One general characteristic that
defines a career musician is the relationship between the persona
and the instrument oftentimes melding into one definitive artistic
extension; that glorious unification of mind, body and soul whose
musical spirit is conveyed through the instrument--inflections
spiral relentlessly, freely as wavelengths absorbed--is the defining
moment of total musical enlightenment. The question remains:
how far does a musician need to travel in a lifetime of practicing
and performing to gain such spiritual illumination in his or
her musical work? This pursuit for perfection can be heard in
the music of pianist Tim Lyddon and his recent CD titled "I've
Travel So Far."
Lyddon's approach to the piano is subtle and lucid, fresh
and mild like a midsummer morning as he articulates the Jazz
language with precision. On this occasion, Tim is joined by bassist
Tom Hubbard and drummer Scott Latzky. The trio performs a total
of 10 mostly original compositions incorporating many elements
of the traditional classic Jazz art form with contemporary undertones.
The tandem of Hubbard and Latzky swing easy and free on the Jazz
standard, the Sammy Cahn's composition "I Should Care."
The opening title track, "I've Traveled So Far"
is a medium tempo swing that establishes the trio's resonance,
vigor and tremendous interaction between these veteran musicians--a
pure unadulterated musical escapade. On "Angela" the
trio's sound is logical and well-structured in its lyrical approach.
Other tunes include "Theme For A Lost Real", "Just
Passin' By", "Beautiful Feeling", "What Time
Is It" and "Freedom Piece." One of the most exciting
tunes is "Dreamland" which starts with a long solo
piano interlude and breaks into a straightforward swing with
Hubbard laying down a bass solo worthy of mention. Perhaps the
highlight of the CD is the last track where Tim performs a remarkable
solo rendition of Burke-Van Heusen classic composition "I
Thought About You." It could not have ended any better.
Undoubtedly, Tim is an amazing musician whose style is forged
on past influences that include some of the masters like Bill
Evans, Keith Jarrett, Ravel and Debussy just to name a few as
evident throughout. His dedication to the piano and music is
very apparent in every note he plays. In few words, the trio
performs flawlessly and passionately from start to finish. If
you enjoy easy listening in a classic jazz setting, this CD is
well recommended.
review by John Davis
JDavis@latnjazzclub.com
Contributing writer
LatinJazzClub Magazine
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