Jeff Group Goldstein Waltz For Susie CD

Pianist Jeff Goldstein leads his quartet through 11 original jazz compositions on the new CD release Waltz For Susie. The Jeff Goldstein Group features the rhythm section of Phillip Crump on bass and Kevin Teachout on drums, along with Moveable Feast saxophonist Peter Vircks (all of whom appeared on the 2003 debut CD Mount Jazz). Goldstein's melody-driven writing style sets a laid-back scene adorned with shades of bop, blues, Latin flourishes and Arabic twists. Waltz For Susie also includes a sole vocal track, with Gospel great Robert Robinson sitting in on 'No Matter What' (lyrics by Tom Lieberman of the acclaimed Rio Nido). Mid-tempo jazz can be a deceiving musical form. It's often thought of as 'Sunday morning' or 'cocktail' music - and it most certainly serves those purposes well. Goldstein's knack for crafting a memorable tune seems to keep these songs on the mind long after Sunday morning or the cocktail hour has passed. From the serpentine, Charles Neville-like lines in 'Gazpacho' to the romantic phrasing on the title track, Peter Vircks' tenor sax lends a sublimely compelling voice to Goldstein's compositions. "Jeff's writing and playing are both unique and subtle. He approaches the piano with a calm confidence that makes this recording sound authentic and inspired. The band is polished and supportive, and saxophonist Peter Vircks performs these originals as if they were classic jazz standards. Hopefully some day they will be!"-Laura Caviani, pianist composer and educatorThe original songwriting is splendid on the Jeff Goldstein Group's new CD of melodic modern jazz...Minneapolis Star and Tribune.