Press

Press & Reviews

 “a new and important compositional voice”
– DOWNBEAT

“…an intricate sonic mesh [and] variety of tonal colors... It's heady modernistic jazz language and high art rolled into one.”
– DAN BILAWSKY, ALL ABOUT JAZZ
 
“a composer of great ambition and skill.”
– DAN BILAWSKY, ALL ABOUT JAZZ
 
“While shifting focal points, different emotional tides, and the track-to-track addition and subtraction of musicians all allow the listener to indulge in a variety of musical worlds and fantasies, Gould's voice rings true in each and every one . He excels at every turn, regardless of where those turns may lead. He brilliantly works the beautiful-to-brooding range on the prelude to "Apostle John"; he shows patience and restraint over a throbbing base/bass on that tune proper, standing in stark contrast to the raw intensity that comes from his colleagues; and he delivers a scene-stealer statement full of daring and darting maneuvers on "Blue Dales." It's easy to see what his A-list employers—trumpeter Wallace Roney, drummer Ralph Peterson, and saxophonist Donald Harrison, among others—see in Gould. He's got the musical world on a string, in his mind, and at his fingertips.”

– DAN BILAWSKY, ALL ABOUT JAZZ

“……had an immediate connection with his sound and concept: “Victor’s music is both beautiful and intellectual. He is a force.”

- STEPHANIE JONES, DOWN BEAT

“……his music is conceptually very clear, open to new ideas and different energies,”

- STEPHANIE JONES, DOWN BEAT

“….playing with him is a truly wonderful experience. He creates a comfortable atmosphere, letting players be themselves, which opens doors to real creative moments.”

- STEPHANIE JONES, DOWN BEAT

“…..Victor has graced our stage with the likes of Godwin Louis and Kyle Poole …..we presented Victor as a leader of his own trio, supported by Ben Williams on bass and John Davis on drums in addition to a special guest….”

-THE JAZZ GALLERY

“...the rhythm section in Blue Dales was empowered with the addition of Martinez’ percussion, that the trio impressed me most, relying on a stunning piano expressiveness and sparkling interplay to punch us hard.

-FILIPE FREITAS, JAZZ TRIAL

“Victor’s albums show off bands that can summon high energy and sumptuous lyricism in equal measure. On selected tracks, the guest list swells and there are even more colourful sonic palettes thanks to strings, additional woodwinds, and in the case of Shore’s disc, voices.”

-PETER HUM, OTTAWA CITIZEN

There are talented composers and talented instrumentalists, and then there's Victor Gould who happens to be both. On Thoughts Become Things, his third album as a leader, Gould presents complex arrangements written for horns and string quartets and multiple percussionists that display his compositional sophistication. Ultimately, though, it's Gould's own piano playing that is most affecting.

-MATT SILVER, WRTI Your Classical and Jazz Source

"Polka Dots…" might seem out of place here, but I think it fits in the way a lemon rind does next to an espresso—as a perfect foil.

-MATT SILVER, WRTI YOUR CLASSICAL AND JAZZ SOURCE

“……opens Victor Gould’s third album as a bandleader in a poetic unraveling that becomes beauty and heartache, recovery and hope in his piano voice.”

-CAROL BANKS WEBER, FESTIVAL PEAK

 “Gould’s piano spreads magic dust on the strength of one or two notes signaling offshoots in the distance, great and small.”

-CAROL BANKS WEBER, FESTIVAL PEAK