This is top charting & award winning contemporary jazz guitarist and composer Ken Navarro's new 2008 album. Ken's magnificent new compositions and his signature acoustic and electric guitar work are supported on this n... more »ew CD by world class musicians including drummer Joel Rosenblatt (Spyro Gyra, Manhattan Transfer), acoustic and electric bassist Tom Kennedy (Dave Weckl, Al DiMeola), and keyboardist Jay Rowe (Special EFX, Marion Meadows).It would take several pages to describe each song on the album. These are not three minute tracks with a verse, chorus and bridge. They are compositions that go through numerous changes throughout. What makes this different from most progressive leaning music is that the changes are never jarring, they are built around melodic themes and flow perfectly within the songs. The reason a group of songs with this level of complexity can be so accessible is because they are so beautiful, diverse, and there isn't the dissonance that is often the hallmark of progressive and fusion projects. Complex solos, arrangements and rhythms? Yes. Self serving edginess? No.« less
This is top charting & award winning contemporary jazz guitarist and composer Ken Navarro's new 2008 album. Ken's magnificent new compositions and his signature acoustic and electric guitar work are supported on this new CD by world class musicians including drummer Joel Rosenblatt (Spyro Gyra, Manhattan Transfer), acoustic and electric bassist Tom Kennedy (Dave Weckl, Al DiMeola), and keyboardist Jay Rowe (Special EFX, Marion Meadows).It would take several pages to describe each song on the album. These are not three minute tracks with a verse, chorus and bridge. They are compositions that go through numerous changes throughout. What makes this different from most progressive leaning music is that the changes are never jarring, they are built around melodic themes and flow perfectly within the songs. The reason a group of songs with this level of complexity can be so accessible is because they are so beautiful, diverse, and there isn't the dissonance that is often the hallmark of progressive and fusion projects. Complex solos, arrangements and rhythms? Yes. Self serving edginess? No.
CD Reviews
Inventive and inspirational.
steamy blues | 07/21/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Ken Navarro has outdone himself (and that's saying plenty) on "The Grace of Summer Light" his best album for some while.
Ken's is a smooth Jazz acoustic guitarist of consummate skill and poise.
Tracks like "Blue Skies Bright Dreams" and the gentle "Perfect Circle Sun" illustrate this acumen wonderfully.
Like most of Navarro's albums, "The Grace Of Summer Light" is primarily instrumental and focus for his guitar.
"Daddy-O" is a nice shuffling Latin tinged (with the persussion) groove with a nice melody and Ken on top form.
"Nomad" and "Looking Everywhere For You" are equally strong smooth grooves, whilst he switches to electric guitar on the Larry Carlton tinged "We Might As Well Dance".
As always, his guitar playing is incredible, powerful, nuanced.
His production skills grow sharper with every CD. As a writer he can stand with anyone out there.
This is a very special CD, with stunning compositions and ground breaking performances from Ken Navarro himself, Joel Rosenblatt (Spyro Gyra) on drums, Tom Kennedy on acoustic and electric bass (Michael Brecker, Al DiMeola) and Jay Rowe (Special EFX, Marion Meadows) on keyboards.
I highly recommend this CD.
This is a fine piece of Smooth Jazz which will please his fans and those of the genre.
I would't even call it smooth jazz...it's so much more.
The Meeting Place
"
SmoothJazz.com Review
Sandy Shore | Monterey, CA | 06/26/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you could somehow take all of life's complexities... I mean everything... the joy, the sorrow, the mixed emotions, the highs and lows... the ease and the resistance... and somehow filter it all with a forgiving glow that made you more grateful than regretful, the soundtrack for that encapsulated experience would have to be Ken Navarro's epitomical release THE GRACE OF SUMMER LIGHT. An inspirational album from one of the most prolific artists in contemporary jazz. The well-respected guitarist, producer and composer has enjoyed a long, successful career producing some 18 chart-topping, solo albums on his own Positive Music Records label and producing and guesting on countless others. THE GRACE OF SUMMER LIGHT is a pivotal recording for Navarro. Gone are the rules and regulations of what radio requires for airplay. Gone are the expectations and limitations of recording execs. Remaining are 10 deeply moving musical pieces running anywhere from 31 seconds in length to over 9 minutes and ranging from reflective and thoughtful to hopeful and optimistic to cinematic and stirring. I'm reminded of earlier works by Pat Metheny (Last Train Home) and The Rippingtons (Kilimanjaro). I have the word "wow" written by two gorgeous, acoustic numbers "Perfect Circle Sun" and "Just Before The Dawn," I am smitten by the enveloping, "On My Way Somewhere" and I am mesmerized by the balance and poise on "Looking Everywhere For You." THE GRACE OF SUMMER LIGHT: The soundtrack for freedom."
I'm addicted
Julia A. Neph-Plein | ELLICOTT CITY, MARYLAND - EAST COAST | 09/27/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD is simply phenominal! Imagine your very favorite songs by fellow Jazz Guitarist Pat Metheny, and then imagine Ken Navarro, one of your favorite smooth jazz artists, writing material in that same vein, and you've captured the essence of this CD! I was excited when I heard clips of it, but today I just downloaded it, and have not been able to stop listening to it! Exciting, beautiful, unique, interesting... and quite simply... addicting!! Thanks Ken for a outstanding CD!!"
This CD is better then any previous one!
Pawel Mirek | Poland | 03/24/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD is awesome. Very good recording (I cannot say this about The Meeting Place - fantastic music, but poor recording), amazing tracks. It's one of my best CD's. I love it i strongly recommend it to everyone."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1