Tom Teasley/Dave Ballou: Inner Play

TOMISM RECORDS (RELEASED JUNE 1, 2026)

You walk into an art gallery and are confronted with an exhibition of twelve paintings created by two artists who are frequent collaborators. At first glance, you notice some distinct similarities between the pieces, but upon closer examination you begin to appreciate the touches that make them different. Some are impressionist in nature while others are more abstract. Some are pointillist, made up of individual dots and strokes while others exhibit a sense of surrealism with various elements in unexpected ways. Welcome to the exhibit called Inner Play, the latest artistic endeavor from the sonic brushes of percussionist Tom Teasley and trumpeter Dave Ballou. Using a variety of instruments, Teasley creates canvases of varied rhythms while Ballou adorns them each with complementary melodic hues. Highlights of this musical exhibition include: “Woodpecker’s Dilemma,” with Teasley creating a background of chattering woodblocks and Ballou joining this joyful conversation on muted trumpet; the peaceful mood of “Reflection,” featuring Teasley’s RAV drum (a modern version of the steel tongue drum) underscoring some of Ballou’s most lyrical playing; and “Elephant Dance,” with its belly dance rhythm established by Teasley’s frame drum and matched with Ballou’s other world sounds. Teasley summons up exotic rhythmic colors on selections such as “Electric Embers,” “Fingers” and “Memories of Muscat.” Accompanied by Teasley on a traditional drum kit, Ballou conjures up the tints and tones of Don Cherry on the abstract” Outside Inn.” The mournful mood of “Matador’s Lament” is the perfect vehicle for Ballou to invoke the colors of Miles Davis’” Sketches of Spain,” while he covers the full history of jazz trumpet (Armstrong to Marsalis) on the upbeat and jazz-infused “Anticipate the Good.” Teasley adds the sound of the bass melodica to the sonic palete on the conversational “Prelude and Interplay.” Like great paintings, the music of Inner Play will move you in various ways. Some selections provide moments of contemplative reflection while others will simply make you smile. Some will take your imagination of exotic lands while others will have you thinking about the masters (in this case Clifford Brown, Louis Armstrong, Don Cherry, etc.). Enjoy your experience in this exhibition of sonic delights.

BOTTOM LINE: Percussionist Tom Teasley and trumpeter Dave Ballou continue to explore the sonic possibilities of spontaneously structured compositions on “Inner Play,” a follow up to their 2025 Lunch Break release. Based on the variety of grooves, moods and hues they create over twelve distinctly different pieces, the possibilities are endless