BASSically Jazz
Burton Avenue, 2019
8/10
An artist with 4 decades of experience with his instrument, David Finck has an impressive resume including collaborating with George Michael, Dizzy Gillespie and Ivan Lins, among others, and BASSically Jazz, Finck’s 3rd album as leader, again illustrates his unparalleled talent on bass.
“Old Devil Moon” starts the mostly instrumental album with crisp, fluid jazz sounds as swift percussion and spirited vibraphone complement Finck’s strategic bass playing, and “O Barquinho” follows with tumbling musicianship where softer ebbs are intertwined with the busy, flowing rhythm of bossa nova.
The instrumentation remains intricate and playful the entire listen, as middle tracks like the sparkling “Moment’s Notice” and the slower, contemplative “When I Look In Your Eyes” illustrate much diversity, and album highlight “Alfie” offers gentle bass plucking amid a mysterious, alluring setting.
Near the end, “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home” recruits creative interplay between the keys and bass, and “All My Tomorrows” concludes the album with expressive vocals from Finck in a romantic, light jazz exit.
An extremely well done affair where flutes, trombones, guitars and drums are all also delivered sublimely, the production is also top notch, making this a ‘basically jazz’ record that is impossible not to enjoy.
Travels well with: Christian McBride- Kind Of Brown; John Patitucci- Line By Line