LARRY NEWCOMB QUARTET WITH BUCKY PIZZARELLI - Living Tribute
Essential Messenger EM22017
www.larrynewcomb.com
Larry Newcomb ( electric guitar ); Bucky Pizzarelli (acoustic arch top guitar); Leigh Jonaitis ( vocals on two tracks ) Eric Olsen ( pno ) Dimiti Koleesnik ( bass ) Jimmy Madison; ( drs )
Recorded New Jersey, December 2016
Larry Newcomb is a guitarist and educator who has a Ph d in music and also a Masters his influences are as diverse as Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino, Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones. Apart from playing with his own group he also he also runs a guitar school. Has a guitarist and group leader he can cover a wide variety of music and styles.
Six out of the eleven tracks are originals by Larry Newcomb the most interesting of these is “Round Pond Reunion” which has some character about it. Vocalist Leigh Jonaitis sings on two of Larry Newcomb’s originals “One Heart Ain’t As Great As Two” and “Love Is Here” the former being the best of the two with a nice steady swing. The singer has another run of the mill voices but can carry a tune but is lacking any definite style.
If you were expecting to hear any of Bucky Pizzarelli’s solo work you will be disappointed as he is there in in a Freddie Green role as a rhythm guitarist.
Of the standard tunes “I Remember You is probably the best of the bunch with a steady flow of ideas and gentle swing.
The most rewarding track on the album is Horace Silver’s composition “Peace” which is treated with a reverence it deserves which enhances the beauty of the number.
Although this is essentially a guitar based group it is the pianist Eric Olsen who must take the the honours as he never puts a foot wrong throughout the album and comes up with some interesting solos.
This is a pleasant enough album will probably be appreciated by guitar buffs but has little overall interest to the general jazz fan.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
Essential Messenger EM22017
www.larrynewcomb.com
Larry Newcomb ( electric guitar ); Bucky Pizzarelli (acoustic arch top guitar); Leigh Jonaitis ( vocals on two tracks ) Eric Olsen ( pno ) Dimiti Koleesnik ( bass ) Jimmy Madison; ( drs )
Recorded New Jersey, December 2016
Larry Newcomb is a guitarist and educator who has a Ph d in music and also a Masters his influences are as diverse as Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino, Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones. Apart from playing with his own group he also he also runs a guitar school. Has a guitarist and group leader he can cover a wide variety of music and styles.
Six out of the eleven tracks are originals by Larry Newcomb the most interesting of these is “Round Pond Reunion” which has some character about it. Vocalist Leigh Jonaitis sings on two of Larry Newcomb’s originals “One Heart Ain’t As Great As Two” and “Love Is Here” the former being the best of the two with a nice steady swing. The singer has another run of the mill voices but can carry a tune but is lacking any definite style.
If you were expecting to hear any of Bucky Pizzarelli’s solo work you will be disappointed as he is there in in a Freddie Green role as a rhythm guitarist.
Of the standard tunes “I Remember You is probably the best of the bunch with a steady flow of ideas and gentle swing.
The most rewarding track on the album is Horace Silver’s composition “Peace” which is treated with a reverence it deserves which enhances the beauty of the number.
Although this is essentially a guitar based group it is the pianist Eric Olsen who must take the the honours as he never puts a foot wrong throughout the album and comes up with some interesting solos.
This is a pleasant enough album will probably be appreciated by guitar buffs but has little overall interest to the general jazz fan.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
