Album Review: Distance from Kenny Carr

Album:  Distance
Artist: Kenny Carr
Label: Zoozazz Music
Website:  www.kennycarrguitar.com

Fusion guitarist Kenny Carr revisits several original compositions that he wrote over 25 years ago and revised them with contemporary imagings for his ninth release Distance.  Classically trained, Carr embraces a large swathe of the music spectrum including free jazz, blues, roots rock, and soul funk.  Integrating a vast array of attributes, Carr explores his prowess as an open-minded artist.

The gritty roots rock tone of Carr's guitar soaks into every fiber of "Arrival," forming vibrating streaks across the track.  The recording cools to a soothing lather through "Until Then," as Carr's guitar strings radiate bright shimmers across the melodic bed.  Switching to a bluesy tint along "Like Old Times," Carr's guitar shoots beams of light, forming a pattern of glittering flickers, supported by the steady rhythmic pulse of bassist Lincoln Goines and drummer Richie Morales.  

The funky swagger in Carr's playing is enhanced by Goines's bopping bass grooves in "Primal Scream," moving into a synth pop/rock fusion through "S Curve."  The rhythmic beats of the latter track propel Carr's freestyle riffing and aerial flights, creating a stimulating soundscape for listeners and exhibiting a youthful exuberance.

Distance is fraught with exuberance from its gritty roots rock coiling to its soul funk riffing and freestyle jazz flights.  The recording is expressive of Carr's prowess as an open-minded artist, applying contemporary imagings on a handful of compositions from his past.

Musicians:
Kenny Carr - guitar/guitar synthesizer and keyboards
Richie Morales - drums
Lincoln Goines - bass