Featured Artist: Dave Sereny

CD Title: Take This Ride

Year: 2007

Record Label: NuGroove Records

Style: Contemporary Jazz

Musicians:

Lead Guitar – Dave Sereny, Saxophone – Darren Rahn, Warren Hill, Geoff Bournes, Bass – Wayman Tisdale, Mel Brown, Lenny Stalworth, Pino Pallidino, Frayne Lewis, Nathan Watts, Omar Edwards, Rhythm Guitar – Frank Selman, Trumpet & Flugelhorn – Jason Rahn, Keyboards – Mike Sereny, Lemoyne Alexander, Nikki Yeoh, Piano – Bob James, Synths & Programming – Vikter Duplaix, Percussion – Christian Rogain, Vocals – Delilah, Lemoyne Alexander, Vikter Duplaix, and Dave Sereny

Review:

Dave Sereny’s debut album Take This Ride showcases Sereny as a forward thinking producer and an eminent guitarist in the contemporary jazz spatial.  Sereny works with a handful of visionary producers like Darren Rahn, Vikter Duplaix, and Lemoyne Alexander.  Also, on board are a number of guest musicians including bass guitarists Wayman Tisdale and Nathan Watts, pianist Bob James, saxophonists Warren Hill and Darren Rahn and lead singers Delilah, N’Dea Davenport, and Ladybuy Mecca.  Sereny’s songs colonize vibrant shades of jazz breeds procuring layers of harmonies, luxuriating melodic phrases, and lively instrument interaction.  Like his song “Funkified” alludes to, the music pumps the listener up for a feel good ride with aureoles of funk, soul and R&B.

Sereny opens the album with a succession of upbeat funk-jazz tempos from “Give It To Me Baby” and “Funkified.”  The dance vibe in the jumping guitar chords and springy horn processions are catalysts for the other instrument parts producing melodic hoops toiling into a catchy fun mood.  The smooth soul-jazz pendulums in the title track are irresistible as Ladybug Mecca sings and creates a blanket of luxuriating chillout tones along R&B beaded rhythms.  The graceful instrumentation of “Fly Away” is complemented by Latin flavored guitar tooling while the smooth soul-jazz lacing on “Lucy” are dolled up with Bob James’ gingerly doled piano twitters and lassos of trickling synth keys.  The cheery tones of “Keep Goin’” and “Victor George Street” are crisp and impeccably polished encrusting a joyful theme through Sereny’s music.  The floating feel of his guitar lines on “This Time” pervades a cuddly warmth and motors more tangy-dance modulations on “St. Tropez.”  The romantic fuses in the horn arrangement of “Luxury Of Love” are buffered with decorative guitar stencils and tender finger snapping beats making this melody music for two.  The final track “Blueberry Groove” is adorned with an uplifting vibe in the jolly moving horns and sprinkles of synths which sprig moments of sheer happiness.

Based in Toronto, Canada, contemporary jazz guitarist Dave Sereny is a veteran player of jazz music having toured with numerous recording artists including many who contributed parts to his debut album Take This Ride.  Sereny has been nominated in two categories for the 2008 Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards and will be performing at the show as well.  His debut album makes all the right moves for contemporary jazz radio.  The music is buffed with warm funk and crystalline smooth soul in the instrumentation making the melodies aurally pleasing and commandingly harmonious.

Tracks: Give It To Me Baby, Funkified, Do For Love, Take This Ride, Fly Away, Lucy, Keep Goin’, This Time, St. Tropez, Luxury Of Love, Victor George Street, Blueberry Groove

Record Label Website: http://www.thenugroove.com

Artist's Website: http://www.davesereny.com

Reviewed by: Susan Frances

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