David Ullmann - Hidden

DAVID ULLMANN
Hidden
Wet Cash Records

Recorded 2005

1. Hidden
2. Astor Place
3. Memory Games
4. Make Believe
5. Waterfall
6. Lorca
7. Where Do We Go
8. You Don't Know What Love Is
9. Hightime

PERSONNEL

DAVID ULLMANN; guitar
JOE ASHLAR; piano
PEDRO GIRAURDO; bass
VIN SCIALLA; drums

I talked a few weeks ago about David Ullmann, the stylish New York based guitarist who was the allaboutjazz.com free mp3 of the day. Well I said i might get the album, and I have, and I'm going to write about it now, oh you lucky people.

I recall mentioning that Ullmann reminded me, on 'Lorca', of the late Grant Green. Well the album reveals him to be adept at many styles of jazz guitar. Running through the album is a sparseness of playing that gives his playing greater impact as well as allowing the sidemen space to play. All 3 of them are on great form too - Ashlar's electric piano solo on 'Astor Place', or the drum'n'bass rhythmic drive of 'Hidden'. These upbeat tracks with adventurous rhythmic and harmonic leanings are only half of the story. Tracks like 'You Don't Know What Love Is' demonstrate that they can handle gentler material. Several other tracks on the album are taken in a straighter style like this, and the contrast is most pleasing, at least to this reviewer's ears.

The album is available to buy from this link - I saw a comment there saying that this was a good album to listen to if you thought that jazz artists were all 80 years old - well, that sums it up very well. This is a record full of vitality, and it makes me very happy to know that there are still artists out there doing this kind of thing.