Last Night
Ride Symbol, 2021
8/10
The esteemed guitarist Dan Rose takes on an impressive project here, where he brings his impressive talent to 13 classic tunes from artists like Duke Ellington, Henry Mancini, and Johnny Green, among many others.
“Body And Soul” starts the listen with warm, agile guitar in the emotive and reflective classic, and “Darn That Dream” follows with much beauty and grace in the cautious, melodic setting.
Residing near the middle, “Tenderly” flows with sublime finger acrobatics that are nothing short of captivating, while “What’s New” is a glorious and shimmering display of timeless guitar skill. “If I Loved You”, one of the album’s best, then indeed gets romantic, as soulful and cascading beauty enter the landscape.
Close to the end, “Last Night When We Were Young” finds a dreamy place to reside in its mesmerizing execution, and “Medley” exits the listen with several tracks meshed together in an exceptional and commanding finish to the solo guitar effort.
Heavy on balladry and melodic soloing, Rose tweaks these love songs with much effective, subtle techniques that result in interpretations that illuminate these classics in an entirely new light- and one you’ll want to revisit again.
Travels well with: Reza Khan- Imaginary Road; Dave Stryker- Baker’s Circle