Across the Bridge

Tom Collier is a very impressive vibraphone player and holds nothing back on his album, Across The Bridge. Accompanied by Bill Frisell on guitar, Larry Coryell on guitar, Dan Dean on bass, John Bishop on drums, and Ted Poor on drums, Tom weaves his way magically through nine original compositions. It feels like elevator jazz at times with the vibraphone but it is so much more than that. Collier gets complex with melody lines and grooves.

"The Admiral's Point of View" is one of the more upbeat and funky tracks on the album. Dan Dean, Tom's longtime musical band mate of 50 years, really settles down in the pocket and takes an impressive solo during the middle of the song. Across The Bridge has a very cool feel because of the vibraphone and it is featured in almost every song, including "47th 'N' Hudson." "Harmonious Effusion on Olga Street" is a very upbeat track and gives the feeling of a chase scene or an escape of some sort. This song feels like it belongs in a scene of a movie. Tom Collier creates a very harmonic melody with guitarist, Bill Frisell and gives justice to the name of the song.

The album finishes with the title track, "Across the Bridge." This song truly brings the whole album into perspective and is a great conclusion. It showcases a little bit of everything that made this album unique. Across The Bridge is a new, different listen from the average jazz album that, with breathtaking grooves, pushes the territory of where jazz can take you.