If On A Winter's Night A Traveler

RICARDO GRILLI: If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler
Dark House, 2013

MODERN JAZZ – Debut release from a young guitarist/composer originally from Brazil, now based in the U.S. His tunes have a flowing, dusky sound, lightly swinging yet cerebral, and his quintet moves together easily. Grilli’s cool-toned, fluid lines weave through bustling yet airy grooves, and Christian Li’s piano adds delicious complexity.

Fo’s Picks: 2, 3, 4, 7, 8

1. 7:46 – shadowy feel, off-center rhythm, piano builds, guitar takes calm flight
2. 6:17 – brisk & boppish: complex piano, busy bass/drums, questioning guitar
3. 6:21 – mid/uptempo, floating & undulating, excellent sax /eloquent guitar
4. 6:58 – very cool spiral groove: geometric piano & lighthearted guitar
5. 6:45 – slow, moody ballad turns gently: solos for bass and guitar
6. 9:06 – evocative contemporary glide with soprano sax, active guitar solo
7. 6:08 – laid-back guitar/sax line over soft but speedy electric groove
8. 6:57 – lightly propulsive, melodically complex modal groove, good solos
9. 8:19 – cool-toned, prodding sound: piano pushes, guitar rolls, drum solo

[ Fo ] - 11 January 2014