The Grace of Summer Light

Ken Navarro | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 17, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Positive Music Records
• ASIN: B0015X6RK8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #142,708 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Smoothjazznow.com

Navarro is flying at the highpoint of his career. He's the best thing in instrumental music today, by far.

This is a pivotal album for the genre and the fans - a life changing CD.

Product Description

This is top charting & award winning contemporary jazz guitarist and composer Ken Navarro's new 2008 album. Ken's magnificent new compositions and his signature acoustic and electric guitar work are supported on this new CD by world class musicians including drummer Joel Rosenblatt (Spyro Gyra, Manhattan Transfer), acoustic and electric bassist Tom Kennedy (Dave Weckl, Al DiMeola), and keyboardist Jay Rowe (Special EFX, Marion Meadows).

It would take several pages to describe each song on the album. These are not three minute tracks with a verse, chorus and bridge. They are compositions that go through numerous changes throughout. What makes this different from most progressive leaning music is that the changes are never jarring, they are built around melodic themes and flow perfectly within the songs. The reason a group of songs with this level of complexity can be so accessible is because they are so beautiful, diverse, and there isn't the dissonance that is often the hallmark of progressive and fusion projects. Complex solos, arrangements and rhythms? Yes. Self serving edginess? No.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inventive and inspirational., July 21, 2008

By 

steamy blues - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Grace of Summer Light (Audio CD)

Ken Navarro has outdone himself (and that's saying plenty) on "The Grace of Summer Light" his best album for some while.
Ken's is a smooth Jazz acoustic guitarist of consummate skill and poise.
Tracks like "Blue Skies Bright Dreams" and the gentle "Perfect Circle Sun" illustrate this acumen wonderfully.
Like most of Navarro's albums, "The Grace Of Summer Light" is primarily instrumental and focus for his guitar.
"Daddy-O" is a nice shuffling Latin tinged (with the persussion) groove with a nice melody and Ken on top form.
"Nomad" and "Looking Everywhere For You" are equally strong smooth grooves, whilst he switches to electric guitar on the Larry Carlton tinged "We Might As Well Dance".
As always, his guitar playing is incredible, powerful, nuanced.
His production skills grow sharper with every CD. As a writer he can stand with anyone out there.
This is a very special CD, with stunning compositions and ground breaking performances from Ken Navarro himself, Joel Rosenblatt (Spyro Gyra) on drums, Tom Kennedy on acoustic and electric bass (Michael Brecker, Al DiMeola) and Jay Rowe (Special EFX, Marion Meadows) on keyboards.
I highly recommend this CD.
This is a fine piece of Smooth Jazz which will please his fans and those of the genre.
I would't even call it smooth jazz...it's so much more.

The Meeting Place

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm addicted, September 27, 2008

By 

Julia A. Neph-Plein "JAZZY JULZ" (ELLICOTT CITY, MARYLAND - EAST COAST) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Grace of Summer Light (MP3 Download)

This CD is simply phenominal! Imagine your very favorite songs by fellow Jazz Guitarist Pat Metheny, and then imagine Ken Navarro, one of your favorite smooth jazz artists, writing material in that same vein, and you've captured the essence of this CD! I was excited when I heard clips of it, but today I just downloaded it, and have not been able to stop listening to it! Exciting, beautiful, unique, interesting... and quite simply... addicting!! Thanks Ken for a outstanding CD!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This CD is better then any previous one!, March 24, 2009

By 

Pawel Mirek (Poland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Grace of Summer Light (Audio CD)

This CD is awesome. Very good recording (I cannot say this about The Meeting Place - fantastic music, but poor recording), amazing tracks. It's one of my best CD's. I love it i strongly recommend it to everyone.