Josh Quinlan Quartet

On Josh Quinlan's 2011 release, Mountain Time Standards, the saxophonist proved that he's not only a skillful player, but a gifted composer, as well. And there's a whole lot more where that came from on his latest effort, Open Space. Quinlan and pianist Ben Markley have no trouble traversing the...

By Jon Solomon

August 1, 2013

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

On Josh Quinlan's 2011 release, Mountain Time Standards, the saxophonist proved that he's not only a skillful player, but a gifted composer, as well. And there's a whole lot more where that came from on his latest effort, Open Space. Quinlan and pianist Ben Markley have no trouble traversing the somewhat tricky changes on up-tempo cuts like "Folklore" and "Oye," while drummer Ed Breazeale and bassist Matt Smiley help stoke the fire. Quinlan seems equally at home on tenor and alto saxophones on this nine-song disc, which is mostly made up of originals, save for an absorbing, jazzed-up take on Tchaikovsky's "Arabian Dance." In addition, he demonstrates that he's as deft on ballads, such as "CEQ" and "GosPaul," as he is on mid-tempo numbers, like "Waltz for Heinrich."

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.