Almost Home
Sugartown, 2025
9/10
The Hawaii outfit Groovology bring much talent and experience to these originals that don’t shy away from grooves and solos.
The warm spirit of the title track opens with Aaron Aranita’s flowing wind and keys alongside Scott Shafer’s frisky drums, and “Mambosaki” follows with the playful piano and David Yamasaki’s meticulous guitar making for a rhythmic moment.
In the middle, “The Path” is an intimate moment that benefits much from Ernie Provencher’s strategic bass that helps set the mood, while “The Road Less Traveled” showcases Aranita’s sax prowess with much and meticulousness via the elegant album highlight.
Landing closer to the end, “Manoa”, the only track with vocals, allows for Sandra Tsukiyama’s charming pipes to guide the soft gestures, and a longer version of “The Path” exits with a radiant and graceful ambience, where all 4 players interact with fluidity and timeless jazz qualities.
A fantastic starting point for the quartet, the funk bouts, dreaminess and bursts of swingin’ fun make every track worth repeated visits.
Travels well with: Dave Stryker- Stryker With Strings Goes To The Movies; Eric Person- Rhythm Edge