Guitarist Will Brahm’s skills have ranged from being in big sounding orchestras including Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band to being a sideman to vocalists Jane Monheit and Gretchen Parlato. For his own album, he focuses on rich and lyrical themes, teaming up with a sublime collection in Chris Wabich/dr-perc, Diego Alvarez/perc, Ahmet Turkmenoglu/b and Katisse Buckingham/fl. The result is a pastoral collection of rich sonic pastels that feel like a stroll in Givenchy.
Brahm’s touch on the strings is spacious, never cluttered, but still always moving forward as he glides over the percolating pulses on “Madrid” and “Left You In The Desert” like a pelican gliding and then swooping down for prey. Buckingham’s flute is fluffy and airy, wafting like a cirrus cloud for the soulful “Finding North” and buoyant on the festive “Casita Blanca Del Mar.” Brahm’s strings dance like a dervish with the Middle Eastern groove of the Ottoman mooded “Walking In Karakoy” as the percussion snaps and sizzles under Buckingham’s exciting solo, while the team shows some intuitive interplay as they close out on “Epilogue: Home Is Everywhere.” Exciting music in its subtlety, winning you over with a melodic strength.