Now resident in Seattle, guitarist Alex Pinto has shifted his musical focus somewhat from his previous recordings, All India Permit (Pursuance Records, 2014) and Inner State (Pursuance Records, 2011). Whereas All India Permit was, as one may gather from the title, a synthesis of jazz, rock, and the music of India (Pinto's ancestral homeland), and Inner State dealt more directly with modern jazz, Unconditional finds Pinto working in an overtly rock-derived milieu. There's a casual, indie-rock lope to Unconditional, a relaxed and informal feel that recalls Bill Frisell's work without sounding like him. Drummer Shaun Lowecki and bassist Carmen Rothwell push and prod without overplaying as Pinto lays into the tune's delicate, plaintive melody. Pinto methodically develops his improvisation out of the melody, adding and subtracting from it, letting certain notes ring out as the drums and bass gather steam. The piece ends with Pinto's fuzzed-out guitar making a monumental, anthemic statement over thrashing cymbals and rumbling bass—an exclamation point of sorts.
All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make 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.
Go Ad Free!
To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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.
We sent a confirmation message to . Look for it, then click the link to activate your account. If you don’t see the email in your inbox, check your spam, bulk or promotions folder.
All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make 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.
