While he might be better known as the pianist in The Tierney Sutton Band, Christian Jacob has made some impressive music on his own. His latest release is from an intimate concert at Zipper Hall in Los Angeles in 2013, and it exudes taste and style
He’s definitely got chops and technique, as he demonstrates on a lithe “Giant Steps” and a foreboding “Stravinsky’s Etude No. 4 F# Minor.” Most of the time, however, he gives hints of Schubertian romanticism as on the flowing “That’s All” , the winsome “My Romance” and gracious “Tea For Two.” He can also deliver some impressionism a la Debussy on “Body and Soul” and delivers dainty snowflakes that dance on “How Long Has This Been Going On”. A coy “Surrey With The Fringe On Top” is quite playful. The only caveat about this release is that the sound comes across as a tad distant. Was it the mic? Otherwise, highly praiseworthy.
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