Album review: Tim Fitzgerald's Full House
My kinda jazz! A tribute to Wes Montgomery by a guitarist who, in years to come, may well be receiving his own tributes.
To the best of my knowledge Montgomery didn't record for Blue Note - his main albums were on Riverside, Verve and AMI - and, whilst the horns occasionally blow in an east coasterly direction, the feel is distinctly that of California albeit via Chicago where it was recorded and Fitzgerald is very much a part of that city's ever evolving jazz scene.
Fitzgerald acknowledges the impossibility of sounding like Wes which, even if he did, would detract from his own playing and turn this album into a pastiche rather than a heartfelt tribute to an undisputed jazz great.
Apart from his guitar playing, Fitzgerald arranged most of the tunes although Madsen and Garcia also chipped in.
A solo guitar take on Alec Wilder's While We're Young was delightful but oh how I longed for more than the mere 2 mins plus that it deserved. Nevertheless, although a small mercy, I was duly thankful.
Some fine solos from the horns make this an album to check out and not just by guitarists