Overall Impression:
Ryan Burns is back at it from the confines of quarantine with the cleverly structured sonic experience, Up & Up! Spritely keys, gritty bass, and bright horns mingle with warmly implemented electric guitar as Up & Up climbs ever higher throughout the track – giving the impression of a never ending trek upwards and onwards as each instrument takes a solo turn that’s sure to heighten the senses and elevate the mind!
Strongest Point(s):
Up & Up is firstly filled with rich and inviting instrumental tones – with each instrument carrying a sound that feels like a unique character voice rather than just another Jazz combo. This leads to each solo feeling far more like a soliloquy than anything else, advancing the perceived plot through subtle musical dialogue. Killer growl from the bass guitar, and the constantly driving snare ostinato throughout the piece really keeps that tension climbing. The shift into the drum’s feature at 4:17 is a clever deviation from this tension, and the way the bass chimes in at key moments in the monologue is well conceived and masterfully implemented. Really great work!
Target Audience Appeal:
Listeners with an ear for Jazz and a heart for Funk will find the fullness of Ryan Burns’ compositional prowess to be a breath of fresh musical air! The skill and style flowing through Up & Up are endlessly engaging, and make for a perfect instrumental reprieve from the daily grind – offering listeners a chance to set aside the mundane for a chance to climb ever higher through the clever craftsmanship of Ryan Burns! – Jon W.
Artwork by New Yorker cartoonist Jason Chatfield
Artist target suggestions:
Snarky Puppy, Vulfpeck, Herbie Hancock, Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderly, Theo Katzman, Shubh Saran, Thelonious Monk, Ahmad Jamal, Bud Powell
About the Reviewer:
Jon Wright is a trained multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and music educator with nearly twenty years of experience in the field. Working with musicians and their individual sounds is his passion and profession, and he strives to interact with and understand every aspect of the production process – from theory and songwriting to recording and mastering. He continues to teach students of all ages and is currently collaborating with artists in a wide variety of genres.
No shows booked at the moment.
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