Year: 2008
Record Label: Jazz Vista
Style: Straight-Ahead / Classic
Musicians: Court Mast (cornet, trumpet, keyboards, programming), Scott Petersen (saxes), Tim Wallace (flute), Sam Grobo-Heintz (piano), Dave Bell (guitar), Art Monkres (bass), Kendrick Freeman (drums),
Review: The subdued and warm opening notes of Court Mast’s trumpet impressed me immediately with its unpresumptuous approach, allowing me to casually drink in the essence of the music. This persisted throughout this well-produced album of mellow jazz with a lot of flavor and gravitas. I like that approach a lot.
This one comes with a lot to enjoy, as the music is both fluid and melodious. Nothing overly boastful, just competently played tunes that obviously were well-contemplated long before the production room.
Mast, a California native with quite an eclectic taste and resume, was quite the San Francisco jazz and rock success in the late 70s and early 80s. He attributes Chuck Mangione and Henry Mancini with providing the influence that has directed this particularly project, which filters in subtle-edged spunk quite nicely when and where needed.
Of particular note to me are such tunes as the opening track, “Gold Coast,” with its slight Caribbean twist, and tunes like the rhythmic title track, the funky “Tam Junction,” the ultra-cool “Bridgeway,” the very bluesy “Jib Jive,” and the rockin’ “Highway 1,” just to lay down a few.
This is an album that quickly grabs one from the opening notes and escorts you on a journey through some very eclectic passages that, while not being imposing, are very inviting and clean. I’d say Mast got his point across quite well without a lot of studio shenanigans and hoopla. Clean, polished, presentable, and substantive. Great job.
Tracks: Gold Coast, Sausalito Summer (acoustic), Marling Song, Tam Junction, Bridgeway, West Wind, Lonely Sea, Jib Jive, Highway 1, Cat's Paw, Water Street, Sail Home
Record Label Website: http://www.jazzvista.com
Artist's Website: http://www.courtmast.com
Reviewed by:
Ronald Jackson
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