25th Street Band - The key of H (2008)

The 25th Street Band is, in every respect, the creation of Russ Klinger and Dave Radnor.  They write, arrange and produce all the songs and, as well as providing the instrument programming, play both keyboards and guitars.  The band's new CD, ‘The Key Of H', was recorded in London and Los Angeles.  It's a wonderful collection of edgy contemporary jazz and features some of the world's top session players including Tom Brechtlein, Hussain Jiffry, Mornington Locket, David Bitelli, Henry Armburg Jennings and, for one outstanding track, the vocalist Jandira Silva.

The album opens with the complex ‘Hollywood'.  Held down by the funky bass lines of Hussain Jiffry, it oozes with the warmth that comes courtesy of Locket's jazzy sax.  And when, for ‘Sundown', the pace slackens, its Klinger on guitar who engenders a chilled out vibe straight from the west coast.  The insistent beat of the title cut has more than a feel of Dave Grusin while with ‘West Coast Highway' the band produces a melodic charmer that shimmers with comforting flugelhorn from Henry Armburg Jennings.  Pleasing piano from Dave Radnor sets the scene for the tender ‘The Long Way Home'.  Its feel-good opening gives way to an urgency instilled first by Russ Klinger on guitar then by Dave Bitelli on sax and this same jazzy groove is maintained with ‘Crusade'.  Rhythmic in an understated kind of a way the tune is a nice example of the bands versatility and this variety is also abundantly obvious with ‘Vem Dancar'.  This mellow, retro infused smoker features the delightful vocals of Jandira Silva and later, when the song is reprised in instrumental form, Radnor on piano and Bitelli on sax combine to produce what is arguably the album's standout track.

By Denis Poole, www.smoothjazztherapy.com