Year: 2008
Record Label: SmartCatMusic
Style: Straight-Ahead / Classic
Musicians: Rory Stuart (guitar), Mark Shim (tenor sax), Matt Penman (acoustic bass), Ari Hoenig (drums).
Review: New York City-reared educator (New York City’s New School) and well-traveled jazz guitarist Rory Stuart struts his laudable stuff on this 2007 release that should hopefully garner him some widespread recognition. Count him among the busy progressive guitarists working in the USA and abroad. And with his estimable band-mates, Stuart pursues a get up and go framework consisting of spirited bop grooves, and odd-metered unison runs. Hence, the band’s commitment to solid music-making pays sterling dividends throughout.
Stuart’s extensive jazz vernacular shines glisteningly, thanks to his intricately engineered chord progressions and animated mode of delivery. Featuring tenor saxophonist Mark Shim, the band executes quite a bit of pop and zing during these zestful works, designed with subtle surprises and a few nicely arranged twists and turns. At times, the soloists engage in a bit of slicing and dicing, yet many of these comps are structured upon airy themes that spawn an oscillating ebb and flow.
On “Lembrancas,” the quartet fuses a memorable hook with a bustling Latin vamp, topped off by Stuart’s harmonically appealing solo. As they let the good times roll even further, due to the simmering bump and grind hard bop vibe conjured up on the piece interestingly titled “Pensive.” But part of the album’s success pertains to Shim and Stuart’s shrewdly organized dynamics, where edgy soloing is apt to give way to catchy hooks and wide-open vistas. In sum, Stuart has firmly planted his distinct presence on the jazz radar thanks to this superfine effort, awash with his solid comps and fluid undercurrents.
Record Label Website: http://www.smartcatmusic.com
Artist's Website: http://www.rorystuart.com
Reviewed by:
Glenn Astarita
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