Jagged Spaces
Grassvita, 2021
8/10
The guitarist Skip Grasso and bassist Phil Ravita are joined by Benny Russell (tenor and soprano saxophone), Greg Small (piano) and Nuc Vega (drums) here, where their straight forward jazz embraces plenty of grooves alongside unpredictable, exciting textures.
The title track starts the listen with shuffling, timeless jazz as Vega’s skilled drumming surrounds the soulful and playful sax from Russell, and “Her Life Complete” follows with a calmer approach as sublime guitar work from Grasso illuminates the waltz setting.
Near the middle, “Blue Sunshine” recruits a blues quality to the incredible brass acrobatics and tumbling percussion as Ravita unleashes a swift bass solo, while “Circles” brings a funky flavor to the interplay between Small’s piano work and the hypnotic guitar lines. “Latin For Leandro”, a late album highlight, then illustrates divine chemistry as the musicians work together amid cultured grooves and dreamy rhythm.
The final 2 tracks, “The Homecoming” and “Chasing Shadows”, are on par with the greatness of the rest of the listen, as the former glides with a warm, frisky, solo filled delivery, and the latter offers a feel good mood of skilled and charming song craft.
The five improvisers here all put their respective talents on display in spades, as they flow in and out of these 9 originals on a debut that any and all fans of jazz music will enjoy endlessly.
Travels well with: Julian Gerstin- Littoral Zone; Michaela Steinhauer- Changes And Choices