Violin Memory
Origin, 2022
8/10
John Stowell brings his nylon string guitar and fretless baritone guitar to Dave Glenn’s trombone on this highly imaginative listen, where strings occasionally enter the feel good jazz tunes.
The album starts with the warm guitar and soulful brass of “Social Butterfly”, where the pair adds much allure to the soothing climate, and “Remembering Laurie Frink” follows with Stowell’s guitar acrobatics complementing Glenn’s expressive trombone.
Further into the listen, “Stay Right There” brings much intimacy to the carefully picked album highlight, while “Lonely Blue Angel” moves at a quicker pace that’s also got ebbs of gentle moments. “Fun With Fruit Intro”, one of the selections with strings, then offers a quick display or orchestral influenced song craft.
Moving towards the end, the cozy “When Jasper Grows Up” showcases strong dynamics between the duo, and “Foundation’s Edge” exits the listen swift, joyful and full of a contagious energy you’ll want to revisit again.
A listen that’s full of melodic and harmonic sentiments, Stowell and Glenn handle their respective instruments with incredibly fluidity, and it makes for a timeless jazz affair.
Travels well with: Hal Galper Trio- Invitation To Openness; Darren Johnson- Life In Time