Brooklyn Eye

Playing both piano and hurdy-gurdy, Joachim Mencel creates a wide variety of atmospheres with his post bop team of guitarist Steve Cardenas, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Rudy Royston. Colley and Royston are most flexible here, creating a circle dance on the dramatic "I'm Yo Man", mixing suave brushes and beat on "The Things" and rocking out with Cardenas on "The Last Of The Mohicans". Mencel's piano touch is modern and confident here, while his hurdy-gurdy takes you to other worlds. An exotic "Two Pieces with Beatrice" sounds like a Mancini soundtrack from the world travelling 60s, he sounds folksy on "Photosynthesis" and cantoral on the other worldly "Psalm 88". Jazz journeys.