Andrew Cheshire: Water Street Revival

The All-Music Guide rates Andrew Cheshire's Water Street Revival as a "Best of Artist". Released in 1998, this collection is culled from four different sessions recorded between 1990 and 1991. Cheshire surrounds himself with a stable of talented musicians, performing in a quintet with vibes, and a trio. In the quintet setting, Cheshire plays with a controlled grace, relying more on his exceptional compositional skills rather than his chops. The title cut and "Search for Truth" are intelligently convoluted and complex, deliberately swinging. The disc highlights begin with the trio-led "Jet" and self propel to the end. In the trio format, Cheshire shines, displaying both his compositional and performing chops. Cheshire's sound? He plays with an unadorned sound for the most part, using some echo effects here and there. He favors Bireli Legrene when playing in a trio. While retaining his controlled elegance, Cheshire does escape on solos of fantasy, played with gravity and intention. Cheshire has recorded three other discs ( this Is Me 1996, Another View 1997, and Relax, Keep The Tension, Please 1998). He is a hidden talent deserving to be discovered and exposed. Water Street Revival is a very good introduction to this vastly underexposed talent.