UniversalDice “War and Peace, Part 1” (SINGLE)

UniversalDice has a new single release (September 5th) entitled: “War and Peace, Part 1” (for inclusion on the forthcoming Be Reasonable album in 2026), and according to Universal Dice, this is not something to normally expect from them. Does the band name sound familiar? It just so happens UniversalDice won Album of the Year on this platform last year, and being familiarized through said previous album release, UniversalDice do not mince words about that. “War and Peace, Part 1” is an animal of another kind, so to speak, with a step forward in approach to the music and subject matter, and it’s a remarkable breath of fresh air worth partaking in for listeners to hear.

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/gerrydantone/?hl=en

The epic seven-minute track “War and Peace, Part 1“ features Ed Canova on bass, and Fred Reiter (New York Jazz Ska Ensemble) on an out of this world saxophone solo, and Gerry Dantone handling the rest, including all production duties. And while it might be coming completely out of left field for the UniversalDice, it does follow the traditional war song path about a victim of war recollection. This hasn’t been done by the band before, but it’s exactly not an unfamiliar song approach that way, and it’s something rather special in the process, with a nice gradual build up to virtuosic sax cadenza.

Once the track is underway, the voice of Gerry Dantone comes sooner than expected, as the story begins with some tasty guitar surrounded by huge musical breaks, with Dantone carrying on about the story of a soldier. The music is well-arranged with suitable vocals, and while this is not necessarily a jazz number, it beholds piano and other jazz inflections, falling into the category either way. “War and Peace, Part 1” is magnificent in every way, and it can’t be denied once you give it a listen.

As a song, it’s an epic piece of work, but also comes with a smooth jazz radio-friendly vibe, which is a testament to UniversalDice, with the help of Fred Reiter’s brilliant solo, which takes over in the latter half, once the music and vocals clear a path for it to sail. And it’s what the saxophonist does with it that matters, as it nearly takes the song over in a good way, leaving you wanting more where it comes from, which is one mark of a great piece of music. You just can’t miss it, so it really does the business.

“War and Peace, Part 1” is nothing short of breathtaking, and left field surprise from UniversalDice, which works in every way attempted by Dantone and Canova with Fred Rieter’s icing on the cake. The sax cadenza must be heard to be believed, as it delivers a world class performance in the studio, which Dantone mixed and overall produced with precision and grace, making the track everything it can be. If you don’t love it, the jazzy style is not for you, but if you get it, “War and Peace, Part 1” should stay with you for years on end, it’s that good and so are UniversalDice.

Mark Druery