Back Burner

4-STARS The debut album by Seattle-based guitarist Martin Budde is a great success. On the one hand, he has internalized the entire history of jazz guitar, but on the other hand, he has also processed his earlier influences from country and folk music. He has integrated his long-time colleagues from the jazz sextet "Meridian Odyssey", bassist Ben Feldman and drummer Xavier Lecouturier, into his trio. With the exception of the Joni Mitchell song "My Old Man", all of the compositions are by Martin Budde, and range from uptempo numbers to ballads, blues and rock. Musical highlights are the opener "Red", a swinging waltz, the fast-paced "Companion" with guitar and drum solos, the fast "Gee Bee Blues" with wonderful interaction between all three musicians, the vocal "Eyak" and the two lyrical ballads "Back Burner" and "Parker Peak", in which the trio impresses with its excellent interplay.