Since Michael Dease’s big band held their two-year monthly residency in Greenwich Village back in 2011, a lot has happened. That laboratory, where risk, refinement, and reflection forged the band’s artistic identity, was the seed that needed to be returned to. Today’s band, however, is not a reconstruction of that past, but a reimagining, channeling fresh vitality into the music while honoring the architectural rigor and improvisational daring that defined those earlier years. At the core is a dynamic ensemble of rising voices from Michigan State University, whose artistry and individuality bring urgency to this collection of music, featuring compositions by Dease, Gregg Hill and the classics, “Cherokee” and “Little Dave,” from Dease’s major influence, J.J. Johnson. Return Trajectory is not a direct return, but a continuation of the arc, guided by experience and propelled by the next generation.

Trombonist extraordinaire Michael Dease goes with the "Flow" for his 11th album for Posi-Tone. For this session Dease features some old friends, like alto saxophonist Sharel Cassity and pianist Geoffrey Keezer, while introducing the arrival of newcomers bassist Jared Beckstead-Craan and drummer Gary Kerkezou to his musical family.

Michael Dease has fully earned his stature as one of the great trombonists and jazz figures of these times. His formidably on the instrument, matched by his pursuit of inspired musical challenges and robust partnerships, is fully on display in the double CD, "City Life," his third album devoted to the music of composer Gregg Hill.

Perennial DownBeat Critics Poll winner, trombonist Michael Dease has embraced his role as a torchbearer for his mentors and the great jazz ancestors over his 15 deeply-swinging, state-of-the-art mainstream recordings. For The Other Shoe, Dease teams with the formidable composer Gregg Hill, expanding his rhythmic & harmonic palette with a flexible, in-the-moment perspective while remaining true to the sensibilities at his musical core. With the prodigiously talented pianist Geoffrey Keezer as a central foil, Dease brings along a wide-ranging collection of musicians, each specifically brought in for their unique outlooks and talents, including clarinetist Virginia MacDonald, Liany Mateo on bass, and drummer Colleen Clark, among others.

Trombonist Michael Dease delivers a unifying message about the Jazz diaspora and the impassioned assistance of "All These Hands". The program's message is carefully constructed to provide listeners with a musical narrative about the evolution of the jazz art form as it spread through the different regions and localities of America. To provide assistance in bringing his vision to fruition, Dease assembled an all-star lineup of musicians including trumpeter Etienne Charles, alto saxophonist Steve Wilson, pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Gerald Cannon, and powerhouse drummer Lewis Nash, along with a number of special guests like Rodney Whitaker, Randy Napoleon and Rufus Reid.

The latest release in the exciting "Out To Dinner" series continues along an ambitious course. These volumes seek to enlist the ears of a new group of Posi-Tone listeners, while expanding the aesthetic sensibilities of their traditional audience. "Episodes of Grace," which came together out of the label's pandemic lockdown sessions in 2020, is an engaging and enjoyable album featuring the collective efforts of five capable composer bandleader virtuosos.