It’s Time - Paul Tobey
It’s Time
Paul Tobey
Jazzmentl Records (paultobey.com/product/its-time-by-paul-tobey-cd)
Paul Tobey’s grand (piano pun) return to recorded music is a focused, light and deeply enjoyable affair that sees him interpret the classics – both ubiquitous and personal – while conveying a love for improvising through every key stroke. Heavy on the ballads and equally chock-full of charm, the tracklist delivers hit after hit, while allowing Tobey immense expressive terrain to roam. With a selective yet emotive left hand and dazzlingly nimble right, each solo sounds like a seasoned mixologist meticulously curating their favorite flavours, with impeccable grace. Each actual jazz head is played with a grounding precision and faithfulness to the original melody, with each subsequent repeated chorus feeling like a response to the last, as the tunes gradually begin to soar and become something completely new.
A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes soothed my tabby cat to sleep with how wistfully and sensitively Tobey plays its intro, and then my cat awoke again at some point during the masterfully subtle transition into a buoyant double-time swing feel. Tobey’s own composition Caminar – The Walking Song feels almost like a sentimental centrepiece for the album, with each transition between sections marked by a space, coming across as reflective and a means of bringing the listener into the recording room, reminding us that all this beautiful sound is coming from one mouthpiece. In stretching time, condensing time and manipulating time, It’s Time embodies its title.