Taylor Eigsti – Let It Come to You – Concord Jazz

by | May 21, 2008 | Jazz CD Reviews | 0 comments

Taylor Eigsti – Let It Come to You – Concord Jazz CCD 30330, 60:06 ****:

(Taylor Eigsti, piano/Fender Rhodes; Julian Lage, guitar; Reuben Rogers, bass; Eric Harland/Aaron Mclendon, drums; Edmar Castaneda, Columbian harp; Joshua Redman/Dayna Stephens/Ben Wendel, tenor saxes; Evan Francis, flutes)

Taylor Eigsti began his stage career opening for his piano mentor David Benoit, at age 12. He performed with many jazz greats in the years following and twice has been the featured guest on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz series. This is his sixth album overall and his second for Concord.  There are tunes by Cole Porter, Ellington, Pat Metheny, and Wayne Shorter, and the last four tracks are originals by Eigsti. Let It Come to You – the disc’s title tune – has the pianist overdubbing his rhythm piano part over the solo part he had already recorded with bassist and drummer. Timeline features guest saxist Joshua Redman, and is dedicated to the late Michael Brecker.  The tune title reflects Eigsti’s concept of an acceptance toward things in his life that are out of his control. The exotic sound of the Columbia harp adorns the tune Fever.

The final three tracks of the album comprise the impressive Fallback Plan Suite, which also ties into the above philosophy. His basic quartet of piano, guitar, bass and drums is supported by other musicians here on saxes and flutes for a richer sound.  There is some overdubbing on the flute parts. The work’s three movements are titled Less Free Will, Not Lost Yet, and Brick Steps – Eigsti found that several places he liked to go to think when things were not going well involved brick steps.

 TrackList:

1. I Love You
2. Timeline
3. Not Ready Yet 
4. Caravan 
5. Portrait In Black And White 
6. Deluge 
7. Fever 
8. Let It Come To You
9. Less Free Will (Part I: Fallback Plan Suite)
10. Not Lost Yet (Part II: Fallback Plan Suite)
11. Brick Steps (Part III: Fallback Plan Suite)

— John Henry

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