Amazing multicultural jazz pianist album Guy Mintus – CONNECTING THE DOTS: The first thing you’ll realize as you listen to Guy’s jazz piano on this amazing multicultural jazz piano album is that his playing is more full-bodied than any other jazz pianists you’ve ever listened to… before I move ahead with the review, I’d ask that you watch a video performance of Guy’s original composition, “Dalb“, performed live at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Jazz at Lincoln Center; I just loved his vocal scat work on this piece….
…as you saw & heard, Guy’s piano is just amazing, and his bandmates Dan Pappalardo/bass and Philippe Lemm/drums compliment his lively performance with gusto (on the album, they are also joined by special guests Dave Liebman & Sivan Arbel).
I have no doubt that jazz DJ’s across the globe are going to be spinning the amazing Mintus original “Samarkand“… a superb blend of cultures, and jazz piano that is definitely the “wave of tomorrow”… excellent “conversations” between all the players are happening over the entire 6:00 length of the piece… a LOVELY and unique composition… Guy even “tweaks the strings” a bit… you’ve GOT to hear this one!
The trio’s performance on a Horace Silver tune titled “Yeah!” will “wow” your ears, and stick in your head for days… the energy is palpable; it’s the kind of performance that demands repeated plays.
Jazz piano legend Arturo O’Farrill says that Guy is “a mad scientist/none does it like him”, and I don’t think there could be a better description… you’ll hear why when you listen to my personal favorite of the ten-song album… the opener, “Koan“, starts off with a mellow piano intro, but at about the 1:40 mark, the trio begins to soar into the stratosphere… well-recorded and magnificently performed, I (truly) believe this is the most energetic piano jazz tune I’ve heard (yet) in 2019!
I give Guy and his trio a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.99 for this excellent jazz journey! Get more information at Guy’s website. Rotcod Zzaj
