McGolrick
Infrequent Seams, 2021
8/10
A guitarist and composer whose music rarely stays in one single genre for very long, Colin Cannon returns with a concept album about the pre-Covid disarray of life in Brooklyn, where jazz ideas are just as prevalent as alt-rock, and strings and brass accompany Cannon’s creative vision.
“Get Up” starts the listen with strings and woodwinds interacting in playful, exciting ways as calm ebbs of beauty enter the unpredictable opening that benefits from CJ Camerieri’s trumpet, and “Can’t Get The Time” follows vocally and percussive strong as a very modern approach to jazz unfolds amid Cannon’s strong guitar work.
The deeper tracks are just as adventurous, and include the experimental and swift “Electric”, where Derek Van Wormer’s bass prowess impresses us in the dynamic landscape, while “Sunshine” brings a flurry of brass, strings, drums and wordless vocals to a blurry and charming execution of controlled chaos. “The Scraps I: Thirty Four” then trims the pace back to just a lone guitar in a very reflective and intimate delivery.
Near the end, “The Scraps III: Near The Park (For Kayo)” is a busy, majestic and precise adventure that few could replicate, and the title track exits the listen with a festive spirit that’s full of trumpet fills, marching band style drumming and, of course, Cannon’s keen attention to songwriting.
Known for his modern jazz and contemporary classical sounds, Cannon proves that he’s well versed in just about any category of music, as fans of fusion, prog-rock, electronica and just about everywhere in between will find much intrigue here.
Travels well with: Ty Citerman- Bop Kabbalah + Voices: When You Speak Of Times To Come; Wesley Fuller- Seven By Seven