(with Charlie Ernst, piano/elec. piano/string synth; Greg Novick, electric bass/acoustic bass; Rodney Howard, drums; Dave Anthony, percussion; Tom Timke, tenor sax; Frank Fagnano, additional synth/tambourine)
Acoustic and electric guitarist Sebesky is the son of noted arranger/orchestrator Don Sebesky. Ken got the chops for his debut solo CD working with Hall and Oates as well as vocalist Nancy LaMott. His father liked to blend some materials from the classical world into his big band arrangements, and Ken blends a wider cornucopia of sources in his original instrumentals on this disc: jazz, folk, country and rock. Some of the tracks begin in a rather spare Windham Hill guitar style, but then build up with other players in the band joining in – even tenor sax on two tracks – for a richer sound and more musical interplay.
Being a fan of vocalise, I especially liked Ken’s dubbed-in wordless background voices on Waterfall. The title tune has a nice lilt and drive to – great driving music, as befits the album title and artwork. The guitar sound is more forward than on many jazz CDs, yet has great warmth and body to it. Altogether a successful debut CD I would say.
TrackList: The Breakthrough, Crunchtime, Flatland, WaterFall, Hero’s Highway, Meet at Midnight, Five Six, Late Drive Home.
– John Henry
