Electric Keys

CALVIN KEYS: Electric Keys
Wide Hive, 2013

SOUL JAZZ – Bay Area guitar stalwart with a cool but punchy tone leads a really nice all-original session. A delicious horn section gives these tunes a rich texture, and Keys jabs away with an insistent, sometimes rocking attack that also keeps touch with the blues.

Fo’s Picks: 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10

1. 3:17 – chunky soul groove, guitar trips lightly over lazy horns
2. 7:48 – sneaky, almost spy-music sound with a cool circular bassline
3. 5:00 – hard-riffing strut with attitude, electric keyboard & flute
4. 3:51 – bam! speedy drums bash away under rockin’ guitar
5. 3:27 – buttery blues glide, sweet horns; guitar pokes at the groove, fade out
6. 6:48 – great sound: stuttering N’awlins beat, sneaky riff, cool guitar & flute
7. 3:38 – straight-up blues guitar digs into a low-down drag
8. 6:27 – cool-toned modal Keys classic from the ’70s, floats on a higher plane
9. 3:30 – slow blues, with a low-fi feel and gritty guitar, long fade-out
10. 4:54 – spare solo guitar ballad: delicate, beautiful, yet casual

[ Fo ] - 3 November 2013