Dr. Denny Zeitlin has made a career of creating a catalogue of some of the most imaginatively lyrical and sublime acoustic solo and trio sessions in the line of Bill Evans. This time around, the good doctor changes the prescription and treatment, mixing his signature sound with electronics that provide bass lines, percussion and a wide range of experimental sounds. Those accustomed to Zeitlin’s touch will be in for a jolt on the Weather Report atmospheres and riffs that bounce around on “Meteorology” and “Tiger, Tiger.” Even more experimental is the spontaneous electronics that mimic flute, bass and other percussion instruments on “Charango Dream,” and more successful is the “strings” and bass duet on “Dawn.” What works best of all are when both worlds show restraint and deference as on “Kathryn’s Song” and “Piano Segue” showing that disparate approaches to jazz can work well. A fascinating experiment that succeeds quite well on various fronts.
Sunnyside Records