was smooth to the verge of being filed away in the new age section. This one quickly reclaims his prowess in straightforward jazz and keeps him in the right light throughout. Gary Foster on alto sax and Larry Koonse on guitar help hold up the overriding aesthetics of casual beach jazz. This is pure West Coast cool, modernized only as much as necessary to keep it original. As an added bonus, some portion of the proceeds is given to the Sierra Club (the title was meant to evoke/invoke environmentalism and an environmental theme in the music rather than simply paint a picture). ~ by Adam Greenberg, AMG. 

Origin Records, 82480, 2007
Recorded 17th & 18th November, 2006 at No Sound Studios, Pasadena, California 

Musicians:
David Sills - Tenor Saxophone, Flute
Gary Foster - Alto Saxophone
Michael Kanan - Piano
Larry Koonse - Guitar
Putter Smith - Bass, Guitar [Bass]
Tim Pleasant - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Melon Head {David Sills} (7:56)
02. Fontok {David Sills} (6:58)
03. Prelude To A Kiss {Duke Ellington} (8:34)
04. For Us {Putter Smith} (5:33)
05. Moon And Sand {Morty Palitz, Alec Wilder} (5:52)
06. Salsipuedes {David Sills} (6:36)
07. Summer Cloud {David Sills} (5:24)
08. Green {David Sills} (5:46)
09. Sills Sails {Larry Koonse} (6:01)
10. Flat Days {David Sills} (4:51)
11. Survival {David Sills} (8:33)
12. Desert Passes {Putter Smith} (6:37) 

Total Time: 78:41 

Credits:
Engineer - Nolan Shaheed
Mixing & Mastering - Andy Waterman
Art Direction & Design - John Bishop
Photography - Randy Wright
Photography, Liner Notes - David Sills
Liner Notes - Larry Koonse, Putter Smith, Tim Pleasant

David Sills - Eastern View (2004)

With a solid organ trio backing him, tenor saxophonist David Sills grabs your attention with his very first solo on Eastern View's opener, the Sills-penned (as are all the songs here) "New Break." The tune opens with an organ-supplied bass groove backed by shimmering cymbals; then the guitar and sax enter, peeling off some tangy mid-tempo lines, until the accompaniment pulls back and Sills steps out front, with a somewhat restrained (nicely so) and articulate, straightforward monologue in front of the always inspired trio. Organist Joe Bagg has a subtle but very on-target touch as he paints his cool-toned pastel washes behind Sills and guitarist Larry Koonse. And that sets the stage for the entire disc: a fine organ trio backing a talented saxophonist on ten engaging mainstream tunes. Sills' tone has been compared to the sounds of Stan Getz and Joe Henderson. I'd lean toward the Henderson side of the comparison, and throw in some Hank Mobley into the mix, too. You can't help sounding bluesy when you've got an inspired organ trio behind you. Eastern View has a definite Blue Note Records circa-'60s vibe to it - a killer organ trio with a creatively clean-blowing saxophonist out front rolling through a bunch of straight-ahead originals. And Sills has an engaging way of going after his solos without flash or B.S., telling his personal stories while adding little Joe Henderson-like surprises along the way, small flurries that catch you a bit off-guard but still fit snuggly into his story lines. A very cool-sounding group doing more than its share to keep mainstream sounds alive and vibrant. ~ by Dan McClenaghan, AAJ. 

Origin Records, 82437, 2004
Recorded 3rd-5th January, 2004 

Musicians:
David Sills - Saxophone
Joe Bagg - Organ
Larry Koonse - Guitar
Tim Pleasant - Drums 

Tracks:
01. New Break (7:56)
02. Deep Sleep (5:26)
03. Small Peaks (6:31)
04. Stoned Eyes (6:30)
05. Eastern View (6:28)
06. Keys Found (5:08)
07. Little Key (7:35)
08. Tiger Tracks (7:18)
09. Enomily (5:18)
10. Cuttin' Back (8:38) 

All Compositions by David Sills 

Total Time: 66:54 

Credits:
Recording, Mixing - Scott Fraser
Mastering - Mark Guenther
Layout, Design - John Bishop
Photography - Okhidei Otgonjargal
Color Photo - Jeann Young