Search - Mark Elf :: Over the Airwaves

A jazz guitarist dedicating his album to jazz radio stations and programmers might, at first glance, seem like a shameless ploy for more airplay. But one listen to Mark Elf's exquisite Over the Airwaves reveals this isn't an album that will need any such gimmick to be embraced by radio programmers--or listeners, for that matter. Elf, a New York-based guitarist whose command of the instrument stretches from cascading, arpeggiated solos to intricate chord melodies that sometimes echo Joe Pass, is one of the jazz world's better-kept secrets. Elf's instrumental and compositional mettle ring clearly on his six tunes and the six standards, which all show refreshing arrangements that highlight the interplay between Elf, bassist Jay Leonhart, and drummer Ralph Peterson. While Elf is capable of head-turning theatrics, it's his versatility that really dazzles, as he shifts from high-speed bop runs in his own "On at KLON" to a gorgeous, unaccompanied intro to Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life." His wonderful solo guitar version of "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" shows Elf maintaining the song's swinging bass line, chordal accompaniment, and melody all at once. Among contemporary jazz guitarists, Elf has much in common with Jimmy Bruno: they're both frighteningly talented soloists who don't let their considerable technique get in the way of their often heartfelt and impassioned music. --Ezra Gale