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Eric Comstock: No One Knows

By Jerry D'Souza
June 4, 2005
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Eric Comstock's third album finds the pianist/vocalist moving deeper into jazz territory with a stellar cast of jazz musicians. The move certainly works; while the band serves in top-notch fashion, Comstock makes it all the more relevant with his ability to phrase and enunciate these pieces the way jazz song should be treated. Stylistic touches apart, he imbues the words with yearning, joy, or pathos to bring in the right shade of emotion.

Comstock says that he loves Duke Elington as much as he does Cole Porter. Ellington is in here, but Porter is not. Paul Simon is, and his "I Do It for Your Love finds a cozy nook as Comstock sings with a facile comfort for the words. A more earthly take that gets Comstock to swing, quite understandably, is the undulating "Hazel's Hips. Some fine work here from Peter Bernstein on guitar that jumps up and shouts.

There is a wistful feeling on "Don't Get Around Much Anymore. Comstock gets deep into the sense of loneliness, a facet stoked by Bernstein with Comstock adding some pensive piano. They go to town when they "Jump for Joy. Comstock gets right into the groove, singing over the bass of Peter Washington, but then in comes Wycliffe Gordon, whose trombone rip-snorts, and Eric Reed, who turns the piano into a rolling barrelhouse of fun. The album pleases on many levels.

Track Listing

Easy on the Heart, To the Ends of the Earth, No One Knows, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, Jump for Joy, Small World, The Night Has a Thousand Eyes, Grievin', Imagination, I Do It for Your Love, Hazel's Hips, When Lights Are Low, Old Devil Moon, There Will Never Be Anothr You, If I Had My Druthers, I Hear Music

Personnel

Eric Comstock

piano

Eric Comstock--piano and vocals; Frank Wess--tenor saxophone and flute; Wycliffe Gordon--trombone; Eric Reed--piano; Peter Berstein--guitar; Peter Washington--bass; Matt Wilson--drums

Album information

Title: No One Knows | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Harbinger

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About Eric Comstock

Instrument: Piano

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