For George: Tribute to a Master
Cincinnati native and unsung guitar hero Kenny Poole kicks off J Curve's guitar-tribute series with an homage to the late seven-string virtuoso george van eps. It's a heartfelt sentiment, indeed, as this one-time James Brown sideman casts a gorgeously rhapsodic spin on 15 of Van Eps' favorite standards.Van Eps' lithely swinging style is an undeniable influence on Poole, and this CD's accompanying booklet is filled end-to-end with anecdotes and remembrances of the recently deceased guitarist, but Poole is the star of this show. Throughout a set of solo-guitar and trio sides, Tribute to a Master is nothing short of revelatory - introducing to the jazz world a swing-school guitarist unknown outside of Cinci save by guitar titans like Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, and Joe Pass, who, in their day, would regularly sit in with Poole whenever in town.And Poole is definitely in their league. His open-hearted meditations on Tribute's solo tracks, particularly the introspective "You Go to My Head," display a flair for maintaining bass lines, chords, and improvisational lines simultaneously. Like Van Eps, Poole excels with gorgeous chording that evokes a pastiche of moods and colors. And while Tribute's trio dates remain, energy-wise, in a low gear and with little intuition among Poole, vibist Dick Sisto, and drummer John Von Ohlen's brushwork, the net result is, nonetheless, beautiful jazz elegance.Let's hope to hear more from this dazzling guitarist.--Mike Bieber, JAZZIZ MagazineCopyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.--From Jazziz