Sound Down

Guitarist Dave Corbus has had a long jazz career, though this is just his second CD as a leader. With a fluid technique and appealing sound, Corbus is well accompanied by bassist Lindsey Horner and drummer Lieven Venken on this trio session. One of the nice surprises is Corbus' selection of less familiar tunes, with one exception. But even Toots Thielemans' signature song "Bluesette" is recast in a new light, as the melody is slowed down, with reharmonized chord changes that give it a bit more of an introspective, somewhat dark flavor. His quiet samba treatment of Kenny Barron's "Sunshower" and breezy take of the late Joe Farrell's "Sound Down" are songs deserving wider recognition. The leader's originals include the funky "For the Kidz" (with a hip shuffle rhythm by Venken) and the tense "Running Scared." Horner contributed the subtle ballad "All the Time in the World." This is a delightful date by Dave Corbus, a talent deserving wider recognition.