Dusk and Dawn is the new recording by tenor saxophonist Rich Halley, featuring his longstanding quartet with trombonist Michael Vlatkovich, bassist Clyde Reed and drummer Carson Halley. Recorded in Portland, OR in November 2023, Dusk and Dawn is the seventh release by the Rich Halley 4 and features a combination of Halley compositions and spontaneous improvisations that showcase the depth and unique interaction of the group.
“One of the major tenor saxophonists of our time.” Tom Hull, tomhull.com
“Heartland American jazz of the very highest order.” Brian Morton, Point of Departure
“Oregon-based saxophonist Rich Halley has been turning out smart, brawny music for a couple of decades.” James Hale, DownBeat
Rich Halley is a tenor saxophonist and composer based in Portland, Oregon. He is known for his fiery playing and imaginative compositions. Rich has released 26 critically acclaimed recordings as a leader and has recorded over one hundred original compositions. His latest album, Dusk and Dawn, features his longstanding quartet with trombonist Michael Vlatkovich, bassist Clyde Reed and drummer Carson Halley.
Halley’s recent release with Mathew Shipp, Michael Bisio and Newman Taylor Baker, Fire Within, was on a number of lists of the best jazz albums of 2023. All About Jazz describes his music as: “Uncluttered, bold and powerful” and Tom Hull calls him “One of the major tenor saxophonists of our time.” DownBeat said: “Oregon-based saxophonist Rich Halley has been turning out smart, brawny music for a couple of decades.”
Photo by Bob Pyle
Halley currently leads the Rich Halley 4, a group which has released seven albums of original music. He was also the leader of The Lizard Brothers, a four horn sextet, and The Outside Music Ensemble, a horns and percussion group that did unamplified outdoor performances. He has performed with Matthew Shipp, Tony Malaby, Vinny Golia, Bobby Bradford, Nels Cline, Julius Hemphill, Andrew Hill and Oliver Lake.
For 26 years Rich was the artistic director of the Penofin Jazz Festival, a small festival in Northern California that presented many of the leading figures in creative jazz. He was also a founder of Oregon’s Creative Music Guild. Rich was educated as a field biologist, and his lifelong interest in nature has informed his music and led him on many trips into wilderness regions around the world.