Dennis González Explained

Dennis González
Birth Date:15 August 1954
Birth Place:Abilene, Texas, U.S.
Death Place:Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Genre:Avant-garde jazz, free jazz
Occupation:Musician, artist, writer, educator
Instrument:Trumpet
Label:daagnim, Clean Feed
Associated Acts:daagnim, Yells at Eels

Dennis González, often credited Dennis Gonzalez (August 15, 1954March 15, 2022),[1] [2] was an American jazz trumpeter, artist, and educator from Texas. He hosted Miles Out on KERA-FM for over twenty years.

Early life

González was born in Abilene, Texas,[3] [4] on August 15, 1954.[5] [6] He relocated to Oak Cliff in 1976. He later established the Dallas Association for Avant-Garde and Neo Impressionistic Music (daagnim) in the late 1970s,[4] doing so at the suggestion of Anthony Braxton and Art Lande.[7] The daagnim organization, which functioned both as a group of musicians and as a record label, was based on and named after the AACM.

Career

González' primary musical instrument was the trumpet (including B♭, C, and pocket trumpets), though he has also played drums, flute, synthesizer, and baritone saxophone. AllMusic describes González as "[a] talented trumpeter who has recorded a consistently rewarding string of lesser-known dates," whose "playing falls between advanced hard bop and free jazz."[1] [8] [9]

The Penguin Guide to Jazz observed that González' recordings during the 1980s for Silkheart Records represented "part of a determined effort to wrest creative initiative back from New York and the West Coast."[10] The Penguin Guide commented among González' greatest achievements was having coaxed saxophonist Charles Brackeen out of retirement during the late 1980s, and that by the early 1990s, González "more than ever before... seems the heir of Don Cherry." Additionally, Henry Grimes' November 2003 appearance on González' Nile River Suite was the bassist's first official recording in more than thirty-five years.[11]

González began working for Dallas radio station KERA-FM in 1978. There, he hosted a music program called Miles Out.[12] [13] He ultimately worked with KERA for 21 years, but left after the station had largely shifted from music programming to a news and talk format. González was also employed as a teacher and taught at Spence Middle School, Woodrow Wilson High School, and North Dallas High School.[4]

For several years during the 1990s, González retired from jazz performance and recording. In 2001, he formed a trio, Yells at Eels, with his sons Aaron (double bass) and Stefan (drums, vibraphone). In 2010, the trio recorded with Ariel Pink, appearing on the song "Hot Body Rub" on the album Before Today, and on a vinyl EP, Ariel Pink With Added Pizzazz. González's most recent offering with Yells at Eels is a collaboration with Fort Worth experimental drone rock outfit Pinkish Black, entitled Vanishing Light in the Tunnel of Dreams,[14] which was released in May 2020.[4]

Personal life

González was married to Carol until his death. Together, they had two children: Aaron and Stefan.[4]

González died on March 15, 2022, at Methodist Dallas Medical Center in Dallas. He was 67, and suffered from several unspecified health issues prior to his death.[4]

Discography

As leader

With Charles Brackeen

With Alvin Fielder

With Tina Marsh and the Creative Opportunity Orchestra

Notes and References

  1. Web site: [{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p6593|pure_url=yes}} Dennis Gonzalez: Overview]. December 30, 2006. Yanow. Scott. Scott Yanow. AllMusic.
  2. Smith . Miyoshi . August 1992 . Dennis Gonzalez interview, 1989, New York City. . 18 . 8 . 11–18 . Cadnor . 0162-6973 .
  3. Web site: Dennis Gonzalez – Biography. Scott. Yanow. AllMusic. March 18, 2022.
  4. News: Dennis González, Dallas trumpeter and teacher, dies at 67. Tommy. Cummings. March 16, 2022. March 18, 2022. The Dallas Morning News.
  5. News: Dennis Gonzalez. March 18, 2022. All About Jazz.
  6. Book: Jazz Forum. 98–103. For Jazz. 1986. 35.
  7. Web site: Dennis Gonzalez : The OFN Interview [part 1] |first=Jesse |last=Goin |date=October 2005 |work=One Final Note |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715002454/http://www.onefinalnote.com/features/2005/gonzalez/index.asp |archive-date=July 15, 2011 |location=web.archive.org].
  8. Web site: González . Aaron . Dennis González . Joe Milazzo . Comprehensive Discography - As Leader . December 30, 2006 . Talismans: The Art, Music and Writings of Dennis González . https://web.archive.org/web/20060714103731/http://www.dennisgonzalez.com/htmlfiles/real_of_music/pages/leader.html . July 14, 2006 . dead .
  9. Web site: Biography . December 30, 2006 . Talismans: The Art, Music and Writings of Dennis González . https://web.archive.org/web/20061208180154/http://www.dennisgonzalez.com/htmlfiles/biography.htm . December 8, 2006 . dead .
  10. Book: Cook, Richard. Richard Cook (journalist). Brian Morton . Brian Morton (Scottish writer) . The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD. 1992. Third. 1996. Penguin Group. London. 0-14-051368-X. 513–514.
  11. Web site: NY Midnight Suite + Nile River Suite (review). December 30, 2006. Hreha. Scott. July 16, 2004. One Final Note. Scott Hreha. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20061017200731/http://www.onefinalnote.com/reviews/g/gonzalez-dennis/ny-midnight-suite.asp. October 17, 2006.
  12. Web site: Dennis Gonzalez : The OFN Interview . Joe . Milazzo . April 2001 . One Final Note . July 9, 2010.
  13. News: Dennis Gonzalez Finally Gets His Due . Daniel . Hopkins . . . . 0732-0299 . July 8, 2010 . July 9, 2010 .
  14. Web site: Vanishing Light in the Tunnel of Dreams | Ayler Records . June 18, 2020 . June 18, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200618081456/https://ayler-records.bandcamp.com/album/vanishing-light-in-the-tunnel-of-dreams . dead .
  15. News: Dennis Gonzalez Finally Gets His Due. Daniel. Hopkins. July 8, 2010. March 18, 2022. Dallas Observer.
  16. News: Air Light (Sleep Sailor). March 18, 2022. All About Jazz.
  17. Book: Jazz Forum: The Magazine of the International Jazz Federation. International Jazz Federation. 1986. 37.
  18. Web site: Dennis Gonzalez – Kukkia. Jazz Music Archives. March 18, 2022.
  19. Web site: Dennis Gonzalez – Stars / Air / Stripes. Jazz Music Archives. March 18, 2022.
  20. News: Witness. March 18, 2022. All About Jazz.
  21. News: Anthem Suite. March 18, 2022. All About Jazz.
  22. Web site: Dennis Gonzalez – Album Discography. AllMusic. March 18, 2022.
  23. Web site: Dennis Gonzalez – Forever the Falling of Stars. Jazz Music Archives. March 18, 2022.
  24. News: Dennis Gonz. Jeff. Stockton. July 10, 2005. March 18, 2022. All About Jazz. https://web.archive.org/web/20220318020139/https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dennis-gonzlez-ny-midnight-suite-and-nile-river-suite-and-old-time-revival-by-jeff-stockton. March 18, 2022. live.
  25. Web site: Dennis Gonzalez – Credits. AllMusic. March 18, 2022.
  26. News: Idle Wild. March 18, 2022. All About Jazz.
  27. News: No Photograph Available. March 18, 2022. All About Jazz.
  28. News: Dennis Gonzalez: Dance of the Soothsayer. Mark. Corroto. January 17, 2008. March 18, 2022. All About Jazz. https://web.archive.org/web/20220318020744/https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dance-of-the-soothsayers-tongue-live-at-tonic-dennis-gonzalez-clean-feed-records-review-by-mark-corroto. March 18, 2022. live.
  29. News: Dennis Gonzalez / Jnaana Septet: The Gift Of Discernment. Nic. Jones. June 2, 2008. March 18, 2022. All About Jazz. https://web.archive.org/web/20220318020929/https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-gift-of-discernment-dennis-gonzalez-not-two-records-review-by-nic-jones. March 18, 2022. live.
  30. News: Dennis Gonzalez and Faruq Z. Bey w/Northwood Improvisers Septet: Hymn for Tomasz Stanko. October 5, 2009. March 18, 2022. All About Jazz. it.
  31. News: Dennis Gonzalez Yells at Eels featuring Alvin FielderAkkolyte. Audra. Schroeder. January 12, 2012. March 18, 2022. Dallas Observer.
  32. News: The Hymn Project. March 18, 2022. All About Jazz.
  33. News: Stories of Friendship and Family Ties: The Gonzalez Clan Rides Out. Eyal. Hareuveni. September 20, 2013. March 18, 2022. All About Jazz. https://web.archive.org/web/20220318022439/https://www.allaboutjazz.com/stories-of-friendship-and-family-ties-the-gonzalez-clan-rides-out-by-eyal-hareuveni. March 18, 2022. live.
  34. News: The Dude Abides. Mark. Corroto. October 4, 2013. March 18, 2022. All About Jazz. https://web.archive.org/web/20220318022653/https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-dude-abides-by-mark-corroto. March 18, 2022. live.
  35. News: Yells at Eels: In Quiet Waters. Karl. Ackermann. June 23, 2015. March 18, 2022. All About Jazz.

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