Source: Jazz USA
February 1999

Journey Together
Naxos Jazz- 86023-2

Although David Sills has been playing the saxophone since he was ten, it wasn’t until he heard John Coftrane's "My Favorite Things" that his passion for jazz became concrete. A graduate of Cal State Long Beach with a degree in saxophone performance, Sills has been working locally in Los Angeles and Orange County area clubs for the past five years. Sills's debut Hangin' Five on the Orange County based Resurgent Music label was a remarkable coming out party for the Manhattan Beach resident. Journey Together is Sills second record and his first for Naxos Jazz. Sills's quintet reads like a who's who of Los Angeles's finest musicians, guitarist Larry Koonse, pianist Alan Broadbent, bassist Darok Oles, and drummer Joe La Barbera.

Zealous, straight-ahead fans will appreciate Sills's spirited version of Lennie Tristiano's ''317 east 32nd Street' and Joe Henderson's ''Inner Urge'' which find Sills tipping off a series of ptovocative passages, riding Koonse's underlying guitar melody. La Barbera's accents and flourishes serve the leader/saxophonist well and compel the music foward. Sills stay away from honking, squeaking, or granstanding of amy sort, opting rather to keep his playing coherent and his purpose apparent. On "Aliya," Sills' warm tone is alluring and his fluid playing is superb. 'The interaction between Sills, Broadbent, and Koonse is inspirational.

T'he 28-year-old tenor saxophonist sites his primary influence as John Coltrane. Joe Henderson, Sonny Rollins, and Stan Getz, it isn`t bad company to be associated with. Sills avoids the sophomore jinx and Journey Together is yet another fine chapter in the David Sills story. It has been a pleasure to Journey with him thus far. Sills's Journey Together can be purchased at all fine record stores at a bargain mid-line price.

~ Fred Jung

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