Lookout
Clay-Tone, 2023
8/10
The jazz pianist Jim Clayton is aligned with Herlin Riley and Amina Scott for these 12 songs that showcase Clayton’s spin on the Great American Songbook.
The cozy climate of “Devil May Care” opens the listen with Clayton’s warm keys alongside Riley’s playful drums, and “This Can’t Be Love” follows with a frisky delivery of lively piano and Scott’s bouncy bass work.
Halfway through, “Time In A Bottle” is a more intimate moment of smooth singing and pretty instrumentation, while “Every Breath You Take” is an upbeat album highlight that puts a very rhythmic and infectious spin on the classic.
Landing near the end, the pounding keys and dynamic rhythm section of “Spider-Man” is a nostalgic moment of fun, and “The Rainbow Connection” is a gorgeous finish of lovely piano, poetic singing and soft drums.
This is the vocal debut for Clayton, who’s already picked up awards for his music, and let’s hope that he continues to sing, too, cause it sure does add an inviting dimension to his craft.
Travels well with: Marcus Persiani- In Motion; Emmet Goods- Another Level