Customer Reviews

Midnight Blue

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jimmy Bruno is best known for his post-bop and 40s-style compostions. Here he shows that he is equally adept at different styles. From the opening four bar intro which hints of John McLaughlin, to the title track with Larry Coryell-style harmonics, we are in for a different kind of Jimmy Bruno album.

After the opening, the first track "Secret Love" becomes a traditional number with Jimmy playing a long graceful solo. Jimmy shows his great funk ability on "Funk 'n Benny," where his sports a solid-body guitar and delivers a fusionesque solo. If you're looking for fast picking, "Hypertension" is for you. "Shades Of Grey" is a moody solo number. The highlight of the album is "Into The Blue Light," a early 60s modal piece where each player delivers beautiful restrained solos.

The album continues through diverse material, with fine performances by all players. Ron Kerber on sax has a great feel and tone. Dave Hartl on keys is especially crisp on the piano. Add to the mix fusion bassist Gerald Veasley and solid drummer Marc Dicciani and you have an album that is downright tight.

If you've been looking for Jimmy to spread his wings and journey into new territory, look no further.

Highly recommended.

I have been following the career of Jimmy for some years now. I have a number of his CD's, have seen him several times in person. I was a big fan, but got kind of burnt out on him. Until this CD. I really enjoy the new direction he is taking at this time. Kind of fusion/bebop/dance/funk. Most of the songs/arrangements are fresh and exciting. There is less of Bruno overplaying. This is more ensemble based. The sax work on this CD is just beautiful. The uptempo songs burn and the ballads move me sweetly.

Poppa truly has a new bag and I love it.

A friend of mine who listens to nothing but jazz has been trying to get me to like it, but up to now with no luck. I was in his car the other day and I asked him what music he was listening to. He said - oh that's the new Jimmy Bruno new CD. Well, I'm now hooked. This guy is a KILLER guitar player, and his band is just as great. My friend lent me his other recordings - they are great too but this one I can't stop listening to (I bought my own). Every song, every solo, every beat is better than the next. Now I know why my friend raves about this guy - I've become a fan!

This is a GREAT CD! Jimmy's playing is the best ever - very inventive, and it's great to hear him play around some different grooves too. As an artist, he always seems to reinvent himself, and as tremendous as his technique is - the music always comes first. What is also different about this CD is the band - very very tight, very deep grooves in many different styles, and intense interplay. These players are all amazing individually and together. When is the tour and the next CD??

The tunes are cool but the guitar playing is just a bunch of fast notes. The rhythm section is tight, but jimmy offers little in the form of interplay to my ears. I dont hear any artistry here, just a bunch of fast for fast sake guitar solos. the saxophone is much more interesting to me. To be fair, Jimmy is known for his fast picking, so if that's what you're looking for, look no further otherwise, keep shopping.

. . . likely to get lost in the welter of much more powerful and experimental jazz offerings.

As I write this review, I am listening to Josh Roseman's absolutely incredible disc, Treats for the Nightwalker. Can Jimmy Bruno compete with the rhythmic, harmonic, variegated instrumental soundscape presented in Roseman's disc? No. Emphatically no. Or what about Nicholas Payton's latest offering, Sonic Trance? Again, no.

Thus, Bruno's in danger of falling between two stools with his new disc, which explores a broader range of styles and richer sonic palette than previous outings; that is, he's in danger of losing his traditional base of post-bop guitar enthusiasts without capturing the Josh Roseman and Nicholas Payton crowd.

But for an artist like Bruno, I don't think he has any choice. He can't just keep plying his trade in the post-bop backwaters, retaining a handful of loyalists; nor can he jump completely into nu jazz. So his strategy of expanding his soundscape while retaining his formost virtues--extremely clean single note guitar excursions--seems the proper route to go.

And if you can forget about the dazzling discs of cutting edge practitioners like Roseman, Payton, Dave Douglas, and Brad Mehldau, he's come up with a recording that is entirely enjoyable and perfectly creditable, within its staked-out territory. As long as we're not looking for the Next Big Thing, I think we can listen to this music with great appreciation.

I, personally, happen to be more taken with the those who are expanding the tradition along more adventerous lines. But I have to say that, after repeated listenings, I have come to admire--and more importantly--greatly enjoy this disc which features certainly one of the most brilliant contemporary jazz guitarists on the scene.

I've heard Jimmy's CD's before and the playing is good in terms of chops and time, but where's the melodicism, where is the feel? Having checked out his latest, midnight blue, i am somewhat dissapointed. I expected him to take his music in a new direction--his writing is somewhat different a little more modern--but he simply turns many of his tunes into chops displays, like his long directionless solo over hypertension. There is an abscense of melodicism in his playing that you hear in greats like Keith Jarrett, Miles, Wes!!...Metheny, Benson. Nevertheless the group that backs Jimmy is solid, particularly evident in Gerald Veasly's playing. There's a lot to be said for Jimmy's acomplishments as a guitarist : his tecnical skill over the fretboard is obviously pretty high. But chops and fast playing are no substitute for strong melodies that fit logicaly over the changes.

After a hard day at work, there is no greater pleasure than slipping into a pair of sweats, getting a cup of coffee, rolling up onto the couch and listening to a Jimmy Bruno CD.

This man plays a mean guitar on this CD and is backed by some great horn playing by Ron Kerber and keyboards by Dave Hartl. Listen for example to "Funk 'n Berry" or "Philly Joe" to get a feel for the CD. This is music so tight it hurts. I am not often moved to write reviews. So when I do, you know it's gotta be good.

At first listen, I though, WOW, this is gonna be good. But after a little while I saw a pattern of complete fret board nonsense. I thought the tunes like Stella By Starlight were cool, especially Mr. Veasleys intro, but found Mr. Bruno's direction less soloing annoying to listen to. Some of the tunes we're cool and the Tenor Sax had a nice tone but because the focus was on the guitar, I didn't find that part of it (Guitar) very musical. Seems to me he was more interested in seeing how fast he could play.

This CD caught my attention thanks to a video game.Most of the tracks are very cool and they're moving.

I'm stepping more and more into cool jazz cds like this and love it! And you will too!