Hug The Devil
Self-Released, 2020
8/10
A Canada native who now resides in New York, Charles Colizza knows his way around a guitar and is well versed in jazz. Always unpredictable, he’s played many different styles and genres, and this debut album has Colizza in the company of Billy Drewes, Jake D’ambra, Nick Panoutsos, and Lukas Akintaya.
The album leads with “Ground Zero”, where plenty of ambience enters as spacey sounds and much cautious instrumentation resides, and “Mmm…Yeah Sure” follows with a quicker tempo of charming jazz ideas amid a frisky nature that hosts sax solos from both Drewes and D’ambra.
Near the middle, their sublime interpretation of Cole Porter’s “What Is This Thing Called Love” benefits from proficient drumming from Lukas Akintaya as Colizza’s guitar lines are nothing short of extraordinary, while “Line’s Celebration (Birthday Song)” pairs charming saxophone with playfully plucked bass by Nick Panoutsos on one of the album’s best tracks. The record exits on the title track, as skilled improvisation unfolds with each artist displaying their respective talents in spades.
Colizza and company turn in a top notch first album here, where superb texturing and timeless melodies ensure that each track shines in its own light while still being part of a cohesive listen that absorbs well from beginning to end.
Travels well with: Alexander McCabe- I’d Prefer; Chris Rottmayer- Sunday At Pilars