If you’re a guitar fan of the straight-ahead variety, get a load of this lady Kristen R. Bromley. Her style is a melding together of vintage Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino and a dash of Pat Metheny-what more do you want, buddy?
She fronts a simpatico team of Ray Smith/ts-fl, Steve Erickson/p, Matt Larson/b and Jay Lawrence/dr through a collection of hip originals, with a gorgeous hymn thrown in for good measure. Her octaves are tasty and serve up a Sunday service well on “O Great God-How Great Thou Art” whle she does a nifty R&Bish “Faith Preceded My Miracle” with Smiths preachy tenor sax. She boogaloos in blue on “Groove O’Clock Time” and the team runs through the tricky obstacle course of “Pillar of Fire” like veteran Marine sergeants. The strings are easy on “Just Walkin’” with Smith, while the two get down and funky on a foot stomping “Junkyard Dog”. The moods are misty for “Paint Me A Picture My Love” with Smith feathery on the flute, and the team is luminous for “Through The Veil”. Repeated rewards.