* Projects
.
. . a really fine recording . . . with considered compositions
and a ton of spirit.
- Jason Bivins — Cadence
Elton
Dean. Tim Berne. Tim O'Dell. Welcome to the exclusive club
of outstanding sax players/composers/improvisers . . . a perfect
album . . . This disc is a great blend of composition and improvisation
and it swings! . . . Before My Life has a uniqueness of vision.
— Beyond Coltrane
O'Dell & Aoki
Tatsu Aoki and I have been performing and recording together in different venues since the early 90s. My friend, David Pavkovic, brought the three of us together at the Bop Shop in Chicago (Thanks Dave!). Tatsu, Dave and I soon became the Red Fire Ant Trio and performed and recorded around Chicago and the Midwest until 2001 when I moved to the east coast. We have released four albums together: Live in Iowa City (TOE, Inc.), Windy Christmas (IEL Records), Before My Life (Southport) and Finally Elijah (Southport).
Tatsu and I recently released our fifth album together, Ancient Pines, for Southport Records.
I consider Tatsu a wonderful mentor and one of the greatest artists of our time. I feel privileged to work with him.
Matt Langley/Tim O'Dell 4tet
When Matt Langley asked me to co-lead a quartet featuring bassist Jim Lyden and drummer Luther Gray (two of the most in demand and versatile musicians in the Northeast) I pounced on the idea and started composing with vigor. We have had a great time working up and performing our new music, which really expands the notion of the modern, piano-less quartet. We are looking forward to our debut CD release and some touring.
Under Development
O’Dell has a rich timbre and consistent vision . . .
compelling terrain.
- Marc Masters — Jazz Times
Big Band recording project
In 2007 the University of Iowa celebrated the 100th anniversary of the School of Music and I was invited to appear as a featured alumnus - in April 2007 the University Jazz Ensemble and jazz faculty, under the direction of John Rapson, performed and recorded an album of my large jazz ensemble works. I am currently mixing and mastering the music. They played it VERY well and I am really looking forward its release sometime in 2008.
Collaboration with Cynthia O'Dell-Cooper, Tatsu Aoki, and Luther Gray
In March of 2007 Tatsu Aoki, Luther Gray and myself recorded an album of trio improvisations in Maine. The music is now mixed and mastered. Now – my sister, Cynthia O’Dell-Cooper, nationally recognized photo and video artist (and Chair of the Art Department at Depauw University), is going to spend a year or so crafting a new video to accompany the 65 minute album of music that we improvised. I am looking forward to working with her on the final stages of this project, and I can’t wait to see it!
Sax/Drums duo recording
The compositions are mostly completed. Drummer TBA.
Concerto project
My Concerto project is one that I conceived some years ago and will feature new, large-scale compositions for jazz drummer, college wind ensemble (colors, colors!), and saxophone soloist/improviser (me).
Tim O’Dell’s STRATA
After the 1st Concerto album is composed and recording plans for it are underway, I plan to start composing more, new music for STRATA - a forthcoming, New England, large jazz ensemble.
Some background on the STRATA project:
The band concept has been incubating since the mid-1980s while playing lead alto under the direction of Paul Scea in the University of Iowa Jazz Ensemble. Paul featured many of my, his, and my fellow students’ compositions along with very hip and diverse big band repertoire.
While working on my Masters at NEC, I founded the NEC Jazz Composers’ Ensemble (under the auspices of Jimmy Giuffre) as a big band venue for the performance of my and my fellow students’ works. We performed regularly at the conservatory and around Boston (the band is still going today!).
Upon returning to Iowa City in the early 1990s for Doctoral study, I co-founded the OftEnsemble - a 12 piece, professional jazz band dedicated to performing my, John Rapson’s, and other band members’ works. We played festivals, clubs, colleges, and concert halls in the Midwest, but sadly we never released an album.
In 2002, after transplanting from Illinois to Maine, I assembled STRATA - a New England, professional jazz sextet to perform at the Key Maine Jazz Festival. The group was very good, but too small to really get my larger compositional ideas across.
Enough background:
I plan to use the polished material from the University of Iowa Big Band project to jump-start Tim O’Dell’s STRATA in New England. It’s been a long time coming (and will be a little longer still).
More Southport Projects with Tatsu Aoki
Second Matt Langley/Tim O’Dell 4tet recording and touring
Another Concerto album
More to come . . .
