Cameron Mizell (Guitar), Brad Whitely (Keyboards), Kenneth Salters (Drums).
(Review by Steve T).
For anyone who's wondering, I can't find anything to relate Cameron to the Mizell Brothers whose production transformed Donald Byrd from one of the great hard bop trumpeters to one of the great Jazz-funk artists.
The Hammond/guitar trio is one of my favoured line-ups in Jazz. Between the white European guitarists who book-end the golden years of Jazz the guitar initially struggled to get heard between saxophones and trumpets (or even piano) but, once satisfactorily amplified, became prone to lapses into easy-listening, often rescued by the famous Hammond organ. Almost every significant Jazz guitarist has put it to use and this is no exception, although Whitely uses a variety of keyboards.
Influences include ambient music and the Jazz end of progressive rock; you'll also hear shades of Bill Frisell and John Schofield as well as seventies fusion guitarists like Eric Gale and Steve Khan who didn't come with a traditional Jazz heritage.
There's also some grungy guitar chords, but thankfully more the Soundgarden/Pearl Jam end of Seattle rock rather than the overly punk-rock influenced Nirvana.
The title of the album refers to the use of space, though, apart from the absence of fingers flying around the fretboard at the speed of sound, it's not especially different from other guitarist albums.
Some ambiance to start the album which really kicks in with track three but it's at its best when Whitely switches to Hammond on Take the Humble and Get it While You Can, the best track alongside Unfolding with a compelling contrast between syncopated drumming and the beautiful melodious guitar.
It came out on Destiny Records this Tuesday (October 18) and on CD too which is great for us dinosaurs.
Steve T.
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