ENGLISH

THE GOLEM SHUFFLE

"Trombonist Dan Gottshall comes right out at the listener at the top of The Golem Shuffle, blowing hard over drums laying down a hip hop beat. Gottshall´s goal here is to blend contemporary rhythms into an improvisational context. It´s a procedure fraught with perils, but he largely succeeds. The slapping backbeats, and loping bass lines are well crafted and executed by Chambers and Lonnie Plaxico, and Gottshall gets fine performances from his fellow bandmates. Pianist Tim Murphy is especially good at floating long impressionistic lines over the drilling rhythm section. And Miriam Kaul provides two session highlights with her delicate song-like soprano work on Bought & Sold and her twisted take on bop-cum-funk on Zelda. A worthy debut session.

Cadence Jazz Review

"Tasty treats for progressive ears: trombonist Dan Gottshall has created an extraordinary work, The Golem Shuffle, his debut recording as a leader. Gottshall has done what so many musicians before him have done: mixing Funk and Hip Hop with mainstream elements. However the way he does it should appeal to all but perhaps the most die-hard fashion designer fusion fans....solid jazz, without superficial ornamentation, consistently avoiding every art of saccharine dribble."

Michael Stürm - Jazz Podium

"Certainly 'Jazz-Meets-Hip Hop' projects are as common today as 'Jazz-Rock' was in the Seventies. However what separates Gottshall´s The Golem Shuffle from others in its genre is the fact that its 'street rhythms' are enriched by an energetic and elastic Bebop, and a vital, explosive, powerful trombone sound."

Günter Huesmann - Der Tagesspiegel Berlin

"In Jewish Mysticism a Golem is a mute, synthetic being. The same cannot be said of Joe Wesson. He Raps in up-tempo over punctuated, hard beats, which Dennis Chambers provides with frightening precision and force. Dan Gottshall has brought these and other musicians together on The Golem Shuffle, urban impressions written from the soul........a very successful, intelligent mixture of modern grooves by the flexible trombonist from Baltimore, which with more careful listening comes across as neither mute nor synthetic."

Jazz Thing

"Gottshall is a performer and composer from whom much more should be heard and eagerly anticipated in the future."

International Trombone Association Journal

"Yeah!, Yeah!, I love it! That´s some funky shit"!

Mary Pat Hughes

Christmas Time Is Here!

Nagel Heyer CD 085

"Readers familiar with Gottshall's previous solo effort, the hard-edged Golem Shuffle, might wonder what kind of bend he might bring to an album of Christmas standards. While the Shuffle was all funk, hip-hop and attitude, Christmas Time is Here provides swinging takes on familiar holiday favorites and some tunes you may not have heard.

In this release, Gottshall continues to showcase both his singing and trombone playing. While only "Christmas Time is Here" is a strict instrumental track, each selection features Gottshall or Kaul taking rides. Gottshall's performance is always tasty, occasionally exhibiting that frenetic energy which made up much of Shuffle. Kaul provides fun sax and flute licks throughout the CD. Throughout, the rhythm sections are impressive. Especially notable are the pianists, Tim Murphy and Rolf Zielke, who display an ability to bond the solo lines and rhythm section by adding very tasty fills and providing some colorful voicings.

As you might expect from Dan Gottshall, this is a varied album, with tunes presented in many styles. It would make a fun present for your favorite trombonist, or a nice holiday addition to your jazz collection."

Online Trombone Journal