Simplicity
Dot Time, 2022
8/10
An artist armed with a fantastic voice and skilled interpretation skills, John Minnock finds himself in the company of Dave Liebman (sax), Mathis Picard (piano), Mark Lewandowski (bass), Pablo Eluchans (drums), Carlos Mena (bass) and Sean Mason (piano) for these 8 originals and standards.
The title track opens the listen with Liebman’s soulful sax complementing Minnock’s poetic, stirring vocals in the very reflective climate, and “He Was Brazilian” follows with Picard’s warm keys and Lewandowski’s skilled bass aligning with the expressive singing in the breezy, melodic delivery.
The halfway point belongs to “Cape's End”, where the adventurous brass and frisky drumming help make for a playful landscape, while “Bordeaux” moves with a sparse appeal that showcases Minnock’s impressive range.
At the end, “Everything Remind Me Of You” finds an intimate place to reside with its mature keys thanks to Mason and powerful singing from Minnock, and “You Don’t Know What Love Is” exits the listen with meticulous sax and a louder display of timeless musicianship that’s busy but never sloppy.
The originals here are top notch, and the covers of Herbie Hancock, David Shire and others are nothing to spit at, either, as fans of jazz from any era will be impressed with Simplicity.
Travels well with: Wayne Shorter- Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra With Wynton Marsalis; Paul Jost Quartet- While We Were Gone