Reviews
Jim Stahlhut's new album A Life's Work is now available. Most of us know Jim Stahlhut from the International Steel Guitar Convention in St Louis, where Jim had the Jazz Room the past few years. Jim had world renown steel guitarist play in his jazz room, including the late Maurice Anderson, Doug Jernigan, Jim Cohen, Dave Easley, Buck Reid, Hal Merrill.
Jim's earlier albums with Reece Anderson, showcases his knowledge of improvisation and instrumental strength. Jim has a way of putting everything together and making it sound right. He makes everyone playing with him sound their most creative. This album is proof of that.
All songs on this new offering are Jim Stahlhut's original compositions. Doesn't matter if you call this collection simply Jazz, Fusion, Avant-Garde, Jazz Related Improvisation, Free Jazz, or Modal. No matter what style, or who's influence you associate this album with, no doubt about it, this is jazz at it's finest.
If you are a jazz novice, purist, devotee, looking to expand your art or style of improvising, or just wanting new listening material you found it here, in Jim's new album A Life's Work.
Still all being said, the strength and complexity of this offering does not stand on jim's instrumental voice alone. He frequently exercises the option to sit back and let steel guitarist Dave Easley construct intricate and tasteful lines while still maintaining sanity. Jim's solid tight work with tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake is evident through this entire musical stroll. Man do those two have it all together. This is most evident on track #6 "Ambiente Descontraido". The very rhythmical pulse of this album is a corroboration between drummer Reggie Quinerly and acoustic bassist Bob DeBoo. These two show their creativity through complex bass lines, and percussive accents and crescendos.
The album is full of photos, and the linear notes of Jim's New York trip is a humorous read. It's hard to pick a favorite tune on this album, i like them all. But i really enjoy the light rhythmic close harmonized "The Sophisticated Goat". A great must have listen, no matter what style of music you're use to. I highly recommend this album, you owe it to yourself to explore other musical genres of music. A versatile musician, is a good musician.
A Life's Work is now available from Cd Baby
George Redmond
Jim Stahlhut's CD "A Life's Work"
I highly recommend this CD recording of the Jim Stahlhut Band. Jim is an excellent composer, with each composition expressing it's own mood and theme. Jim is also an excellent jazz guitarist. His tone is somewhat pensive at first, which I really like, and then he builds on a theme and plays some very powerful lines on it. I did not realize how good it was until I listened to it a second time. Jim has also surrounded himself with some world class musicians. Seamus Blake is one of the most talent saxophonists I have heard in a long time. And Dave Easley, on pedal steel guitar, is a phenomenon in his own right. He compliments the music extremely well, of course, as he always does. And Bob DeBoo and Reggie Quinerly are right on in their playing. Both are talented beyond words. Every time I listen to this CD I hear little nuances that remind me of just how talented this group is. Every jazz fan should have this CD in their collection. -Hal Merrill
