Inner Light
Truth Revolution, 2023
8/10
The alto sax wizard Mike DiRubbo turns in a 10th release as leader, where a new quartet with Brian Charette, Andrew Renfroe and Jongkuk Kim help him cover a lot of territory across 11 songs.
The very bright “JK In NYC” opens the listen with DiRubbo’s animated sax and Kim’s fluid drumming making for an energetic climate, and “Scrollin’ And Trollin’” follows with Charette’s infectious keys aligning with the crisp drumming and soulful brass.
In the middle, “Love The Same” finds an intimate place to reside, where Renfroe’s light guitar helps cultivate some warm grooves, while “Brand New” radiates via a lush and stylish demeanor thanks to the flowing sax, soft drums and dreamy guitar.
The last 2 tracks, “Campania” and “Dearly Beloved”, don’t disappoint either, where the former carries much reflection thanks to its strong attention to mood, and the latter places itself in mesmerizing areas of dynamic and thoughtful song craft.
An album of timeless jazz sensibilities, DiRubbo and his quartet offer plenty of solos, no lack of melodies and plenty of beauty, too.
Travels well with: Vincent Hsu- Music For The River Jazz Suite: The Spirit Of Love River And Mississippi River; Ben Miller Trio- Feathers Of Ma’at