Brad Whiteley
‘Presence’
Destiny Records
Pianist Brad
Whiteley has worked with a diverse array of artists from Regina Spektor to Dave Liebman, not to mention his role in the pit band of Broadway’s “Avenue Q.”
Somehow, Whiteley has found the time to compose and arrange 11 superb tunes,
and he wastes no time in revving it up on his excellent new album, “Presence.” While
his keyboards are front and center, Whiteley leaves plenty of room for his bandmates – Tom Guarna on guitar, saxophonist Michael Eaton, bassist
Matt Pavolka, and Kenneth Salters on
drums.
The opener, “Dusk,” is nothing less than a riveting ride. “Sunset
Park” begins as a fairly typical blues tune, but once the sax and guitar kick
in, watch out. Infectious riffs give way to some great
solos by Whiteley, Guarna and Eaton. The title track features one of the key
elements of the album: a beautiful blending of Guarna’s guitar and Eaton’s sax.
While most of the album is straight-ahead jazz, these guys don’t hesitate to
venture into avant-garde territory on the highly atmospheric “Dawn.”
This article appears in Jan 9-15, 2019.
