Search - John Stowell :: The Banff Sessions

A fantastic CD from a great artist!

Phil Brooks | Seattle, WA | 12/03/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"John Stowell is not only a great guitar player, he is one of the few unique voices in jazz today. He has a style that is instantly recognizable, and plays with very intense feeling and emotion. The sad fact is that John has been playing to this great level of musicianship for at least 25 years, yet is known to only a small number of people. John is best in small group situations, solo, duo, or trio, where the subtle flavors of his playing are better heard. On this CD he is backed by Don Thompson on bass, while Dave Liebman joins the duet on soprano for tracks 3, 6 and 9. Both these excellent musicians provide a perfect complement to John's playing, although Dave's playing can at times be a bit dissonant for my taste. Among the tunes on this CD are some of John's favorite standards, Dreamsville, Prelude to a Kiss, How my Heart Sings, and the Jobim classic Once I Loved."