I just saw this San Diego pianist play at Vibrato in LA and had to check out to confirm if his studio work is as impressive as his concert demeanor. He leads a stron quartet of Robby Marshall/ts, Josh Nelson/p and Dan Schnelle/dr through a mix of originals and a clever selection of covers.
Of the formerthe band swings deftly on “Both Sides of the Story” and the Braziliany “Road FromCazadero” as Marshall displays a warm Scott Hamilton-ish breathy tone, and Nelson does some impressive interchange with the leader on while the rhythm team shows its flexability as it waxes and wanes like a changing tide on “Circular Reasoning.” Nelson volleys like Agassi here, and then chimes like like an ocean breeze were going through his keys on a rich read of Duke Ellington’s “African Flower.” A verson of Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage” lets the rhythm team flex its muscles, but they save the best for last, as they perform an ESP-era Miles Davis read of The Beatles’ “Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!” that is possibly the first time anyone’s ever covered that tune, and it works like basic black at a wedding. These guys got moxie in their melody! Bring them up to LA!