Albums

Detours is Joe & Joel’s debut album (Released on May 12, 2015)
http://www.bigroundrecords.com/catalog/br8938/

Jazz Weekly Album Review: http://www.jazzweekly.com/2015/08/joe-porter-joel-goodfellow-detours/

Album summary by PARMA Recordings:

DETOURS, the debut Big Round Records release from percussionist Joe Porter and pianist Joel Goodfellow, showcases the jazz duo’s capacity for collaboration and improvisation, with animated and dynamic versions of well-known film and literary compositions.

Ennio Morricone’s theme music for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is given an emotionally-charged and heroic interpretation, with precise piano passages and vibraphone textures that match the expression of the soprano. Porter and Goodfellow create vivid and fluid narratives in Concerning Hobbits from The Fellowship of the Ring and Prometheus Rapture, Seven Legends for Snare Drum and Orchestra, melding improvised passages with expressive imagery. Paul Desmond’s well-known jazz standard, Take Five, is given a vibrant rendition in which Porter switches between vibraphone and drum set.

Dave Brubeck once said, “There’s a way of playing safe, there’s a way of using tricks, and there’s the way I like to play which is dangerously where you’re going to take a chance on making mistakes in order to create something you haven’t created before.” Porter and Goodfellow show that playing dangerously and playing expressively results in a transcendent connection between the two musicians, one of virtuosity and passion.

Joe released his second solo album, “Joe Porter Plays Philip Glass”, in the summer of 2012. The album features original arrangements of Philip Glass’ music for vibraphone and marimba. Glass is one of Joe’s favourite composers and he is honoured to have released an album of Glass’ music.

With its enthralling rhythms, unique harmonic structure, and arching phrases, Glass’ music is tyrannically powerful.  His ability to shift into different modes of perception is captivating and delivers a truly engaging experience.

Glass’ unique harmonic shifts are accompanied with a driving and pulsating ride, leaving the listener on edge, yet it can hypnotize the listener into a meditative state, thereby delivering the utmost beauty in music.

As a percussionist, I am attracted to Glass’ music for its shifts of rhythmic intensity and to the deep lyricism, rooted at times in the most simplistic way, leaving me with emotions that I cannot describe. The marimba and vibraphone are, in my opinion, perfect instruments for adapting Glass’ music. They deliver the extra articulation desired in his unique polyrhythmic drive, while allowing his lyricism to translate well to the sonorous beauty of the marimba and vibraphone.
To me, Glass’ music evokes life’s deepest passions, allowing for the performer to express something larger than life, a feeling truly indescribable. 

In the summer of 2011, Joe released his debut album, “Percussion Diversifed”, displaying the true art of percussion diversity. The cd includes an ethereal interpretation of Philip Glass’ The Hours for marimba duet, a brilliant xylophone adaptation of Antonio Pasculli’s, Le Api (The Bees), a rhythmically driving drumset solo based on West-African drumming and dancing, an arrangement of Ennio Morricone’s, The Ecstacy of Gold for vibraphone and guitar, grooving hand drum solos, and much more.

Joe recorded drumset and percussion on “How the Other Half Live” for Australian/Canadian Singer/Song Writer, Emma Fradd.

For a mechanical copy of the CD, email Emma: emmafradd@hotmail.com