One of the best Jazz Guitar albums in recent years
Jazzy Dan | New York | 04/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you like Jazz Guitar you are guaranteed to enjoy this CD. The opening track has more than a casual nod to Jim Hall's "Simple Samba" - with some exciting solos by Rick and Tardo Hamer.
I think Rick's version of "My Romance" is itself worth the price of the CD. The way he does the intro is unlike anything I've ever heared. It's a melody line with an improvised counterpoint line, but it almost sounds like a duet between two people. Really innovative.
There is one full solo piece on the album "Song For Helen" where Rick takes a completely different approach. Again, not like anything you've heared before, yet with the whole jazz guitar tradition built in.
Rick's sound is just beautiful. Dark and smooth but punchy and very even. The Comins guitar is not just a beauty on the cover, but it sounds amazing, and Rick used some interesting miking technique to make the pick sounds pretty audible, with a very unique effect.
Of all the tracks that are worth the price of the CD on their own, probably "Autumn in Three" is the most amazing. It's Rick and Tardo Hammer playing a duet that I am almost tempted to say pushes the envelope beyond the Jim Hall/Bill Evans duets, and I don't use that comparison lightly!
There are a lot of other great moments on the CD. Rick's time feel is fantastic. Always rhythmically varied, swinging and always in the pocket at any tempo and he's always going for interesting harmonic ideas rather than licks. A true master of jazz guitar."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
