The Tonester

For the first time since 1996's Set 'Em Up, Tony Purrone returns to a trio format, with Dave Anderson on bass and Thierry Arpino on drums. But here Purrone shifts to a more electric, groove-oriented sound. Anderson's electric bass blends well tonally with Purrone's guitar, which is a good deal more bright and brittle than most traditional jazz players would prefer. The three begin with a funk version of Gordon Jenkins's "Goodbye" and then take "If I Should Lose You" at a medium swing tempo, placing the melody against a series of ascending substitute changes. Purrone goes on to interpret pieces by Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Carla Bley, and Jan Hammer, and this modern material suits him especially well, although he's equally at home on more straightahead pieces like Billy Strayhorn's "U.M.M.G." While Purrone never departs from a clean sound, his subtle bends and glissandos can sometimes bring fusion-oriented players like Wayne Krantz and even David Fiuczynski to mind, particularly when the going gets funky. ~ David R. Adler, Rovi