Musicians: Chris Geith (piano, keyboards, programming), Matt Marshak (acoustic and electric guitars), Frank Scerbo (tenor and soprano saxophones), Mark Mullers (5 and 6 string basses), Donny D. (drums and percussion), Dean Kosh (drums on “Restless Heart”), and Al Davis (trumpet and trombone)
Review: Chris Geith is the Kirk Whalum of the piano, proven on his latest release Timeless World. Produced by Geith, the album is a treatise of self-reflecting tones that are both upbeat and soft in their prosing. Some songs are symbolic of those hallmark moments in one’s life that make one glow with pride, while others are dressed up with snazzy vestments that feel good to go out in, like a favorite outfit. Special guest musicians include guitarist Matt Marshak and the incomparable Dean Kosh on the drums playing out the upbeat vaunts of “Restless Heart.” Geith’s piano playing ranges from blustering rotations and glittering doodles to smooth creases and feather-light tones. Timeless World is a wonderland of music that tickles the tummy and giggles frequently while pollinating cheerful sprees.
Commencing with a series of jubilant piano jetties and seductive saxophone hooks on “Groove Detective,” Geith sets the stage to put the listener in a happy mood, which lasts all the way through the album. The collage of fancy-free horn sprees and piano keys coupling on tunes like the title track and “Morning Starlight” produce a cocktail-jazz vibe. The instrumentation dresses up the melodies with pleasing locks and tendrils of scaling notes in the guitar. The soft atmospherics of “Waves Of Life” are groomed with downy threads from the acoustic guitar and piano keys with a charismatic fervor brushing across the succession of drumbeats ticking away. The jolly mood of “Restless Heart” is heightened by the lacing of piano and horn fabrics, while the remake of Van Morrison’s song “Have I Told You Lately” is stained by warm, tingling tones that radiate of cherishing moments that come into one’s life. The sparkling piano brailles put notches along “Zero Gravity” and “Nice To Know You,” which create puffy trellises and bubbly rhythmic grooves. Sensations of serenity are released in the tender swirls of “I Will Remember You” and “Luna,” and the weightless feel of “Nature Of Instinct” has a breezy ambiance like the piano notes are walking on air. The dance-laden fibers of “Sweet Sensation” and “Every Moment Everyday” have brackets of upbeat piano flails and fringes of funky horns while the gentle fumes of “So Many Nights” produce comfortably cruising piano splurges entwined by acoustic guitar links.
The album is flawless and brings out the best in Geith’s piano playing and ability to compose beautiful melodies with an uplifting vibe. The music has reflections of those happy moments in life that allows one to hold onto the good times. Timeless World is sentimental in tone and evokes a giggle out of its listener. If you need something to smile about, Chris Geith offers the stimulation to make that happen.
Tracks: Groove Detective, Timeless World, Waves Of Life, Morning Starlight, Restless Heart, Have I Told You Lately, Zero Gravity, Nice To Meet You, I Will Remember You, Sweet Sensation, Nature Of Instinct, Every Moment Everyday, Luna, So Many Nights
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