Normally when an accomplished jazz artist uses the phrase Hidden Gems to describe or title an album, he or she is referring to established pieces from earlier generations that are obscure or have been overlooked and are ripe for re-imagining.
For his third album, veteran guitarist, composer and arranger Brent Laidler – also a very successful instrument repair guru – takes that aesthetic to even more adventurous territory to perform sporty, rhythmically diverse arrangements that are all at once something old, something new and ripe for spirited jam session with his “dream team” sextet featuring Mark Buseli (trumpet/flugelhorn), Ned Boyd (saxophone and flute), Jamie Newman (organ), Scott Pazara (bass) and Richard “Sleepy” Floyd (drums).
For source material, during his pandemic downtime, he took an incredibly deep dive into dozens of printed “fake books” and pdfs of others, listening to his own large collection of music. The pieces he and his dynamic, game and always ready to swing ensemble came up with are not exactly contrafacts, but compelling new compositions shedding light on criminally overlooked pieces – some dating back a century.
To offer a few examples of the kind of off the beaten path repertoire Laidler sourced from - the brisk, cheerful and bluesy organ and flute driven “Haba Verde” is from The Muppet Movie (named for the color of Kermit the Frog), the brassy, bluesy jam “#5 Shomeda Way” came from a theme song to a fleeting old TV show that was penned by Dave Brubeck, and the spirited, fast paced romp “Riffy Business” derived from changes the guitarist mined from a vintage real book from the 20’s and 30’s later used for a 60’s TV series.
While most of the tunes here groove, swing, hop and bop (quite literally on “Bop Like,” in fact), the ensemble shares a few lovely ballads as well, including the moody “Ballad for B” (a showcase for Buselio’s wistful flugelhorn) and the sensual, easy swaying “Evening Song,” based on changes by the late Michel Petrucciani. Though he’s recorded two previous albums, it’s clear that with Hidden Gems, Laidler is laying a mighty foundation for fresh un-earthings and re-interpretations down the road.
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