Frank Kimbrough is a fulfilling pianist, a precious element of the New York jazz scene, who deserves accolade for his musical capabilities, shown both as a bandleader and sideman. His influences range from Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans to Paul Bley and Andrew Hill. Recognized bandleaders such as Maria Schneider, Dewey Redman, Michael Blake, Ted Nash, and Ben Allison, with whom he co-led the Herbie Nichols Project, elevated his pianistic talents within their own projects.
Solstice, Kimbrough’s first album on Pirouet after a longtime association with Palmetto, adopts the introspective moods of Bill Evans trio as it explores the music of composers such as Maria Schneider, Annette Peacock, Andrew Hill, George Gershwin, Carla Bley, Paul Motian, and
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The next move is no less than bewildering: “Here Come the Honey Man” is a Gershwin tune that doesn’t sound like Gershwin. The imminent electricity of Hirshfield’s cymbal work, together with Anderson’s encouraging bass lines, enriches the bandleader’s strong harmonic passages and contemplative …show more content…
It moves at a reverberant 6/8 time, guaranteeing inquisitiveness and expressiveness in considerable proportions. Clearly, the trio was more concerned with the overall sound they may extract than with any type of individual ride.
The couple last tunes of the record deserve to be mentioned for their intensity and powerful interplay. “El Cordobes”, composed by Annette Peacock, was assembled with an incisive groove as a base, involving us with the stirring vibes poured from the interesting rhythmic and melodic ideas generated. Maria Schneider’s sweet ballad “Walking by Flashlights” opposes to the latter tune by irradiating warmth and serenity.
The untroubled conditions in Solstice invites us to meditate and rest, suggesting tolerance as it breathes comfortably at every note. It describes mostly peaceful atmospheres as it attempts to convey that the world and we are seen as one. This is a ruminative work that the ones looking for quality would be content to