ROY MOR - After The Real Thing
Ubuntu Music – UBU0081
Roy Mor – piano & Fender Rhodes; Amos Hoffman - oud & guitar; Myles Sloniker, Marty Kenney & Joel Kruzic – bass; Itay Morchi Peter Traunmueller & Jeremy Dutton - drums; Davy Lazar - flugelhorn
“Looking back, I guess ‘going after the real thing’ for me was perhaps leaving a secure position with Microsoft in Israel and moving to New York to pursue my dream of being a musician in New York City, the mecca of jazz.” says Roy Mor in the press release for this debut collection of originals and standards, and Bill Gates’ loss has been our gain. Mor has a light, confident touch, a sure melodic sense and a natural, easy accessibility that belies his high level of technical accomplishment. There’s a diverse range of influences at work here: ‘The Echo Song’ is a piece of tuneful folk-pop led by Hoffman’s oud, ‘After The Real Thing’ is a super-hip NYC trio swinger, ‘Jerusalem Mezcla’ is an ominous afro-latin 12/8, while ‘Nikanor’ and ‘Solar Reimagined’ are pieces of sophisticated chamber-jazz that would fit well into the ECM catalogue. Mor’s style blends aspects of Hancock and a Bill Evans lightness with a modern pop sensibility that’s very contemporary sounding: it’s interesting to compare him on standards ‘Speak Low’ and ‘The Nearness Of You” with his own material, to see how he works both within and outside the tradition. The band are terrific, with Amos Hoffmans’ guitar work providing a particularly sympathetic counterpoint. ‘Playground’ gives Mor a chance to bust out his impressively fluid chops on a dancing Jarrett-like gospelly tune. A very high quality endeavour.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
Ubuntu Music – UBU0081
Roy Mor – piano & Fender Rhodes; Amos Hoffman - oud & guitar; Myles Sloniker, Marty Kenney & Joel Kruzic – bass; Itay Morchi Peter Traunmueller & Jeremy Dutton - drums; Davy Lazar - flugelhorn
“Looking back, I guess ‘going after the real thing’ for me was perhaps leaving a secure position with Microsoft in Israel and moving to New York to pursue my dream of being a musician in New York City, the mecca of jazz.” says Roy Mor in the press release for this debut collection of originals and standards, and Bill Gates’ loss has been our gain. Mor has a light, confident touch, a sure melodic sense and a natural, easy accessibility that belies his high level of technical accomplishment. There’s a diverse range of influences at work here: ‘The Echo Song’ is a piece of tuneful folk-pop led by Hoffman’s oud, ‘After The Real Thing’ is a super-hip NYC trio swinger, ‘Jerusalem Mezcla’ is an ominous afro-latin 12/8, while ‘Nikanor’ and ‘Solar Reimagined’ are pieces of sophisticated chamber-jazz that would fit well into the ECM catalogue. Mor’s style blends aspects of Hancock and a Bill Evans lightness with a modern pop sensibility that’s very contemporary sounding: it’s interesting to compare him on standards ‘Speak Low’ and ‘The Nearness Of You” with his own material, to see how he works both within and outside the tradition. The band are terrific, with Amos Hoffmans’ guitar work providing a particularly sympathetic counterpoint. ‘Playground’ gives Mor a chance to bust out his impressively fluid chops on a dancing Jarrett-like gospelly tune. A very high quality endeavour.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
