(Bilingual review - English translation below)
Calvin Keys guitariste de jazz a enregistré avec Ray Charles, Ahmad Jamal, Pharoah Sanders, Sonny Stitt, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Leon Williams et quelques autres. Né en 1942 il a maintenant plus de 80 ans et sûrement plus rien à prouver.
Terrace Martin est multi instrumentistes. Il a produit des musiciens tel que Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, Raphael Saadiq ou Kendrick Lamar. Né en 1985 il n'a pas encore 40 ans mais il bien est connu du monde de l'industrie musicale. C'est sur son label Sound of Crenshaw que les huit morceaux qui composent The Near North Side sont sortis. Sur l'album il joue du saxophone sur deux titres (In a Sentimental Mood et The Near North Side).
Calvin Keys distille son jeu tour à tour en accord ou en solo avec une franchise qui ne dénote pas même si l'album est plutôt feutré. La section rythmique est assurée tout en douceur par Ben Williams (basse) et Christian Euman (batterie). Paul Cornish (piano) renforce l'ambiance jazz cool - je suis tenté de dire West Coast Jazz - qui plane sur tout l'album. À l'image de sa pochette The Near North Side est une déambulation bucolique entre bossa, samba, blues et standards de jazz. Un disque tranquille qui s'écoute et se réécoute paisiblement, en rêvant.
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Jazz guitarist Calvin Keys has recorded with Ray Charles, Ahmad Jamal, Pharoah Sanders, Sonny Stitt, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Leon Williams and a few others. Born in 1942, he is now over 80 years old and surely nothing left to prove.
Terrace Martin is a multi-instrumentalist. He has produced musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, Raphael Saadiq and Kendrick Lamar. Born in 1985, not yet 40 years old but he is well known in the music industry. The eight tracks of The Near North Side were released on on his own label Sound of Crenshaw. He plays saxophone on two tracks (In a Sentimental Mood and The Near North Side).
Calvin Keys distills his playing in harmony or solo with a little bit of harshness even if the album is hushed athmosphere. The rhythm section is gently provided by Ben Williams (bass) and Christian Euman (drums). Paul Cornish (piano) reinforces the cool jazz - I think we could say West Coast Jazz - vibe that hangs over the album. Like its cover, The Near North Side is a bucolic stroll... a stroll between bossa, samba, blues and jazz standards. A quiet record that can be listened to and re-listened peacefully, while dreaming.
Emeric Cloche.