Sunlight Shines In
Audio Daddio, 2023
8/10
The legally blind Puget Sound native Mark Lewis is well versed in saxophone and flute based song craft, and Ron Kobayashi, Bab Elefante, Steve Dixon and Nolan Shaheed are in attendance for these 11 creative tunes.
“Lunar Escape” opens the listen with much warmth, as Lewis’ cozy alto sax is met with Kobayashi’s comforting keys in the reflective climate, and “Mike’s Tango” follows with Lewis handling flute for the stirring display of meticulous beauty.
Further along, “Leaving Fall Behind” has Nolan Shaheed’s well timed trumpet helping cultivate a charming intimacy that benefits from Lewis’ absorbing flute, while the upbeat “Square B” spotlights Dixon’s agile drumming for the swift album highlight.
Arriving near the end, “Swami’s Song” has Lewis emitting a soulfulness via his tenor sax amid Elefante’s alluring bass playing, and “Lovely Dancer” exits with the careful rhythm section suiting Lewis’ skilled sax prowess.
Lewis has assembled an astonishing 1700+ compositions, and these pieces are full of melody, imagination and a heartfelt demeanor that will appeal to any fan of jazz from any era.
Travels well with: Mark Lewis Quartet- Naked Animals; Steve Gadd Band- At Blue Note Tokyo