Kate Cosco-Soul Eyes Review

Artist: Kate Cosco
Title: Soul Eyes
Genre: Instrumental-Jazz
Label: Kate Cosco Music

When I received Kate Cosco's CD I was surprised to find that the entire recording was all instrumental. You paint a picture of what the music might be by looking at the cover of an album and this time I was totally off base.

Soul Eyes demonstrates Kate's abilities as a pianist and arranger but it also shows how lithe the jazz genre is. With nine tracks of instrumental delight Ms. Cosco and her accompaniment Bill Moring (bass) and Steve Johns (drums), go far beyond filling in the bottom end for the adventurous swinging instrumentalist. The tag team rhythm section enhances and prompts the star of the show, to take standards and bring them a new color and exuberance without the need for any lyrical adaptations.

Jazz is a difficult genre to decipher any way you look at it and to take compositions, rearrange them and deliver them with only instruments is a mountain to climb for anyone regardless of their talent. The trio does a commendable job making each track a flight of excellence in musicianship while relaxing and cajoling the listener to bring about good feelings and warmth in general. I think most listeners of jazz would take that kind of listening experience and run with it. I cannot speak for the masses but I do know folks that listen to jazz have a good ear and are usually well educated in regard to what the idiom is about and how it should be interpreted by the delivering artists.

Kate Cosco's jazz piano trio recording features her own arrangements on jazz standards and one original jazz piece. The original "Waltz Sketch" gives one reason to believe the next CD should be all originals. And by the same token legends of the jazz world get the nod such as Cole Porter ("All of You"), Dave Brubeck ("In Your Own Sweet Way") and Johnny Mandel and Johnny Mercer ("Emily") and many more get fair and distinguished takes provided by the trio's adeptness in both melody, structure and improvisation. I do not think any of the tracks fall short in any respect. Each one stands as an individual accomplishment and by the time the CD stops spinning you feel like you just enjoyed a live performance as you envision them going through all the motions on stage.

I am most grateful that I did not get what I was anticipating on this CD. What I did receive was an enjoyable promenade through the history of jazz heard only through the eyes and ears of those that like to bring the message through the music alone. The title Soul Eyes says it all for me, this is the very soul of jazz recorded and seen through the eyes of some very talented individuals for your listening pleasure. The music speaks to you without lyrics and that is an understatement.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: All of You, Pensativa, Waltz Sketch

Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck

May 26, 2010

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Tracks:
1. All of You
2. Soul Eyes
3. Emily
4. My Ship
5. In Your Own Sweet Way
6. Pensativa
7. Waltz Sketch
8. Some Other Time
9. When I Fall In Love