Jeff Parker has committed his guitar to various modes -- groove, trance, experimental. But finding himself in an LAX-adjacent club, he figured why not just tap into the airport-lounge vibe? Right now we all feel as if we've just debarked a 12-hour flight from Frankfurt; we want a stiff drink and cool soundz.
Largely neglecting his famous array of foot pedals, Parker dialed in a classic Gibson-hollowbody tone and stuck with it. From John Coltrane's dreamy "Naima" to Thelonious Monk's playful "Off Minor," he knocked out the standards with a natural sense of melodic embroidery that made us listen, because he seemed to be listening to himself.
And the trio listened to one another, uniting in communication as greatly as they diverged in appearance. Parker (watch cap and sweatshirt) looked ready to sip some tea, bassist Paul Bryan (Pendleton and hippie locks) ready to smoke some tea, and drummer Dan Schnelle (erect posture and trim suit) ready to sell some T-bonds. Bryan's oddly shaped electric bass resonated a lot like a standup as he moved easily from a straight walk to a quick-fingered solo way up the neck; Schnelle's quiet yet active brushes & mallets, moving with distinct intelligence around the toms & snare, showed why he's in high demand; Parker's trills and upstroked arpeggios created bright islands in his stream.
Time was, we might've found such a disinclination toward fireworks uninspiring. This time, we were happy to take a break from the revolution.
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