Though
Hear at Last is the debut solo album of guitarist, composer, and producer
Mark Jaimes, he is hardly a newcomer. He initially received notice for his playing on
Maysa Leak's glorious self-titled 1992 debut. He's also worked with
Basia,
Hayley Westenra, and
Kylie Minogue, and spent five years with
Simply Red between 1998 and 2003 and still selectively appears on their recordings.
Jaimes' phrasing and playing style draw on the multi-string chromatic lyricism of
Grant Green and the young
George Benson, the funky, rhythmic prowess of
Ronny Jordan, and the smooth modernism of
Bobby Broom and
Chuck Loeb.
Jaimes claims he was put up to recording a solo album at the behest of old friend, collaborator, and trumpeter
Rick Braun, who guests here.
The 11-song set is impeccably balanced between club groovers and smooth jams with wonderful playing.
Jaimes played all guitars and basses and did the programming. His studio cast includes longtime production partner
Danny Saxon on keyboards, drummers
Westley Joseph and
Oscar Seaton, and bassist
Dwayne "Smitty" Smith among others. Opener "Evenin'" features a guest spot from pianist
Oli Silk (
Jaimes' bandleader at Pizza Express) wedding lithe, bluesy jazz-funk to syncopated breaks, and vampy interplay between the two soloists. "Peak Too Soon" comes out of the gate dressed as a fusion of jazz and disco, with
Jaimes handling the lyric leads atop his own layers of wah-wah guitar as bass and synth strings rise above the popping snare and hi-hat groove. "6 After 8" offers a late-night feel, with a bumping bass and snare pattern.
Jaimes twins electric and acoustic guitars in wedding R&B to jazz, and even references flamenco in his sumptuous melody.
Braun guests on "Heads Up," a tune drenched in funky flavor that owes a deep debt to
Grover Washington, Jr.'s "Mister Magic." The punchy harmonic interplay between keys, guitars, and horns offers the rhythm section an enormous palette to play from.
Patti Austin lends her iconic voice to an airy, classy read of the late
Rod Temperton's "Midnight Rendezvous." (A mentor to
Jaimes, this lone cover track is offered in tribute to him.) Prolific guitarist
Peter White joins
Jaimes on the swaggering nocturnal strutter "We'll See." The pair play in unison, then trade fours and eights before reharmonizing across a lush backdrop of strings, keys, dubwise bass, and drums. The title track weds slick funk, disco, and smooth jazz in
Jaimes' layered acoustic and electric guitar approach. They engage in dynamite exchanges with
Saxon's synths and percussion.
Hear at Last is a thoroughly contemporary jazz record of the kind we are seldom treated to anymore. There is no grand concept at work, only beautifully composed, arranged, and produced tunes that revel in assonant harmonies, slippery, fingerpopping rhythms, and classy production that places accents on clean lines and dynamics. ~ Thom Jurek
![Come Away With Me [20th Anniversary] [Super Deluxe 3 CD]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0602445077724_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Come Away With Me [20th Anniversary] [Super Deluxe 3 CD]")
