The Leslie Johnson Project I reviewed earlier this year features a who’s who of exceptional players. One of the players I’ve been listening to recently is Mississippi-based keyboard wiz Chris Carver.
His stamp as a sideman on the Leslie Johnson Project is subtle yet distinctive. On the album Ghost in the Machine, Carver displays his formidable chops as bandleader, producer, songwriter and keyboardist.
The album fits solidly in the jazz/funk camp, with adventuresome writing by Carver. On the title track, Chris Carver leads drummer Jason Palmer, bassist Adam Nitti and tenor saxophonist Jeff Coffin through an up-tempo jazz workout which only disappoints because of its length.
Carver’s arrangement and production on “Ghost in the Machine” allows the stellar rhythm section to sparkle. Chris Carver’s Fender Rhodes solos evoke ’70s era fusion, but there is nothing retro in Jeff Coffin’s playing or the overall feel. The title track of the album is a great taste of a first-class jazz stew.
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