Search - Jazzhole :: Poet's Walk

Elegant, surreal, funky, urban, jazzy, toe-tapping and conte

Kali | United Kingdom | 08/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Elegant, surreal, funky, urban, jazzy, toe-tapping and contemporary, Jazzhole are obviously still on top form with this their third jazz CD. This CD is pure honey, sweet and fragrant and a delight for the ears.



I have to admit I wasn't expecting to be bowled over by this CD, I thought that it would be too much too ask for their third CD to be as good as the others.



How glad I am that I was wrong.



Listen to Poet's Walk whilst buttering your toast, drink red wine to Do it Right, and remember all those things you wished you had done in your life whilst listening to The Slipping of Time.



There is nothing heavy about this compilation of songs and long may it continue!"

My Sunday Morning Acoustic Soul Chillout

Serena Alves | New York + Brasil | 08/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a big Jazzhole fan and have been waiting for this CD for some time, and I can tell you it was worth the wait. I remember them back in their acid jazz days, and it's very cool to see how they have evolved. This is clearly a band with a lot of musical integrity. The band has cut out a lot of the programming from their "Blackburst" days, and this album is almost all acoustic... very beautiful, lots of space. It has a mature sound. "Poet's Walk" is great to listen to from start to finish.



My favorite track is "All The Ways", which is funky and sexy, and really grooves, as does the fantastic, modern soul cover of Boz Skaggs' "Lowdown". Marlon Saunders sings on most of the tracks on this record, and he is very chilled-out, less traditionally R&B than on his solo work. John Pondel's guitar really stands out on all the tracks, and there is a cameo appearance on this record by the legendary keyboardist David Sancious... and some tracks feature "serious jazz" players like saxophonist David Binney, too.



These days, I am listening to more REAL songs, less DJ/club music, like John Legend, Cassandra Wilson, India Arie, Corinne Bailey Rae, Norah Jones, Kings of Convenience, Matthew Herbert, Skye, Paul Weller, Thom Yorke, and Michael Franti. If you enjoy any of these artists, and value good songwriting and great playing, "Poet's Walk" is for you."

This Has Me Wanting More!

F. Barton | Newport, WA USA | 08/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Every release of Jazzhole's is a bit different. I myself would love a live album, for just a combination of all of their earlier material, combined with this release.



"Poet's Walk" is an incredible instrumental, it is so reminiscent of the Artie Shaw '50s quintet, Gramercy Five. It is way too short, and kept me playing it over and over, as under three minutes is not enough for this kind of jazz. The smooth guitar and bass line are too rare these days. Most people just don't get jazz like this anymore. Yet it is still so up to date.



"Slipping of Time" is another standout, with Saunder's vocals front and center, with a tremendous acoustic guitar for backup. Saunders has to be one of the best male singers we have today. He can make a syllable mean something, and he comes with enough talent to surely make the "less is more" standard never so true. A beautiful song.



Saunders never sauntees into a falsetto, yet never loses the tremendous soul feeling that was so prevelent in the early '70s. He doesn't have to -- he knows his craft. The entire album is beautiful and the remake of "Lowdown" is perfect. I love the Scaggs version, but that is 25 years old. I do agree with another reviewer who said they should put out an entire "remake" album. They sure have the talent for it.



All in all, a super romantic album, that will not be off your player for a long time. Just fantastic to hear great performers deliver. The timing is right too for a CD. I only wish the title song had been longer -- it could have easily gone to eight minutes with no problem.



The female vocal on "It Would Have Been Enough" is a bit weak, but only when compared to the voice of Saunders. Perhaps it would have been better if they had sung harmony, instead of different phrases. When Saunders is singing it is very hard to concentrate on anything except the excellent backing instrumentals!!



A definite must have.







"