Death Of Expertise
Self-Released, 2021
9/10
A New Zealand resident for two decades now, Bruce Brown’s 4th album, Death Of Expertise, again showcases the vocalist and songwriter’s sage like presence, where heartfelt and joyful themes run alongside darker moments, as an all star cast of American and Australian musicians are on hand.
Brown starts the listen with the warm and melodic title track, where his smooth singing suits the agile keys from John Harkins and warm trumpet from Steve Crum, and “They’re Everywhere” follows with Glen Berger’s spirited sax amid a soulful climate of timeless song craft.
Close to the halfway point, the upbeat and danceable “Back In The Day” benefits much from Andrew Dickeson’s playful drums, while “Doreen” shifts into balladry with moving piano complementing Brown’s emotive pipes. “To Find Things Out”, a swift and highly memorable track, then makes the most out of the dynamic songwriting where each instrument shines in its own light.
Deeper yet, “Giving Up Is Not An Option” unfolds with a strategic swinging approach, and “The Music Plays Again” exits the listen on a romantic note, as elegant singing flows alongside equally sophisticated instrumentation.
A very artistic and also cathartic endeavor, it wasn’t too many years ago that Brown suffered a nearly fatal stroke, and although that reduced his piano playing, it certainly sharpened his focus, as evidenced by this career highlight.
Travels well with: The David Angel Jazz Ensemble- Out On The Coast; Mark Winkler & David Benoit- Old Friends