Kenny Garrett - Simply Said

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Music reviews of Simply Said

Music Review: Depends on what you are looking for....
Rating: 3 Stars

Having said that, this disc was still not as much as I hoped. Certainly a departure from the all out fire of 'Songbook', Garrett explores what I would prefer to call groove-oriented jazz (I have great disdain for the words "jazz-lite").

The writing is excellent, and Garrett's saxophone is dead on in all the tunes. My only regret about this album is that you get the sense that Garrett has made a conscious choice to not "go all out". There are some moments where the energy of his solos build as we have heard him do before, but then he seems to "catch" himself and yank back on the reins. With "3rd Quadrant" the obvious exception, it just sounds like Garrett was trying to color in the lines a little more on this one.

However, it is a testament to Kenny's immense talent that his playing is so wonderful even when it is "restrained". Though the disc lacks some of the intense emotion I've come to love in his playing, there is no doubt that Garrett is still on top of his game. All his tunes are beautifully written and far from the musical "cotton candy" that "jazz-lite" (yuck!) has offered. Nuance and complexity are all here, just subdued a little bit.

So what does all this mean? Well, if you want to hear Garrett in full flight you'll be better served by a purchase of either his 'Songbook' or 'Pursuance' albums. However, if you want great jazz that is easy for the listener to grapple with, yet not sugary-sweet, this is THE album for you. A great mix of artistry and groove.

I unfortunately lean towards the former. But Kenny, if you read this, I hear where you are coming from too... Nice to hear a different side.

Description of Simply Said

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Jazz CDs

• Music > Styles
• Pop