Search - Kim Pensyl :: Places I've Been

"Excellent Cd"

tws | Michigan | 11/15/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Way to go Kim great new release.I have all his other cds and they are great too. But this time he uses real instruments no drum programming that is so often used by a lot of the contemporary jazz artists out there i don't have a problem with that. But it's nice to hear real instruments for a change.Every track on here is great. Get it!"

To date Pensyl's finest

Phasedin | New Jersey | 07/02/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have about 7 or 8 of Kim Pensyl's CDs. When he adds the slick female backing voices onto one of his tracks, well, it's good slick smooth jazz, the type that radio programmers love, but it's far from what Pensyl does best. On other CD's he will often place a nice quiet piano piece (maybe with an upright bass accompanyment), and that's where we see the real talent this man has that places him apart from the many faceless smooth jazz artists who belong more in the pop than the jazz world.
If I could have only one Kim Pensyl CD, this would be it. Although I do appreciate some of his early CD's where he played (or programmed) all of the sounds heard on the disc (and i'm a sucker for one-man projects), I do have to say Pensyl really hit "it" big this time. Here he pulls out his late 70's electric piano from his basement, an instrument once fully established in the mainstream of populat jazz but rarely heard anymore, and the result is magic.
Gone are the attempts at smooth jazz radio play via those previously mentioned female backing voices ooing and ahhing away and what we're left with is Pensyl's wonderful electric piano and trumpet playing along with some nice support from drummers, bassists, and several electric guitarists. Pensyl even plays some melody lines on acoustic guitar, which I don't recall him doing on his previous CD's. I guess i'll have to check my liner notes on those earlier recorings.
There also seems to be a bit more jazz content here as well, which sits just fine with me.
Now i'm just hoping Pensyl does another recording like this, electric piano and all. Oh yeah, and please leave those vocalists back wherever they came from as well. Highly recommend. Pensyl should be proud of this one.."