Category Archives: Guitarist

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Artist, CD-Reviews, Guitarist

David Gilmore: From Here To Here

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Guitarist and composer David Gilmore (not to be mixed with David Gilmour from Pink Floyd) has released a new album on Criss Cross Jazz called “From Here to Here”. The album features eight original compositions from David Gilmore plus two covers.

I have met David Gilmore some years ago in Langnau where he taught the guitar class during the Langnau Jazz Festival. He enjoyed teaching, we had a great time with him and he also showed his mastery in the concerts and the jam sessions.

The album was recorded in 2018 and the line-up includes E.J. Strickland on drums whom I also met at that time in Langnau.

The complete line-up is:

  • David Gilmore – guitar
  • Luis Perdomo – piano
  • Brad Jones- bass
  • E.J. Strickland – drums

The album starts with “Focus Pocus”, a very energetic composition by David Gilmore. After a great guitar solo E.J. Stricklands on drums and Luis Perdomo on piano get their chance to shine.  Excellent start into the album and it makes appetite for more music from this band.

“Cyclic Episode” by Sam Rivers is the next song. A nice composition with interesting changes and great dynamic support by drums and bass during the guitar and piano solo. Trading 8 bars of guitar solo with 8 bars drums solo completes the tune in best jam style.

The album continues with “Metaverse”, a song where the harmonies remind me of Miles Davis’ music from his electric phase in the 1980′s. The guitar comes distorted, the melody is very artistic and the groove moves between even and swing. The solo is a dialog between guitar and piano. A great tune.

In sharp contrast is “Child of Time” where David Gilmore plays on  a nylon guitar. This beautiful ballad features David Gilmore on guitar and Luis Perdomo on piano.

The band returns to an electric sound  with “When and Then”. The precision of this band is amazing, the melody is played in unison and all the little breaks just fit perfectly. We hear again two excellent solos by guitar and piano.

“Innerlude” is the next song. This soft composition by David Gilmore starts very light and open and indulges itself in it’s harmonies.

The album continues with “Interplay” by Bill Evans. This jazz classics features Brad Jones on bass. His great solo is outperformed by an incredible guitar solo. Sound and style of this song keep the spirit of the original with Jim Hall on guitar. One of my highlights on the album.

“The Long Game” is the next song. Another very rhythmic composition that allows E.J. Strickland to set the course. Bass and piano provide the background in unison for the staccato melody played in unison by piano and guitar.  Chapeau for Luis Perdomo for this outstanding performance.

The album continues with “Free Radicals”. The fast latin groove is the foundation for extensive solos by piano,  distorted guitar and drums. After an interlude Brad Jones gets his chance for a bass solo.

“Libation” is the last song on the album. The guitar starts the groove of the song followed by an open and melodic part. Solos by guitar, piano and bass round up this modern jazz composition.

“From Here to Here” is a great album from one of the best guitar players on the scene today matched by a rhythm section of New York first-callers. Contemporary jazz compositions and excellent solos presented with a lot of energy and enthusiasm are the main characteristics of this album.

The closing words come from David Gilmore:
“I wanted to get a smaller working group in the studio to facilitate touring. My very first record Ritualism was centered around a guitar-piano-bass-drums quartet; I wanted to return to that format (a) because I like it, and (b) because of logistics.”

So let’s hope we see him touring with this music and hopefully also with these outstanding musicians.

More information about David Gilmore and upcoming shows are found on his website:
http://www.davidgilmore.net/

And finally the complete album on Spotify:

Artist, CD-Reviews, Guitarist

Henry Robinett Quartet: Jazz Standards, Vol. 1: Then

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From Sacramento, California comes guitarist, composer, bandleader and recording engineer Henry Robinett. On May 1st, he released his album “Jazz Standards, Vol. 1: Then” which he recorded 20 years ago together with
Joe Gilman – piano
Chris Symer – bass
Michael Stephans – drums.

Henry has some more details: “Honestly, I don’t know why I left it on the shelf for so long. I grew up listening to bebop, and the great bebop players had enormous influence on me. When I wrote and performed my own music, though, I naturally incorporated the wide range of music styles I had played with other bands. I think the Jazz Standards album was just too different from my other work, which made me hesitant to release it. But after listening to it again after so many years, I like it. I think it stands up well and shows another side to my playing.”
The album caught my attention because I was looking to write a review of a “traditional” Jazz album. I thought of looking back to Jim Hall whom I was listening a lot these days but lucky enough this album came along.

The album starts with “I Hear a Rhapsody” (a song which I always associate with Jim Hall), no intro, no extra warm up is needed. The melody starts right away and the band plays straight jazz music with great solos from guitar, piano, bass and 4×4 drums.

“Yellow Days” is the next song, beautifully played with Michael Stephans using brushes and a pushing guitar solo by Henry Robinett where he shows his ability to play incredible long lines of 16th notes.

The album continues with “The Days of Wine and Roses” a jazz standard which I always love to hear. The version from Henry Robinett is again without any frills just enjoying the very well known melody and changes in his entertaining solo. We also hear nice and straight solos from Joe Gilman on piano and Chris Symer on bass.

“The Way You Look Tonight” (after “Yellow Days”) another standard from Frank Sinatra’s repertoire is the next tune. The band plays it in fine up-tempo.

“Ill Wind” comes next. The medium tempo invites Henry Robinett on guitar and Joe Gilman on piano to play intensive 16th notes in their solos.

The album continues with “East Of The Sun” another standard which I like very much. Henry Robinett uses a Chorus effect on this song. Beautiful variety on the guitar sound. The piano solo is outstanding.

“Invitation” is the next song. The solos by guitar and piano are quite intensive and create a lot of tension. Michael Stephans on drums and Chris Symer on bass provide excellent support support for the soloists. One of my favorites on the album.

After this intensive tune we hear “Soul Eyes” a beautiful ballad. The band starts easy with brushes but Michael Stephans switches to drum sticks during the guitar solo where dynamics increase and returns back to brushes and soft support when the head is played again.

“Why Do I Love You” by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein comes next. A heavy swinging band is the main characteristic of this tune. Joe Gilman on piano convinces again with an extraordinary solo.

“Pinocchio” by Wayne Shorter is the last song on the album. This rather dissonant song feels like an open end to this otherwise compact and consistent sound and style. The reason is perhaps that Henry Robinett has some plans. He will be releasing a volume of jazz standards, called “Volume 2: Then Again” in the near future. He is also planning on releasing two volumes of contemporary standards, called “Volume 3: Now” and “Volume 4: Now and Again”.

“Jazz Standards, Vol. 1: Then” is a great compilation of very well known jazz standards played in a very traditional style where the guitar is used as a solo instrument, like a saxophone. Henry Robinett is responsible for the melody and the first solo and he is not comping during piano or bass solo. Very interesting to see his role in this album. Since all those songs are timeless classics the music has not collected any dust in the 20 years since it was recorded. If you like this standard approach to jazz music, here is an excellent example.

More information about Henry Robinett can be found on his website:
https://henryrobinett.com/

And here is the complete album on Spotify: