So In Love
Timucua Arts, 2020
8/10
The esteemed jazz pianist, composer, vibraphonist and educator Chris Rottmayer is aligned with the vocalist, bandleader and recording artist Ashley Locheed here, as the pair put a very well done spin on standards and pop tunes with the help of Chuck Archard on electric bass, and Keith Wilson behind the drum it.
The title track starts the listen with mysterious percussion from Wilson and warm keys from Rottmayer, as Archard’s throbbing bass complements Locheed’s soaring, expressive pipes guiding the Latin influenced jazz template, and “Agua de Beber” follows with a playful approach of vocal scatting alongside eloquent wordplay where some mild pop melodies enter the memorable landscape.
Near the middle, “I Love Paris” is a dip into calm, ballad territory, as Locheed’s singing is on full display and builds into a bouncy album highlight, while “Something So Right” place Rottmayer’s proficient piano work on focus amid an elegant and precise adventure.
Closer to the end, “Sailing”, the album standout, then weaves the keys and drums around each other charmingly as Locheed shows us her vocal range on an exceptional version of the Christopher Cross classic, and “La Vie en Rose” is a close 2nd for the highlight as the firm drumbeat and universal approach is as timeless as it is mesmerizing. The final track is another version of “So In Love”, and this time it’s a more swing friendly rendition that finishes the listen as strong as it started.
An album that’s both intimate and worldly, there’s no shortage of sublime solos to be found here, as all participants turn in a top notch performance of tunes most of us have heard before, but never quite like this.
Travels well with: Matt DeMerritt- Fool’s Journey; Sue Anne Gershenzon- You Must Believe In Spring