I've been hearing about "Collier and Dean" from my folks for years, but I'd never heard them on recording or in performance until tonight at the Musicquarium. Tom Collier was certainly a major presence at the UW School of Music while I was there, but I never really got to hear him do "his thing" with Dan Dean. Thankfully, they are back performing live, getting ready for a 40th anniversary concert, and have a new CD out on Origin Arts titled Duets.

Collier and Dean started their set as a duo, performing Lines from their new CD with energy and precision. With John Bishop added to give a little rhythmic support, they launched into a Victor Feldman funky-groovy tune, Rockified Baby. General Mojo's Well Laid Plan, a beautiful tune by bassist Steve Swallow, really stood out for me -- the late 70's straight-eighth, ECM sound really seems to fit this group and the players' styles. John Coltrane's Giant Steps was capably performed as a bossa-nova groove, giving the changes a little more room to breath than in the breakneck style the tune is usually played in. The group finished with a very loose, very free-inspired version of Thelonious Monk's Straight No Chaser. The intention may not have been to be this disconnected to the blues changes, but it was refreshingly fun to hear them play on this tune -- you could really hear them trying NOT to play stale blues licks and vocabulary. All in all, I can certainly understand the appeal that these two have had for so long, and I will assuredly be joining that bandwagon.