Ah! A no frills guitar solo album. I thought people forgot how to make these after Joe Pass died. Masterful at the frets but always exuding taste over chops, Andy Brown gives intimate readings of 14 standards and surprises, ranging from the lyrical “Dancing In The Dark” to some fun rabbit trails such as “Drum Boogie.” He makes the melody do the work here, the sign of an artist confident of his material, and then takes a tune such as “It’s The Talk of The Town” or “Anything Goes” and adds a few oil color brush strokes to give it extra depth and hues. He’s adept at the Brazilian side of things, giving hints of Gilberto on the tender “Estate” and “O Barquino” and making ballads flow like a breeze through linen drapes on “Nina Never Knew.” A tender trap.
Delmark Records