After releasing a string of potent CDs as a leader, a majority of which flew under the radar of most jazz critics, violinist Christian Howes makes a splash with Heartfelt, his spectacular debut on Resonance Records. Rather than exhibiting the charming delicacy of a Stephane Grappelli or the jaunty Swing era bounce of a Joe Venuti, Howes is a wildly inventive post-bop burner with monstrous facility, a wide expressive range and a take-no-prisoners approach. On Heartfelt, he parlays his Herculean chops, blistering intensity and haunting romanticism into a winning combination that is eminently accessible without sacrificing his obvious skills.
With all the parties brought together by Resonance Records founder George Klabin, Heartfelt is a beautifully balanced cross-generational project blending the wisdom of venerable jazz men (Kellaway and his longtime colleague on bass, Bob Magnusson) with the abundant energy and ideas of promising new youngbloods (Howes and Kneebody drummer Nate Wood). “Roger gave us a structure to work within, and I was given the invitation to make suggestions,” says Christian. “He’s a unique cat, very deep, and he was very open in the studio. I thought Nate was a good foil for Roger. Nate put him on his toes a little bit with the energy that he brought to the session. So with him and me, we kind of threw Roger for some loops with our stuff, which hopefully made it fun for him. And vice versa. Roger brought a certain confidence and energy and maturity to the session that really made me want to strive for something.”
Track Listing:
1. The Wind 6:24
2. Cinema Paradiso 5:45
3. Alone Together 6:59
4. That’s All It Was 6:33
5. Invasion Of The Forest 6:25
6. Walkin’ Up 7:05
7. The Peacocks 6:26
8. Opus Half 5:11
9. Early Autumn 4:54
10. Bernie’s Tune 4:28
