MUSIC REVIEW BY George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
Guitarist Charlie Ballantine forms a bopping trio with Quinn Sternberg/b and Dan Weiss/dr on a mix of originals and clever covers. What's most attractive about Ballantine is the use of his unique tone; it's got a thick, rural sound, hinting at Bill Frisell in it's palpability, but with a bit of energy in the John Scofield world. He gets folksy and traditional tones on "Storyteller", while bouncing with delight on the bopping read of Thelonious Monk's "Trinkle Tinkle". His treatment of Beatle material is quite creative, giving some effective loops on a swampy "Strawberry Fields Forever" and producing an Indian rubato static environment on "Tomorrow Never Knows", with some more Fab Four feelings on a pastoral read of "Alameda". The team swings delightfully on a take of Ornette Coleman's "When Will The Blues Leave" and they rock out for "Cigarette Siren". Music to string along with.
