Don't Fret

This is yet another impressive studio date from the 1990s that guitarist Martin Taylor recorded for the Scottish label Linn. Joined by pianist David Newton, bassist Dave Green, and drummer Allan Ganley, Taylor concentrates on a fair number of standards. They include a brisk pianoless workout of Cole Porter's "I Love You," an elegant interpretation of the ballad "Moonlight in Vermont," and a breathtaking unaccompanied arrangement of "I'm Old Fashioned." Jazz classics include a spacious treatment of the modal work "Blue in Green" (which is judiciously credited to both Bill Evans and Miles Davis, each of whom claimed to have individually composed it) and a brilliant workout of Oscar Pettiford's bop gem "Laverne Walk," which has some fine playing by each member of his rhythm section, too. Newton also sits out Taylor's one original, a brisk tasty blues called "Don't Fret." The only disappointment is guitarist John Carlini's "Mugavero," an enjoyable piece that suffers from Newton's addition of synthesizer to the mix, which might have been wiser to omit. This CD is easily recommended to fans of Martin Taylor, as are all of his CDs for Linn. ~ Ken Dryden|