The Jazz Site (U.K.)
Jim Savitt - "Hear & Now" Review 
NightCast Records 

Jim Savitt may be a new name to most of us but on listening to his new album 'Hear & Now', it may not be long before we are hearing him regularly on daytime smooth jazz radio.

When I first put this CD into my player I immediately thought this was 'Glow by Peter White which I reviewed on the Sony Jazz web site which I host in my daytime job for the Japanese entertainment giant. Upon further investigation Jim's style is right-on-the-mark with the current Contemporary Jazz (CJazz) feel and glides along effortlessly like a mountain stream running along the riverbank on a warm summers day. Jim has written and produced the songs (together with some of the band members) which makes the CD all that more creditable but hardly surprising as he is a graduate from the famous Berklee School of Music.

Jim moves from electric guitar to nylon or steel strung acoustic in the Lee Ritenour mould and fine examples of the latter are on 'From the heart' which is a mid-tempo melodic cut with Peter White type licks. David Mann's sax adds a Kenny G feel to the affair which meanders along blissfully. The wonderful 'In the house' starts with a Tower of Power horn intro and strolls along like a Doc Powell or Norman Brown outing. This could have made for a soundtrack to a west coast movie as it depicts the casual, sunny, open and free style of sun, the sea and the surf.

This is definitely not your average independent artist playing but original material beautifully constructed like an artist painting a picture on a canvas and crafting the subtelties of colour into forming a landscape. This album has so many highlights which have led me on a musical exploration and conjure scenes of reality from the notes.'What could be' has a distinct 'south-of-the-border' feel with an almost flamenco guitar sound pulsating to a Tijuana Brass type backing track. The fact that much of the rhythm section has been synthetically produced doesn't deter me as much as it usually does as it isn't totally obvious as some CDs I review. The album has a wonderful mix of styles, from pulsating grooves to sensual melodies, from CJazz to almost Flamenco and presents the artist on centerstage as opposed to the production. You need talent to play out front and not let the production aid and abet you.

Jim Savitt has produced a gem of an album which is a must for CJazz fans. Drop by his website to order your copy www.jimsavitt.com or www.nightcastrecords.com. Roll on the next album.

Jazz Site Rating - 9 outa 10

Review by Wes Gillespie who also writes reviews for All That Jazz, The Brazilian Music Review, Sony Jazz and hosts the Sony Jazz Europe website.