Russell Malone - All About Melody (2016) [Official Digital Download 24-bit/96kHz]

A lot of guitarists come in and out of LA for gig. One of the few guys I’ll make a point to see no matter what is Russell Malone. As the title of this latest album with Rick Germanson/p, Luke Sellick/b and Willie Jones III/dr states, Malone’s all about melody (as well as swing), even in the most adventurous of solos. Here, the songs are fairly concise, with a slinky bop take of Freddie Hubbard’s “One The Real Side” and a nimble “Jive Hoot” pulsating like a V8 engine. His art of using space is like Monet on “Haunted Heart” and the delicate “Message to Jim Hall.” Jones supplies velvet brushes on the cozy read of the soul hit “Saving All My Love For You” while he does a nice groove with Sellick on the hip “Nice Lady”. Malone does a couple solo arias as well, making silence a sound on “When A Man Loves A Woman” and being as delicate as handling a newborn on “He’s Gone Away”. You could take years studying this session, and keep learning things.

Guitarist Russell Malone has always been a highly lyrical, melodic soloist and he spotlights this talent with his 2016 studio effort, All About Melody. Following up his similar small group album, 2015's Love Looks Good on You, All About Melody is a swinging, soulful, laid-back production showcasing Malone's knack for deftly delivered straight-ahead jazz. Joining Malone once again is his longtime working rhythm section of pianist Rick Germanson, bassist Luke Sellick, and drummer Willie Jones III. Together, this quartet makes supple, warm-toned instrumental music in which each player is totally jacked in, intrinsically working to complement the overall happy group vibe. With his big, hollow-body electric guitar, largely unadorned natural tone, and fluid, bop-inflected lines, Malone sounds positively exuberant here. To these ends, he revisits Freddie Hubbard's "On the Real Side," a groove-oriented number he first played on the trumpeter's last studio album. He then continues to pay homage to another of his stylistic inspirations, the late guitarist Jim Hall, with the hushed original "Message to Jim Hall." Poignantly, the track is followed by an actual phone message Hall left for Malone. Elsewhere, Malone keeps things vibrant and romantic with a sweet, unaccompanied take on "When a Man Loves a Woman," and equally amorous, afterglow-illuminated version of "Saving All My Love for You." However, it's not all candlelight and wine. Malone dances through Sonny Rollins' calypso "Nice Lady," and turns up the noise for a frenetic, funky take on Bill Lee's "Biskit." Ultimately, whether he's slipping into an intimate ballad or launching into a swaggering soul-jazz freakout, Malone keeps listeners hanging onto his melodies.

Tracklist:

01 - On the Real Side
02 - Message to Jim Hall
03 - Message from Jim Hall
04 - Nice Lady
05 - Sound for Sore Ears
06 - When a Man Loves a Woman
07 - Saving All My Love for You
08 - Jive Hoot
09 - Haunted Heart
10 - Biskit
11 - He's Gone Away

Produced by Russell Malone. Engineered by Mike Marciano.
Recorded on February 28, 2017 at Systems Two Recording Studios, Brooklyn, NY.
Mixed and Mastered by Katsuhiko Naito.

Musicians:
Russell Malone - guitar
Rick Germanson - piano
Luke Sellick - bass
Willie Jones III - drums


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