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Maxfield Gast and Bethlehem Roberson´s “The Other Side” is a journey of self-discovery and bravery. It´s a Jazz hymn about the transformative process of breaking from routine to embrace the unknown. They build a powerful, soulful groove to enhance self-worth and seek freedom in the unfamiliar,  pushing through fear and embracing change.

-Fernando Nunez, Visual Atelier 8

La pista «The Other Side» es el resultado de la integración de talentos y el diálogo musical entre Maxfield Gast y Bethlehem Roberson, lo que da como resultado una canción fresca, atractiva y profunda que se desarrolla dentro de estilos como Nu Jazz, Jazztronica, Jazz Fusion, Jazz y R&B. Se presenta un sonido cohesivo en el que cada instrumento alimenta y propicia la base y evolución de la narrativa de esta obra, mientras que la voz profunda, sólida y directa nos lleva a través de una interesante y brillante reflexión en torno al miedo, la realidad, las luchas internas y, por supuesto, los momentos más edificantes al enfrentar estas situaciones. Todo ello se impone en una pista dinámica con un ritmo discreto pero contagioso y una fuerza expresiva que mantendrá a los escuchas enganchados de principio a fin.

The track “The Other Side” is the result of the integration of talents and musical dialogue between Maxfield Gast and Bethlehem Roberson, resulting in a fresh, attractive and deep song that develops within styles such as Nu Jazz, Jazztronica, Jazz Fusion, Jazz and R&B. A cohesive sound is presented in which each instrument feeds and promotes the basis and evolution of the narrative of this work, while the deep, solid and direct voice takes us through an interesting and brilliant reflection on fear, reality , the internal struggles and, of course, the most uplifting moments when facing these situations. All of this is imposed in a dynamic track with a discreet but contagious rhythm and an expressive force that will keep listeners hooked from beginning to end.

-Global Tunes, RMAS.mx

“Maxfield Gast: Ogopogo (2015, Militia Hill): Saxophonist from Philadelphia. I file him under ‘jazz-pop’ which is ever more off-base, but he likes synth-beats and EWI -- were it not for the saxes I'd move him to ‘techno.’ This is mostly electronica with commentary, including digressions on the differences between ‘serious" and ‘funny’ music. Of course, the world isn't that simple, nor, fortunately, is Gast's music. B+(**) [cd]”

Tom Hull - Village Voice

Bakithi Kumalo: What You Hear is What You See (2022, Militia Hill, produced by Maxfield Gast):  Paul Simon introduced South Africa’s Bakithi Kumalo to American audiences when he hired him to play bass on his seminal Graceland album. Already a well-known session player in his home country, Kumalo joined Simon on the Graceland tour and soon became a sought-after sideman in the United States. He went on to add his distinctive sound to records by Cyndi Lauper, Grover Washington Jr., Mickey Hart and The Lion King soundtrack. 

On What You Hear Is What You See, his sixth album as a leader, Kumalo collaborates with 31 musicians from across the jazz and world music spectrum. The arrangements present a fusion of the many sounds he’s explored in his career. 

-J Poet, Downbeat Magazine

Bakithi Kumalo: What You Hear is What You See (2022, Militia Hill, produced by Maxfield Gast) The album begins with the title track, featuring a spoken word poem by Ugandan-born singer-songwriter Tshila, wrapped with sounds of the African savannah. Ace saxophonist and composer Maxfield Gast, who has produced this album along with Kumalo and co-written four of the tracks, announces his presence brilliantly with the alto sax on the opener. “The cry for emancipation holding footsteps of glory walking this land that feeds the scorpion and the elephant alike…” The track wakes you up to Mama Africa and the music thrills you that there is more to come.

-Arpito Gope, RollingStone India

Bakithi Kumalo: What You Hear is What You See (2022, Militia Hill, produced by Maxfield Gast) The linchpin was meeting saxophonist Maxfield Gast in Philadelphia, when Bakithi went to sit in with a Graceland cover band. “I told him about my idea for the record, and he was all in to collaborate. Max is an amazing musician, composer, and producer. He educated me on mixing and mastering, added his musical ideas, arrangements, and production, and most important, served as a second set of ears and musical foil.” Bakithi called on a cadre of friends for the album’s ten tracks — including drummers Antonio Sanchez, Poogie Bell, and James Rouse, guitarists Biodin Kuti (cousin of Fela and Femi Kuti), Oz Noy, and Omar Haddad, and Paul Simon percussionist Jamey Haddad — somehow retaining a live-in-the-studio sound, even though the musicians had to record remotely for the most part.

-Chris Jisi, Bass Magazine

Trap Rabbit and Maxfield Gast: This Was Once Out Of Shape (2021) “Despite their moniker, Trap Rabbit makes lush and intricate music that is as far away from trap as you can get. While the name might deceive you, there’s nothing misleading about the immense amount of talent that the drum and key duo possess. Their latest single, “This Once Was Out Of Shape,” sees the pair collaborate with fellow Philadelphia musician Maxfield Gast and England-based harpist, Tatyana, to create a stunning tapestry of sound. 

From the very first second, a cascade of velvety horns and an angelic harp washes over you. The song sports a clear jazz influence with its soulful swing and easy rhythm. Still, the shimmering keys and switch-ups after samples make it sound incredibly progressive. The track isn’t simply borrowing from jazz, it’s more like a collage, as they cut and paste various elements of the genre to fit into their experimentation. 

Completely instrumental, it allows you to genuinely appreciate all of the nuances and quirks of the track. From Gast’s elegant saxophone to the energetic shakers, nothing gets overshadowed. Instead, they all coexist and complement each other in what sounds like perfect harmony.”

-Samantha Sullivan, WXPN

Trap Rabbit and Maxfield Gast: This Was Once Out Of Shape (2021) “Philadelphia-based experimental alt-jazz duo Trap Rabbit team up with saxophonist Maxfield Gast on a hypnotic new song titled “This Was Once Out of Shape.” The track includes intricate musicianship while melodic grooves and electronic elements add to the experience.”

-Anurag Tagat, RollingStone India

“Philadelphia’s Work Drugs celebrate two years as a group with their latest single Young Lungs proclaiming to be your favorite while indulging you to ‘drink up’ their pop arrogances. In excerpts from a Work Drugs’ 2 year anniversary release, Ben Louisiana and Tom Crystal state, ‘We were hoping to wait till 2013 to put this song up, but with the impending apocalypse we figured we'd put it out a few days early.’

El Segundo gets a shout out as does Los Angeles, as Ben and Tom bring Philly brotherly love and keyboard conceits to the western empire of angels and demons. ‘LAX is splitting the ozone, young lungs still burn.’ The metronome synths and unabashed lyrical gushing of self-assertions make this song more than a best-new-track, ‘asterisk in your story book.’ And if all this were not enough to ward off the bummer vibes of doomsday, Maxfield Gast takes it to the next level with his blaring sax tone that that stirs up new emotion while displacing point in time references of audio recognition.”

Sjimon Gompers - Impose Magazine

“Both Back and Model prominently feature another of Louie’s best assets – the music by Matt Kilmer and SweetPro. From the premiere’s opening standup, underscored by jazzy solo saxophone (Maxfield Gast), to the garbage men sequence, with its upbeat combo sound, to the second episode’s relaxing French bossa nova throughline, Kilmer continues his fantastic work on the series, complimenting Louie’s easy feel while leaving plenty of space for C.K. to play with. It’s a partnership that got stronger throughout season three and it’s great to see this element back in fine form for season four. If Louie is as consistent this season as it’s been in the past, and these two episodes are an indication of where it’s headed, TV fans are in for another amazing, refreshing season of comedy.”

Kate Kulzick - soundonsight.org

“And that music might have been the best fake ’70s rock ever put to tape. Scarily accurate tributes to the stoner-approved sounds of Clapton, Floyd, Blue Öyster Cult, Van Halen, and Zep. A few times I had to snap my focus from the scene to the song to see if C.K. actually licensed a ’70s slammer. But nope, it was just Louie music director Matt Kilmer and his band, SweetPro, as always. They manage to outdo themselves more or less every week. Louie should have soundtracks out on CD. Let’s make it happen.”

Zach Dionne - grantland.com

Louie (2010-2015, FX Network) Louie is less like a standard single-camera sitcom and more like a pair of different short films each week--or in the case of the third season's three-part ‘Late Show’ arc and this season’s six-part ‘Elevator’ arc, a feature film divided into, respectively, three or six 22-minute fragments. C.K. writes and directs every episode of Louie, and he often edits the show by himself. What might surprise some viewers is that he doesn’t score the show like how John Carpenter would score his own movies. That task actually belongs to the Brooklyn band SweetPro, led by Matt Kilmer and featuring Maxfield Gast, Adam Platt, Ryan Scott, Mike Shobe and Benjamin Wright. Kilmer prefers to call himself the show’s ‘music coordinator’ rather than ‘music director’ because of the collaborative and jigsaw nature of SweetPro’s work, “where all of the band members, and even Louis himself, write their own parts and we put them together,” as Kilmer described it to The Hollywood Reporter.

The band’s original score music on the show is either primarily jazzy or influenced by the sounds of whatever location Louie finds himself in, if the episode takes place in an ethnic part of New York or if it ventures outside New York. The music screams out urbane and ethnically diverse New York in much the same way that Joseph Vitarelli's jazzy score to 1994’s The Last Seduction screams out New York.

-Jimmy J. Aquino, Blogspot 

“Maxfield Gast has played saxophone on recordings with Philly jazzbos (Puzzlebox), ska heads (Public Service!) and elegant world musicians (Bebek). None of those things prepare you for what a clear and concise ax man he is — possessing a richly snake-charming tone reminiscent of a sexier Paul Desmond whether on alto, soprano or tenor sax. Even when Gast expressed himself through taut improvisations on his wonky electro-funk debut Eat Your Beats, you didn't quite grasp what a cutting sense of dynamics and spirit he had. Side by Side, the first recording from his Trio (Brian Howell on upright bass, Mike Pietrusko on drums) remedies that. Filled with self-penned, self-produced tracks, Side by Side plays it cool and straight in calming post-bop fashion.”

A.D. Amorosi - Philadelphia City Paper

“これまでファンクやアシッド系ジャズ畑で活躍してきたサックス奏者Maxfield Gastが、録音した 本格的ジャズ・アルバム。 バラードでは、ポール・デスモンドのようなまろやかなトーンで、アップテンポになるとブラン フォード・マルサリスやケニー・ギャレットを彷彿させる畳みかけるフレーズがなかなか聴かせ ます。

知られざるサックスものに目がないコアなファンの方にお薦め!”

“An authentic jazz album recorded saxophone player Maxfield Gast has been active with funk and acid based jazz field so far.  I hear phrases reminiscent of Blanc Ford, Branford Marsalis, Kenny Garrett, in the mellow tones of Paul Desmond in the ballads.
Recommended for hardcore fans who have a passion for something new!”

Vento Azul, Japan

“Here’s a debut recording by someone who’s got A LOT of interesting ideas. Maxfield Gast plays the sax, EWI, trumpet and keyboards, and meets up with a funk-laced band (Mike Pietrusko/dr, Tyler Lynch/b, Adam Platt/p, Ben Wright/b Mike Shobe/tp) on a set of ten tunes that, while imbibing the hop hop groove, mixes eclectic elements that are quite impressive. Some of the tunes like Death Bear have some rich sax section sounds that are reminiscent of Ellington, while Micro Zenith has some operatic samplings that will grab your attention. There’s enough funk on tunes like Ham Radio to get you strutting your stuff as well, but it rises well above the normal gloss, with so many interesting ideas flying around.”

George Harris - Jazz Weekly

“This colorfully packaged CD belies the funkiness within. This horn-led funky electronic/jazz/drum&bass/chill amalgamation of groove and phat licks is tasty from start to finish. Although at 29 minutes, I have one complaint: it's a lot like Chinese food, in 20 minutes I want another helping. This is fun, this cool, this is hip. Maxfield Gast, you can eat my beats anytime.”

Noah Peterson - KPSU

“With a trumpet and saxophone as the lead instruments, Wu Li may be snap labeled as jazz or ska. But describing this Brooklyn-based group as jazz, ska or even funk is totally insufficient. They are all of these things, along with straight-up rock, electronica, Latin and R&B. In other words, Wu Li is unclassifiable, but not because their music is so out there it’s hard to understand. On the contrary, their music retains an impressive balance of being ‘out there’ while remaining accessible, experimental with multiple genres yet deeply rooted in tradition.

Throughout their self-entitled album, released in 2008, saxophonist Maxfield Gast maintains a clear, strong tone, dancing up and down the ranges of his horn and nailing high notes with such ease and beauty it’s hard to imagine a squeak ever coming from such an instrument.”

Becky Firesheets - Knocks from the Underground