Not This Room
Self-Released, 2021
8/10
The Ottawa resident and esteemed guitarist Roddy Ellias is in fine company here, as the Free Spirit Ensemble bring subtle brass, winds, strings and percussion to a very diverse 9 songs that possess a distinct melodic personality.
The title track opens the listen with soft keys from Marc Copland and gentle guitar, as Kellylee Evans provides poetic and expressive singing to the very cautious landscape, and “The Street” follows with a hypnotic quality that benefits much from the very pretty guitar and light sax moments.
In the middle, “Closer” recruits clarinet for the dreamy, rich songwriting that emits much grace, while “Blood And Bone” lands in a very timeless version of jazz that’s quite emotive in its highly meticulous execution.
Approaching the end, “What You Needed” is a bit haunting yet packed with so much beauty amid its sparing use of instruments and plenty of gorgeous storytelling, and “Prayer” exits the listen with Evans’ voice and Ellias’ guitar working together with so much strength and profound intimacy.
A listen that’s heavy on mood and spans eerie to powerful and even a hint of sadness at times, Ellias and company pen a contemporary jazz effort that’s hard to categorize, but easy to enjoy and certainly warrants repeated listens.
Travels well with: Greg Amirault- News Blues; Wild Blue Herons- You & I