Yes, a guitarist is delivering a tribute to a master pianist! What’s even more interesting is that Michael Blum doesn’t sound like like Peterson on strings, nor like Herb Ellis. What’s captured here is an ode to an attitude; sublime swing. Blums team of Jim Stinnett/b, Brad Smith/p and Dom Moio/dr take tunes made famous by Peterson, mix them with a couple of originals and create a nice buoyant go around.
Blum’s guitar is clean and cool, used to subtly swing on “Nightingale” and actually sounds like he’s doing a tribute to West Montgomery during his octaves and runs on “Tristeza.” There’s a deft classicism with Stinnett on an MJQish “You Look Good To Me,” while Smith stays within himself and doesn’t try to “Out-Oscar” the icon on a cheerful “The Girl From Ipanema.” Blum takes a couple turns at vocals and is quite cozy on “Ease of the Sun” and “Tenderly.” Unpretentious and enjoyable.