Greg Amirault: News Blues
Greg Amirault

Every musician goes into the studio hoping great things will happen. But though all of the conditions might be right, including a solid set of tunes and personnel to match, that hoped-for magic, for whatever ineffable reason, doesn't materialize. On Greg Amirault's News Blues, on the other hand, the stars align superbly. Certainly the material the guitarist performs on the release is solid enough, but it's the high-level performances by him, his brother pianist Steve, bassist Adrian Vedady, and drummer Jim Doxas that make the album a standout. Chemistry is evident at every moment on this rewarding set, recorded over two days in Montreal in January 2020.

That the connection between the four is strong is explainable, at least in part, by one detail: they've played together in various contexts for over twenty years. The conversational ease they've developed consequently permeates Greg's third recording as a leader. He's no upstart either. Originally from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, he's called Montreal home for over three decades, and during his time in the city has won a number of awards and taught in the jazz programs at McGill and Concordia Universities. As happily ensconced as he no doubt is in his adopted city, his affection for his birthplace runs deep, as shown by the inclusion of “Song for Nova Scotia” in the setlist. Seven originals appear, alongside two classic jazz standards the guitarist performs alone.

The quartet eases into the release with “News Blues,” its theme a seeming twist on the famous riff from “All Blues.” Amirault wastes no time digging into the swinging foundation his cohorts provide and serves up the first of many enticing solos. Handing off to his brother, the pianist keeps the buoyant feel intact with a rousing turn of his own. As the release advances, it becomes obvious that all four participants are thoroughly schooled in jazz tradition and draw from its bountiful well in their playing. Two other things become apparent also: first, as excellent a guitarist as Amirault is, his playing sounds all the better when it's so terrifically supported by the others; second, that as a soloist brother Steve's as impactful (see, for example, the electrifying solo he delivers on “Uninvited”).

The lead melody's also memorable in “Tribute Tune,” this one a moodier exploration conducive to reflection and buoyed by a lilting groove from Vedady and Doxas. Funkier by comparison is “Sweet Way” (based on Dave Brubeck's “In Your Own Sweet Way”), though blues seeps into its athletic frame too. Midway through the set, “Song for Nova Scotia” conveys Amirault's love for the province with a heartfelt folk-styled expression that's punctuated by melodica from his brother. The tune's so lovely, in fact, it just might have you thinking of relocating to the East Coast. Greg's sensitivity to texture and dynamics is well-accounted for in “Meeting the Master,” its title inspired by a week-long workshop he had with the late John Abercrombie. As great as the band performances are, the two featuring Amirault alone are as satisfying. While “If You Could See Me Now” (Carl Sigmund and Tadd Dameron) and “Embraceable You” (George and Ira Gershwin) aren't unfamiliar, he breathes new life into them with takes that distill the essence of each song into concise two-minute frames.

December 2021