Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Bob DeVos: Playing For Keeps

159

Bob DeVos: Playing For Keeps

By

Sign in to view read count
Bob DeVos: Playing For Keeps
There's nothing muddy about the waters Bob DeVos dips his digits into—his fluid, sure and straight-ahead guitar rings as clear as any superbly played horn. Favoring moving single-note lines, he has fashioned a playing style influenced by horn masters like Sonny Stitt and he obviously admires Coltrane, who has received tributes on a couple of his recordings. He's also taken inspiration from pianists McCoy Tyner, Wynton Kelly and Herbie Hancock, and from guitar kingpin Wes Montgomery. And in his liner notes for Playing for Keeps, DeVos cites the Larry Young, Grant Green and Elvin Jones trio of the 1960s as a "spiritual resource.

Good music never goes out of style, and DeVos wears all of these influences well. But this string man also comes up with a fresh take on the traditions cemented by the musical brethren he admires. He weaves a multi-textured fabric of rich warm modern sounds out of standards as well as originals dashingly realized by his trio. As they did on his earlier Savant release Shifting Sands, drummer Steve Johns' lively cymbalism and Dan Kostelnik's energetic musings on Hammond B3 organ provide just the right mix of spunk and spice to support DeVos' funky groove. Accomplished tenorist Eric Alexander provides added punch on four tracks.

Standouts on this swinging journey include DeVos' own "Pause for Fred's Claws, exhibiting his bent for blues and more, and the classic "Body and Soul, in 3/4 time instead of 4/4, with Alexander amiably horning in. "Blues on the Corner, from McCoy Tyner's The Real McCoy (with DeVos, to quote himself, "playing the tenor part, Dan the piano role, but organically) and a delicious exploration of Monk's harmonically challenging "Ask Me Now are also highlights, as is an original honoring Montgomery, the aptly monikered "Wes Is More. Oh, it's all good, very personable. As the old saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Track Listing

And So It Goes; Naima; Pause For Fred

Personnel

Bob DeVos
guitar, electric

Bob DeVos: guitar; Eric Alexander: tenor saxophone (1, 5, 8, 10); Dan Kostelnik: Hammond B-3 organ; Steve Johns: drums.

Album information

Title: Playing For Keeps | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Savant Records

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.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

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