Transparence

Bassist Deardorf's 'Transparence' also has it's integrity--rooted in the recent Jazz past without being overtly nostalgic or imitative. A few of the selections are too "electric" for my taste, but my taste is admittedly narrow. The acoustic tracks--featuring pianist Mays, altoist Teuber, and a variety of guitarists--are simply lovely. Deardorf is not afraid of beauty; playing a ballad with sincerity and gentleness is in his very nature; he is comfortable at slow and medium tempos (letting his notes ring) and he knows how to swing, as a soloist of as a generous member of a small group. "Collage," "Alone together," "Bruzette," "Moon and Sand," "Sweet Lorraine," and "The Peacocks" show him to be a musician of deep feeling. In a world full of hear-it-once-and-give-it-away compact discs, this one is a true keeper.