Old Souls
Calligram, 2024
8/10
The guitarist and composer Neal Alger has a lengthy resume playing with many artists, and here he focuses on his own music for 9 tracks that welcome Chris Madsen, Chad McCullough, Clark Sommers and Dana Hall.
“Old Souls” starts the listen with Alger’s moody guitar alongside Madsen’s soulful tenor sax in a very rich climate, and “This Is Not A Test” follows and bops and shakes with a lively energy via Hall’s agile drums and Alger’s meticulous guitar.
Halfway through, “Go With The Sco-Flow” carries an intimate spirit via the cozy rhythm section and well timed trumpet from McCullough, while “If Only For A Moment” is full of dreamy ideas that can be quite stirring.
“Dance Of The Miscreants” and “Softly She Sings”, the last 2 tracks, are among the best, where the former blend the horns with a vibrant guitar tone, and the latter finishes with a soft and poetic demeanor.
An artist with an eclectic vision, Alger’s work is executed much heart and attention to detail, which is evident across this entire listen.
Travels well with: Alex Beltran- rift; Steve Million- Perfectly Spaced