…he has an undergraduate degree in piano and jazz studies from Indiana University, a masters from the Eastman school and a doctorate in education from Sarasota University. There is more on his background here. Gilman, with six CDs under his belt, is a teacher who can do. His albums date back to 1987. One from 1992 has drummer Bob Hurst and Jeff “Tain” Watts as sidemen and the brilliant tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson as guest soloist.
In the course of his teaching, Gilman has become an expert on Brubeck’s music. Not a mimic of Brubeck’s playing style, he has more in common with bop and post-bop players. His Time Again: Brubeck Revisited, volume 1 and volume 2 present twenty Brubeck compositions. “In Your Own Sweet Way” is included, as are “Blue Rondo a la Turk,” and Paul Desmond’s “Take Five” in a wildly cartoonish version on prepared piano. He also interprets such less-well-known pieces as “Recuerdo,” “There Will Be No Tomorrow” and the stirring “Love and Anger.” Gilman is accompanied by bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Justin Brown. They take unBrubeckian approaches to “Blue Rondo” and “Summer Song,” to single out just two examples. Gilman sees “The Duke,” as less Ellingtonian than like a Velvet Gentleman with a touch of decidedly unarthritic atonality in the left hand.
Brubeck appreciates adventurousness by others as much as he enjoys committing it. He is reported to be delighted with Gilman’s versions of his songs.
Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...
