Search - Eric Person :: Rhythm Edge

Very good mainstream jazz

Anthony Cooper | Louisville, KY United States | 03/01/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I saw Eric Person a few years ago without knowing anything about him. I liked his show, and was glad to see he had a new disc - so I bought "Rhythm Edge" from Amazon. Eric Person has his regular quartet - keys, bass & drums -- plus guests Ingrid Jensen on trumpet, Robin Eubanks on trombone, Cary Denigris on guitar, and Daniel Sadownick on percussion. The guests don't just pop in for a solo on a song -- they're incorporated into the band playing backups. The CD doesn't list who plays where exactly -- the songs range from quartets to septets. The disc has 15 'proper' songs ("A Word From Our Sponser" isn't really a song), 14 of them are by Person. The sound is fairly mainstream jazz, though some songs have a rock beat and/or electric piano. The updating might bother purists, but it's fine with me. Only the title track disappoints with its rigid rhythm. The writing is good -- "The Multitudes" is a highlight with it's good use of three horns. Everyone should listen to the samples, and they sound good, you'll find the rest of the disc better."