Album Review: The Portal from Thor Polson

-

Album:  The Portal
Artist:  Thor Polson
Label:  Self-Released
Website:  thorpolson.com

Pianist Thor Polson takes listeners through an imaginative portal into utopian sounding worlds on his latest offering The Portal.  His rapport with the musicians on his recording displays a refined choreography, resonating a soothing stroke throughout. Even the ruffled twirls of Dana Mathewson's soprano saxophone on "Sparrow" are soothing, assuaging listener's senses with a lulling caress.

 
The balladry stride in Polson's keys strolling elegantly along “Norwegian Blue” has a meditative glint. The composition is a tribute to the majestic and often misty landscape of southern Norway.  The suave and casual amble of Polson's keys amplify a Dave Brubeck-esque quality in “Beyond Pettus Bridge: A Dream Deferred” while the furling toots of Jeff Keys's trumpet and Keith Nance's tenor saxophone add thickness and movement to the track.
 
The swirling motions of Steve Watne's harmonica give “Waltz for Heather" a rustic complexion as Polson's keys shepherd the wandering strands. Pressing forward, the sensual vocalese of singer Nancy Harms affixes a healing vibration through "Threnody," a tune dedicated to Polson's father while the flaring squiggles of Allan Adler's tenor saxophone on “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise” has a fancy-free versing that engages the listener's aural senses with a hypnotic grip. 
 
The Portal is dedicated to the memory of Charles Shelby, containing eight original tracks penned by Polson, a collaboration with Jeff Keys, Eric Solberg and Joe Dowdall, and the jazz standard "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise” written by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein. The tracks were recorded in the Twin Cities and southern Oregon where Polson has become a fixture on the club circuit.

Musicians:
Allan Adler - tenor saxophone
Joe Dowdall - drums and percussion
Nancy Harms - voice
Jeff Keys - flügelhorn and trumpet
Dana Mathewson - soprano saxophone
Theresa McCoy - drums
Dave Miller - acoustic bass
Keith Nance - flute, tenor saxophone, and soprano saxophone
Thor Polson - keyboard and piano
Darrell Pridgen - electric bass
Eric Solberg - acoustic bass and voice on "Potion of Solitude"
Steve Watne - harmonica

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Album Review: Becoming Marlene Dietrich from Myriam Phiro

-
Image
Album:  Becoming Marlene Dietrich Artist:  Myriam Phiro Label:  Self-Released Website:  www.myriamphiro.com Smooth jazz vocalist Myriam Phiro introduces a new generation of music listeners to jazz standards that made Marlene Dietrich famous in her time from the 1920's to 1940's with Phiro's new release Becoming Marlene Dietrich .  Although Phiro immerses herself in melodies that had been Dietrich's trademark tunes, Phiro tailors the songs to her likeness.  Her illustrious mezzo-soprano register is higher on the vocal spectrum than Dietrich's contralto pitch, which stamps the tracks with her own unique nuances and inflections.  Her treatment of the verses is finessed with a distinctly soft, feminine touch and a delightfully, hypnotic resonance, setting her style apart from Dietrich's. Her vocals cradle the lyrics of "Quand L’Amour Meurt," written by Georges Crémieux and Octave Millandy, with a warmth that penetrates the listener's soul as Hyuna Park...
Read more

Album Review: The Ways In from James Zollar

-
Image
Album:  The Ways In Artist:  James Zollar Label:  Label: JZAZ Records Websites:  https://www.rsberkeley.com/james-zollar https://www.discogs.com/artist/954763-James-Zollar https://wyntonmarsalis.org/personnel/detail/james-zollar A straight-ahead jazz oeuvre, The Ways In from bandleader and trumpet player James Zollar resumes a quest where pioneers of the trumpet's sympathetic vibrations like Clifford Brown and Bill Coleman left off.  Zollar shows audiences the delightful, melodious tone of the trumpet, moving in harmony with an array of brass, woodwinds, and rhythm instruments. The robust wails of Zollar's trumpet strutting languidly along "Do Nothing 'till You Hear From Me" emotes an enduring personable trait, unwavering persistence in the face of being dejected.  The recording switches to a joyful atmosphere in "Swing Spring" with jangly beats from percussionist Chembo Corniel, interfacing with the buoyant ripples generated by Michael Rorby's trom...
Read more

Album Review: Globetrotter from Luca di Luzio

-
Image
Album:  Globetrotter Artist:  Luca di Luzio Label:  Self-Released Website:  www.lucadiluzio.it   Guitarist Luca di Luzio's upcoming CD, Globetrotter  is an assortment of contemporary jazz tunes bridging funk, blues, soul, and Latin music.  Comprised of a few jazz standards and a handful of original works written by Luca di Luzio, a prolific guitar player who studied different styles of music, the recording expresses his personal vision of jazz guitar based on melody and groove.  Joining Di Luzio in his vision are bass guitarist Jimmy Haslip, drummer Dave Wecki, keyboardist George Whitty, and saxophonists Max Ionata and Alessandro Fariselli. From dance-funk numbers like "Jazzlife" and "Elisir" to the soft billows and reflective moods projected in "Smile" and " Buena Suerte," Di Luzio's artistry stems from his vision to make music that is aesthetically pleasing.  "Sunshower," a tune written by Kenny Barron, is a pr...
Read more