T.K. Blue: The Tide of Love

T.K. Blue is an artist who is proficient on both the alto saxophone and flute; he has released a striking album entitled The Tide of Love that offers a diverse and engaging musical journey through various genres of the jazz spectrum. In this session, he is accompanied by several superb musicians, including Grammy-nominated Stefon Harris on vibes, along with pianist James Weidman, bassist Gavin Fallow, drummer Lenny Robinson and guitarist Ron Jackson. The group recorded an album of creativity, originality, and emotional impact in this eleven-track outing.

The opening track is "When Sunny Gets Blue." With a creative mode of expression, Blue offers an interesting take on the number under a cloak of restraint. The following cut is a beautiful Jimmy Rowles original called "The Peacocks." Performed as a duo with Blue and pianist James Weidman, it harkens back to the initial 1975 release of the song on an album by the composer and tenor saxophonist Stan Getz. Blue's tone has a beauty all its own, while Weidman shows a crystalline precision of each note.

The title track, "The Tide of Love," is a Blue original composition, one of several that appear on the release. Taken at a languid tempo, this emotive number has an elliptical sense of phrase with Blue, Harris, Weidman and Jackson playing notes and figures that keep the composition moving forward. Bossa master Antonio Carlos Jobim contributes two pieces to the outing; the first is " Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar," followed by "Luiza." On the former, through overdubbing, Blue is heard on both alto sax and flute to provide an empathetic interplay with Jackson on acoustic guitar. Although subtle, the bossa effect is more pronounced on the latter. In addition to Blue, both Weidman and Jackson, again on acoustic guitar, are very effective in their solo interventions. The popular standard "That's All" is covered with Blue, concisely stating the melody with a reflective feel. Weidman's support is sensitive to the dynamics of the number and enhances Blue's relaxed inventions. The closing track is "So Many Stars" the well-known bossa nova by Sergio Mendes and Alan & Marilyn Bergman. In this rendition, Blue confirms his ability to navigate and blend this genre to provide an expressive and sentimental side of jazz. The album shows T.K. Blue's skill, passion, and commitment to musical diversity.