Second album by Norwegian/American guitarist Jacob Young features the working band first heard on “Evening Falls”, a group established to reflect the compatible styles and ideas of three generations of Norwegian jazz players, the age range of the band stretching from 28 (prizewinning trumpeter Matthias Eick) to 64 (veteran drumming genius Jon Christensen). For the group Young writes songs “with a lot of room for melodic interplay and improvisation”. This time we also get to hear more of Young’s highly attractive acoustic guitar playing, featured on six of the album’s cuts.
Christensen is perfect in this setting and in certain ways defines this record. Its pace is slow, stately and impressionistic and, along with the excellent Eilertsen, the drummer provides its pulse and sense of movement. Young himself relies heavily on acoustic guitar - his electric playing recalls Metheny – and that, and his concern with timbre and texture, makes for some beautiful music. … A fine record and one that bodes well for Young’s future work. - Duncan Heining, Jazzwise |