Elbow Grease
Street Of Stars, 2019
8/10
A New York City native with a long history in both classical and jazz music, Alan Rosenthal brings a hefty amount of piano to Elbow Grease, as vibraphones, saxophones, bass and drums complement the fun.
“Another Sky” gets the album off to a key friendly start with just Rosenthal, and “Up The Kazoo” follows with a horn filled affair of bright, jazzy instrumentation in a full band setting.
Elsewhere, “Drop Me Here” finds playful rhythms in the festive spirit of post-bop, while “Guitar Knee” moves with an agile presence as frisky percussion aids the warm keys.
Deeper highlights include Rosenthal’s upbeat version of “They Didn’t Believe Me”, and the lively brass dynamics and swing stylings of “Dextrously”. “Old Fashioned Valentine” ends the listen with bass and drums adding much to the sophisticated yet playful formula.
An extremely varied and well composed outing, Elbow Grease seems like a fitting title as Rosenthal’s hard work certainly pays off in spades on this fluid, imaginative record.
Travels well with: Dred Scott- Rides Alone; Shawn Purcell- Symmetricity