Click to enlarge
|
The Haunted Melody (CD)
It's a great change of pace to hear a rock guy - albeit an extraordinarily skilled and knowledgeable rock guy - playing in a straightahead jazz context. All three of these musicians are pushing the limits of their technique and having a great time doing it, which makes this a much more fun and interesting listen than your average jazz guitar CD.
It's also great to hear some of Steve Howe's signature licks in this context. He's the only guy I know of who uses octaves in a way that doesn't sound like Wes Montgomery, and he gets to explore that here far more than he does in Yes. He even gets sloppy in places because he's pushing himself so hard - but all that energy comes through the speakers.
No, it ain't "Full House"; none of these players compares to a top jazz talent in terms of harmonic concept, swing, etc. And except for "Mood for a Day," the adaptations of the Yes material don't work for me. But everything else kills. Besides, there's lots of great jazz players out there still doing pretty much the same thing Wes did. It's fantastic to hear a new voice. Now I'm dreaming of a Steve Howe/Charlie Hunter duos CD....
An absolute must for any Steve Howe fan.
Limited availability - ships immediately
|