June, 2026
Hot off the Press!
Distant Valley Book VI is a playful and imaginative collection of original jazz compositions by Gregg Hill that blends music, wordplay, and visual art into a single creative project. The concept began as an experiment: taking familiar musical terms and transforming them — through rearrangement or embellishment — into whimsical, character-like names or fantastical ideas.
Building on this idea, Hill composed a series of tunes inspired by these invented names and concepts. To bring them into a visual dimension, he collaborated with Michigan artist Dennis Preston, who created illustrations based on selected pieces. Their collaboration sparked a shared sense of humor and creative momentum, resulting in a finished volume that combines 34 jazz compositions with 18 original illustrations.
The book is not just a music collection but a multidisciplinary work that invites readers (and musicians) into a quirky, imaginative world where musical language becomes character and story. It hints at possible future expansions — perhaps even live interpretations of these characters — Enjoy the journey into Distant Valley!
by Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
May 6, 2025
Admittedly, I felt a flicker of hesitation when this album first landed on my radar. In the past two years, interpretations of Gregg Hill’s compositions have emerged with such relentless frequency that one could be forgiven for wondering whether we were witnessing the onset of creative saturation. Yet, against all odds, this latest release not only distinguishes itself from the crowded field, it quite possibly surpasses all previous efforts. What we encounter here is both one of Hill’s most visionary and majestic compositions to date, and a revelatory interpretation by a group of artists who manage to inhabit the work so completely that it feels newly born.
Their reading is nothing short of exhilarating, both modern in outlook and deeply resonant.
To pull off such a feat demands musicians of rare caliber, and in this instance, the ensemble that rises to the occasion may come as a surprise. The Dave Sharp WORLDS Quartet, known for its eclectic synthesis of jazz and global traditions, might not have been the obvious choice for an undertaking rooted in contemporary American jazz composition. And yet, it is precisely this unexpected pairing that yields a project of such striking originality. Drawing from a palette rich in jazz, world music, and classical nuance, the group delivers a work of remarkable depth and vitality, a genuine delight for the senses.
"Catalyst" is composer Gregg Hill's latest 2025 album release, celebrating world music and featuring the Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet & Elden Kelly.
The Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet is composed of exceptional artists, including, Dave Sharp (bass), Hendrik Karaptyan (Violin), Igor Houwat (Oud), Mike List (percussion). This year marks a decade of their work together as one of the most intriguing world music groups on the scene today. Catalyst is a collaboration with the master of the fretless guitar, Elden Kelly where together, the album serves as a cinematic celebration of the collaboration between these talented artists and composer Gregg Hill.
1. Traveling with Gregg 7:38
2. Rue de Royal 7:05
3. 13th Century Lion 5:19
4. Ducks Night Out 6:21
5. Catalyst 7:53
6. Cidade 6:58
7. Savana 8:53
8. The Stray Moonduck 8:51
The album is available now at our store and will be available through all major music outlets May 1, 2025.
