Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jeffrey Burr: Bright Blue

265

Jeffrey Burr: Bright Blue

By

Sign in to view read count
Jeffrey Burr: Bright Blue
Jeffrey Burr's 2000 debut disc By Myself , a veritable masterpiece of solo jazz guitar, boldly declared the presence of a bright new voice. He has continued the excellence in trio format on Bright Blue , which stands as one of the finest mainstream guitar albums of the past couple of years. Burr's resumé includes jobs with Dizzy Gillespie and Norah Jones, and he stands poised to become one of America's top voices on the archtop. And if you think that's hyperbole, you haven't heard the man.

More harmonically adventurous than Jim Hall, yet with a similar measure of technical virtuosity, Burr is also a notable composer. Two of these tunes, "Myoko" and "The Logician", were previously interpreted on By Myself. While Burr carefully caressed every nuance and flourish on his first disc, as fleshed out by the present trio the tunes take on an entirely different luster. On pieces like "Wayne's Refrain" and the title track, his well-miked tone practically sends sparkles from the speakers. Ari Hoenig, John Hebert and (on the central three tracks) Steve Doyle offer up letter-perfect support, letting the leader navigate as he sees fit.

Burr nods to Hollywood by tackling John Williams' "Han Solo and the Princess", from Star Wars , and "Somewhere Out There". But these are not the usual tired movie-score rehashes; rather Burr and friends polish them up and present them as delectable new offerings. His interpretation of "Somewhere" is almost painfully poignant, worlds beyond the film's own sentimentality. Renditions of Thelonious Monk's "Locomotive" bookend the other material, showing that Burr knows his bebop as well as anything else. Relaxing, impressively musical, simply outstanding.

Visit Jeffrey Burr on the web at www.jeffreyburrjazz.com .

Track Listing

Locomotive (part I); Wayne's Refrain; Legal Eyes; Myoko; Poem; Say Say O Playmate; Somewhere Out There; Bright Blue; ZombieCavemanRobot; Indestructo!; The Logician; Han Solo & The Princess; Locomotive (part II).

Personnel

Jeffrey Burr, guitar; John Hebert (1-5, 9-13), Steve Doyle (6-8), bass; Ari Hoenig, drums.

Album information

Title: Bright Blue | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Unknown label

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.