GIFTS by Dave Douglas

Gifts is about the blessings of life and music that we share with each other. It’s about celebrating the gift of the music we love across generations. These gifts stem from our common humanity, so essential to our survival as a species. The musical arts are a gift that is shared between musicians, and also with listeners as part of a perpetual conversation. Cherishing the music of the past blesses us to make the music of the future. And despite the odds, to go on creating pathways for generations to come. Gifts we give and gifts we receive. That’s where this music is coming from. - Dave Douglas

Special thanks to Charles Lloyd, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, Joey Baron, Hannah Houser, Suzannah Kincannon, Drummond Kincannon, Isabella Maria Chang, Nina Moffitt, and all the folks who have kept alive the legacy of Billy Strayhorn and his music through the years.

For Greenleaf Music: Jonathan Galkin, Robyn Ardagh, Robert Stefaniuk, Matt Merewitz

Tracklist

1.	Gifts	10:55

2.	Kind of Teal	7:26

3.	Take The A Train	4:32

4.	Rain Check	3:16

5.	Blood Count	8:15

6.	Day Dream	4:40

7.	Seven Years Ago	7:10

8.	Small Bar	7:06

9.	Third Dream	3:51

10.	Goodbyes	6:30

Credits

released April 12, 2024

Dave Douglas - Trumpet
Rafiq Bhatia - Guitar
James Brandon Lewis - Saxophone
Ian Chang - Drums

Recorded on December 11 2023 @ The Bunker in Brooklyn NY

Recorded, mixed + mastered by Tyler McDiarmid
Asissted by Nolan Thies
Executive Produced by Dave Douglas
Art + Design by Lukas Frei
Photos by Geoff Countryman

Tracks 1,2,7,8,9,10 - written by Dave Douglas
Dave Douglas Music / BMI

Tracks 3,4,5,6 - written by Billy Strayhorn
Bill Strayhorn Songs Inc.

Rafiq Bhatia appears courtesy of ANTI-Records

2024 Greenleaf Music

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Some quotes from the Dave Douglas feature in Jazziz Magazine Trumpet Issue Summer 2024:

www.jazziz.com/issue/summer-2024/

"I’m always looking at younger musicians and what they’re playing and listening to, what’s going on. It’s impossible for that not to influence me on wanting to form new bands and play in new ways and write in new ways." - Dave Douglas

"The hardest part of running Greenleaf is having to say no to people who are doing really great work. It’s a small company and it is sustainable, which is a small miracle, I guess, in this day and age." - Dave Douglas

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PRESS:

"Both the chemistry and the imagination of its creators make Gifts yet another standout in Douglas’ catalog.....The blend of two masterful jazz musicians with a pair of post rock heroes plays to the strengths of both” -Michael Toland, The Big Takeover

"Gifts" is consistently great and already a candidate for the album of the year." -Rolf Thomas, Jazz thing

"Renowned trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas has been a stalwart presence in the modern jazz scene for several decades. For this date, comprising new original material and four Billy Strayhorn classics, he’s joined by open-minded associates such as saxophonist James Brandon Lewis (on half the tracks), guitarist Rafiq Bhatia (making his fourth appearance in Douglas’ projects), and drummer Ian Chang. The latter two, members of the experimental/post-rock trio Son Lux, anchor the nimble soloing of the two-horn frontline, showcasing their strong rapport. Together, they create a strangely beautiful symmetry with Gifts, a celebration of the blessings of life and music.” - Filipe Freitas, Jazztrail

“Dave Douglas' GIFTS emerges not merely as a collection of tracks
but as an opulent gala in honor of the eternal essence of music, welcoming audiences across the spectrum of generations to partake in its celebration....serving as a reminder that music is both a cherished inheritance and a precious legacy” -Glen Astarita, All About Jazz

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