For the past 15 years or so, Chuck Loeb has been a first-call session guitarist and producer, as well as recording and performing under his own name and with the bands Petite Blond, Metro, and the Fantasy Band. His earlier touring gigs included Chico Hamilton, Hubert Laws, Ray Baretto, Stan Getz, and Steps Ahead. So it's fair to say that he has experience in a wide range of musical settings. On his latest release, In A Heartbeat, you can hear the breadth of his musical experience expressed throughout the program.

Some of the tunes are standard contemporary fare: nice melodies, fairly basic chord structure and rhythms, but with tasty solos by Loeb and a bevy of big-name guests. Loeb's full, warm guitar sound is like a duck floating on a pond - smooth and serene above water, yet paddling energetically beneath the surface. But there's much more diversity and variety here. The second tune opens and closes with some relaxed noodling on Rhodes from Mike Ricchiuti (called "Mingling with Mike"), but the body of the song is a medley of funky R&B fun - a blending of two tunes called "Rhythm Ace" and "Funky Stuff." Alto saxophonist Andy Snitzer and tenorman David Mann get down with some meaty solos, and the in-the-pocket rhythms, unison sax-guitar-bass lines, horn section, and earthy Rhodes and organ provide a cookin' groove. The "Sway" is a straight-ahead jazz shuffle. "Big Time" has darker chords and a more edgy, hard-driving intensity; Andy Snitzer on tenor is grittier and more intense than we usually hear from him. The tender ballad "Billy's Song" is inspired by and dedicated to a friend who recently passed away unexpectedly.

On most instrumentalist's CDs, the guest vocal spots are often included for the sake of commercial appeal and are more of a disruption to the rest of the program, especially when they suffer from trite, sappy lyrics. Such is never the case with Chuck Loeb's CDs, as they always include the vocal talents of his wife, Carmen Cuesta. She's a welcome part of each release, and merits attention in her own right. (Record labels, are you listening?) The CD's title cut introduces vocalist Brandon Singleton, whose gentle tenor lovingly interprets the optimisticly romantic lyrics. (Shanachie 5078)

Track listing: North, South, East and Wes; Mingling with Mike/Rhythm Ace/Funky Strut; Billy's Song; Pocket Change; New Life; Vincent; Santa Cruz; On and On/Fire; Sway; Big Time; Soulmate; In a Heartbeat; The Goodbye. (71:39)

Personnel: Chuck Loeb - guitars, keyboards, programming; Mike Ricciuti, Jon Werking - keyboards; Will Lee, Mike Pope, Jerry Brooks, Ron Jenkins, Tim LeFebvre, Mark Egan - bass; Wolfgang Haffner, Brian Dunne, Vinnie Coliauta - drums; David Charles - percussion; Nestor Torres, Christina Loeb - flute; Elizabeth Loeb - piccolo; Andy Snitzer - alto and tenor sax; Walter Beasley - alto sax; David Mann - tenor sax, flute; Tony Kadleck, Larry Lunetta - trumpet; Jim Pugh - trombone, bass trombone, baritone horn; Tony "The Fish" Lakatos - soprano and tenor sax; Kim Waters - soprano sax; Carmen Cuesta, Brandon Singleton - vocals.

Style: Mainstream/Bop/Hard Bop/Cool
Published: April 01, 2001

Discuss          

	Sean O'Bryan Smith Tapestry
	Planet Safety Planet Safety
	Evan Christopher Django a la Creole
	Connie Crothers / Bill Payne Conversations
	Shakers N' Bakers YFZ (Yearning For Zion)
	Eliane Elias Bossa Nova Stories