Tom Lellis brings in Brazilian and jazz sound as he sings, plays keyboard and guitar along with a well nuanced team of Gary Fisher/p, Ed Howard/b and Johnathan Blake/dr along with various guests including Brazilian legends Toninho Horta/g and Orlando Valle/fl.
Lellis has a warm, sandied and well rhythmed voice, working well on his own hip” A Bar Tone” and the reflective “Notes to Myself.” He and the band get into some heavy octane as they go modal on as Lellis adds lyrics to McCoy Tyner’s “Dawn Of Tne New World” with fantastic results. Likewise, his read of Chick Corea’s “Tones For Joan’s Bones” is a relaxed afternoon in the lawn chair. Horta brings some sensuous strings on “Waiting For The Day” and Valle’s flute on “Dance With Me” comes on like a Latin Lover. Nice waves to walk along and hear crash onto the shore.