Larry Carlton once told me that his dream was to play hip and casual guitar in front of small crowds. That’s all he wanted. Unfortunately for him, but beneficial for us, was that he became world famous for his work with Steely Dan and The Crusaders. Here, though the venue may be large, the feel is intimate and cozy, as Carlton joins together with David T. Walker (not exactly a slouch, having been on just as many sessions for the likes of Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye) for an evening of music that is so tasty that you’re going to need a calorie counter to feel guilt free.
The two guitarists are joined by Travis Carlton/b, Gene Coye/dr, Paulie Cerra/sax-voc and De Marco Johnson/key, and the mood is hip, laid back and swinging easy. Half of these songs sound like they could be selections from vintage era Steely Dan, with it’s mix of clever harmonies, jazzy grooves and laid back swing. You get a nifty rock jam on “Burnable” and deft picking by the two gents on “Nite Crawler.” The rhythm team hits a nice shuffle groove, and Cerra’s tenor sounds delicious on “Soul Food Café while Johnson’s keys fit the right locks on “10 PM” while both gents use space, rhythm and timing as if they advented it. Not only does Carlton dress his solos like a haberdasher from NYC, but his son Travis makes some excellent waves on “The Well’s Gone Dry.”
I can’t remember the last time I drank in guitar solos so deeply. These two masters serve it both cool and hot, on the rocks or salted, and the only complaint is that there aren’t any transcriptions included. It feels so easy, but if it were, everyone would do it, and believe me, they DON’T!!!
335 Records