Album Review: At Blue Note Tokyo from the Steve Gadd Band

Album:  At Blue Note Tokyo
Artist:  Steve Gadd Band
Label:  BFM Jazz
Website:  https://www.drstevegadd.com
https://www.bfmjazz.com

A prolific and legendary drummer, Steve Gadd got his start playing in a military band when he joined the US Army in the late 1960's.  After serving a 3-year term of duty, he returned to the States to pursue his livelihood as a professional drummer.  He has worked with Chick Corea, James Taylor, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, Steely Dan, Joe Cocker, and numerous other leading recording artists.  He grabbed hold of the reins, leading the Steve Gadd Band whose debut release is their live outing At Blue Note Tokyo, featuring a crossover breed of modern jazz, adult pop, funky bluesy, and easy listening rock.

Joining Gadd are Jimmy Johnson on bass guitar, Walt Fowler on trumpet, Kevin Hays on keyboards, and David Spinozza on guitar.  The jazz quintet express an open mind about the fusion of jazz, pop/rock, and blues, forming sonic creations that have a perennial resonance transcending intellectual barriers and attracting everyone from the mass consumer to connoisseurs alike.

The Latin flavor of Fowler's trumpet toots in “Timpanogos” is bolstered by Spinozza's arching strums on the guitar.  The relaxing mood of the track is swathe in an island breeze as the coasting stride of Gadd's drumming carries the melodic progressions.  The bluesy texture of Spinozza's guitar strings cruising along "Hidden Drive" recede as Hays's keys scroll an animated dialogue followed by Fowler's flaring trumpet applying springy punctuations.

The recording turns to a funky country folk groove in "Walk With Me" as Hays's vocals drive the melody.  The searing shreds of Spinozza's guitar are complimented by Fowler's swinging trumpet toots.  Changing once more, the tracklist goes into the merengue shimmies of "One Point Five," pumping a Latin vibe into the album.  Then the repertoire comes back around to an easy listening rhythm with "Way Back Home" as Fowler's trumpet eloquently bristles in the listener's ear.

Gadd's treatment applies a modern jazz tint to a jazz, pop/rock, and blues crossover.  The music moves effortless with a smoothness that the listener's ears welcome.  Gadd's hold of the reins proves to bring him out of his shell, showcasing him as a perceptive leader and a musician with sharp melodic sensibilities.

Musicians:
Steve Gadd - leader and drummer
Jimmy Johnson - bass
Walt Fowler - trumpet
Kevin Hays - keyboards
David Spinozza - guitar