Anchor Points
OA2, 2023
8/10
An outfit consisting of 4 of New York City’s finest in the area of jazz, this debut has Russell Kranes, Alex Levin, Sam Weber and Jay Sawyer interacting in a way that can swing playfully, just as it can reside in calm areas, too.
“Feint” opens the listen with Levine’s glowing guitar lines alongside Kranes’ fluid keys in the melodic climate, and "Vivo Sonhando” follows with a calmer presence of elegant piano and Weber’s precise bass plucking.
At the midpoint, “Old Folks” is quite intimate via the gentle guitar playing and Sawyer’s cautious drums won’t go unnoticed, also, while “Two Sleepy People” radiates a cozy dreaminess via the introspective guitar and rich keys.
The last two tracks don’t disappoint, either, where the rumbling and energetic “Everybody Else But You” will get you looking for the dance floor, and “And So It Goes” exits with a poetic demeanor of subdued and gorgeous musicianship that will always be timeless.
Both originals and standards are present, as the quartet take nods to the trios of Oscar Peterson and Nat King Cole via their inimitable chemistry.
Travels well with: Affinity Trio- Hindsight; Benjamin Boone- Caught In The Rhythm