Parking for Meatballs
LJ Folk
Independent (ljfolk.com)
This amusingly entitled self-produced/arranged/masterfully recorded new offering from acoustic guitarist, composer and vocalist LJ Folk has been a long time in the making, with the recording having taken place between November 2008 and August 2014 – which only serv es to substantiate the axiom that all good things are worth waiting for. Folk is the primary composer here, with tasty inclusions from Stevie Winwood, Harry Nilsson and Jerome Kern as well as two key collaborations with trumpeter Vince Constantino. The equally tasty players include NYC-based percussionist Memo Acevedo, bassist Duncan Hopkins and noted Canadian (and now Austin, Texas-based) guitarist-composer Jake Langley.
As a vocalist, Folk is nothing short of breathtaking – expressive and compelling, his voice effortlessly and consistently delivers the goods. Of special beauty is the romantic Latin-infused cooker, Deepest Love, which features a pitch-perfect and refreshingly pure and vibrato-less vocal from Folk, enhanced by a lilting melodic line, clever lyric and Acevedo’s superlative percussion work. Folk’s languid take on Winwood’s Can’t Find My Way Home is another standout, supported by skilled guitar work from Langley. The original, Nunca Mas (Nothing More) highlights Folk’s considerable acoustic guitar chops, and his deeply personal treatment of the rarely performed jazz standard In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning is sheer perfection. The bluesy original All Night Long illustrates even more of Folk’s eclectic versatility. Of special mention is Folk’s composition Gathering of Friends – a deeply emotional exploration of love and loss that is bound to resonate with all of us.
Despite the whimsical title, this CD is a work of incredible depth and artistry and certainly one of the finest vocal jazz recordings of the year.
