It’s not often you get a jazz album dedicated to an accordionist, but that’s the tribute here, as Kenny Kotwitz tips the squeezebox to the legendary Art van Damm, who graced albums with artists ranging from Harry James to Joe Pass. This session has Kotwitz with some of LA’s best in guitarist John Chiodini, vibist Nick Mancini, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Kendall Kay.
The moods are calm and the atmosphere is shadowed, focusing on chamber group subtlety. West Coast Cool moods flow on “Crazy She Calls Me,” “Manhattan” and a sublime “Mood Indigo” with the melding of vibes and sighs creating long shadows. Chiodini is gentle on “When Sunny Gets Blue, and he dances with Berghofer during a pastel’d “Cry Me A River”. Mancini uses subtle marimba for a flowing “Estate” . Sounds of a flickering candle.