A Change of Pace
Greg Amirault Trio
Independent (gregamirault.bandcamp.com)
Greg Amirault is a Montreal based jazz guitarist and A Change of Pace is his fourth album as leader; it contains six original compositions and three standards. One of this album’s strengths is how well Amirault plays with the other members of the trio (Adrian Vedady, bass and Andre White, drums) partly because they have been hosting a weekly jam session in Montreal for over a year.
I am immediately impressed by the clarity of Amirault’s tone whether he is swinging, voicing gorgeous chord solos or playing lyric melodies. All the jazz pieces are performed with assurance and style by everyone in the trio. Two originals stand out: Ballade pour La Butte is a beautifully rendered folk-influenced homage to the Acadian village where Amirault grew up and Ancestral Roots which is similarly inspired by his Acadian and Aboriginal roots. Both works offer a space for Vedady to present his sensitive solo bass playing. The top-notch performances, the mixture of standards and original jazz tunes, plus the folk influences, make A Change of Pace a unique and engaging album.
