Open All Nite/Futurism Records
2009
Cool Man Cool
About This Album
Grant Geissman really stepped up his game with the release of his previous CD Say That, and this excellent recording where his finely honed jazz sensibilities come fully to the forefront. There's nary a speck of commercial filler, as every track sports an authenticity and originality that belie the derivative music he had made a living on for years. This is a fine effort with little reason to spoil with wasted critique, as Geissman himself is on top of his game, and whether he's playing with his peer group or select all-stars, the music is at a high level from start to finish. While bop does prevail, contemporary and progressive neo-bop are heard without the predictable trappings, and Geissman changes up the band per track to keep things ever interesting in the best sense of the term. Most fans will gravitate toward the cuts featuring the all-stars, "Chuck & Chick" in particular, as Geissman's classical acoustic guitar sidles along with Chick Corea's cascading piano in a lilting waltz with Spanish overtones, Chuck Mangione's credible jazz flugelhorn, Russell Ferrante's Fender Rhodes, and the soprano sax of Brian Scanlon. Mangione and Ferrante also show up during the slinky, under the surface tune "Tiki Time," while pianist Patrice Rushen, Mangione, and Scanlon on tenor sax all team up on the tasty, chunky funky number "Nawlins.
Track List (try tracks 1,3 and 6)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.