Thirty-four year-old Norwegian guitarist Jacob Young is already an experienced performer who has made recordings on smaller labels. But his ECM debut, Evening Falls, is sure to bring him notoriety as a jazzman with a bright future. He studied with two of the great guitarists of our time: Jim Hall and John Abercrombie; Young's clean guitar sound and lyrical playing style serve as reminders of his roots. That said, on Evening Falls, he also demonstrates a strong voice all his own, both as a composer (all of the tunes are originals) and as a player, incorporating elements of traditional jazz seamlessly into a contemporary framework.
Young is joined by a strong quartet of Scandinavian jazz musicians: trumpeter Mathias Eick, bass clarinetist Vidar Johansen, bassist Mats Eilertsen, and drummer Jon Christensen (a participant on many ECM releases). Instead of engaging in guitar god histrionics, Young favors ensemble interplay, ceding plenty of playing space to his collaborators. Eick, in particular, turns in several engaging solos, particularly on the melodically rich "Blue;" Young presents a graceful solo of his own on this tune.
While there are many strong compositions on the album, "Evening Air" is an excellent example of this band at work. Young's eminently tasteful rhythm playing creates a pastoral backdrop that is offset by Eick and Johansen's gently ambling treatment of the tune's melody. Such a lustrous ambience might give casual listeners, for just a moment, the impression that this is lightweight fare; but nothing could be further from the truth. Once accustomed to the group's beguiling sound, you will hear formidable playing at work. Young and company's improvisational "teeth" are particularly evident later in the album on "Presence of Descant," which features angular solos from Eick and complex harmonic progressions from Young.
Evening Falls is filled with inventive performances and memorable compositions. As such, it is well worth the attention of both casual and ardent jazz listeners.
1. Blue
2. Evening Air
3. Minor Peace
4. Looking for Jon
5. Sky
6. Presence of Descant
7. Formerly
8. The Promise
9. Falling
1. Blue
2. Evening Air
3. Minor Peace
4. Looking for Jon
5. Sky
6. Presence of Descant
7. Formerly
8. The Promise
9. Falling