Vortex
Wise Cat, 2022
8/10
Kenny Shanker is a man of many talents, and here he handles saxophone across 10 originals and standards as he welcomes Bill Mobley, Daisuke Abe, Mike Eckroth, Yoshi Waki and Brian Fishler to the exciting jazz listen.
The title track opens the listen with Mobley’s warm trumpet complementing Shanker’s sax prowess and Eckroth’s elegant and frisky piano as a timeless jazz atmosphere unfolds, and “Lulu’s Back In Town” follows with a cozy meshing of crisp drumming from Fishler, strategic bass thanks to Waki, and, of course, Shanker’s sublime brass.
“Ramble” lands in the middle and brings Mobley back on trumpet, as Abe’s proficient guitar accents the laid back climate, while “Nightfall” takes a calmer path of sublime and introspective song craft that’s quite stirring.
Near to the end, the plucky bass and soprano sax from Shanker helps make for a playful and stylish album highlight, and “Autumn Leaves” exits the listen gentle and cozy, as Shanker’s graceful sax is showcased amid the charming bass and the meticulous guitar.
This is Shanker’s 3rd effort for the Wise Cat label, and like all of his work, it’s full of top notch songwriting, a flawless execution and strong attention to detail that any fan of jazz will admire.
Travels well with: Joe LoCascio- Book Of Days; Aaron Bazzell- Aesthetic