It Comes In Waves
Slage-Koch, 2023
8/10
The guitarist, composer and educator Denin Slage-Koch has done much in his esteemed career, and he’s continuing the creativity with these 9 songs that recruit artists from the Denver area.
The title track opens the listen with Shane Endsley’s soulful trumpet alongside Bobby Wiens’ frisky drums and Slage-Koch’s warm guitar lines, and “The Road Home” follows with Ryan Keberle’s thick trombone and Seth Lewis’ lively bass complementing the meticulous guitar playing.
In the middle, “The Cost Of Apathy” makes great use of Jared Cathey’s fluid clarinet via the busy versus calm textures, while “Continue” embraces plenty of swing fun into the animated and rhythmic album highlight.
“The Philosopher” lands near the end, which is dedicated to Wayne Shorter, and mixes the brass and guitars with a dreamy spirit, and “Quiet Year (12/31/2020)” exits with a shimmering quality that’s intimate and highly memorable.
A listen that explores the wide array of emotions that come with the human experience, Slage-Koch’s vision is as personal as it is rich, and the very colorful version of “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” alone is worth the price of admission.
Travels well with: Randy Bernsen- Heart Mind And Soul; Bob Mintzer- Soundscapes