Here are a couple of guitarists that are working on creating their own unique personal and group sound.
Guitarist Eric Divito mixes his lithe and symbiotic trio of Corcoran Holt/b and Alyssa Falk Verheyn/dr with occasional guests Steve Wilson/as and Mavis Swan Poole/voc on this mix of originals and jazz standards. He can get into a funky groove as on Wayne Shorter’s “Iris” or go thoughtful and contemplative on the subtle yet vibrant “2nd Story” and gentle “When Sonny Gets Blue.” Poole’s vocals give strength to a flowing “Skylark” while “Sun Script” spotlights Wilson’s warm horn. The whole band creates a rivulet of a deep groove on “Inner Urge” that you may not want to crawl out of, while things warm up as well on “Stella By Starlight.”Impressive!
Perry Smith leads a team of Dayna Stephens/ts, Sam Minaie/b and Ross Pederson/dr through a set of self composed pieces. Material such as “Talking Points” and “Mr. R. A. The Warrior” show the band delivering well paced medium tempo pieces, with cohesive interplay between the tenor and guitar. Smith’s delicate fingerwork is well displayed on the flowing “Street Sense” and the soft tones on the dainty “The Searcher,” while soft hands are on display on the fluffy “Open Spaces.” Some dark tones and moods are hit on “Please Repeat After Me” which includes assertive work by Pederson and Minaie, showing the band is well versed in many dynamics. Nice session for guitar fans!
Pioneer Jazz Collective
BJU Records
www.perrysmithmusic.com