‘Impressions in Blue and Red’
Outside In Music
alexgoodmanmusic.com
Over the past decade, guitarist Alex Goodman has performed with a variety of musicians, including saxophonist-flutist Charles Lloyd, pianist Manuel Valera, bassist John Patitucci. At the same time, he’s been solidifying his reputation as a leader on a half-dozen albums. His newest album, “Impressions in Blue and Red,” makes a bold statement with two distinct bands, stretching across two discs. The premise behind the recording is the parallel between color and music, two forces capable of affecting us on an abstract level, well beyond words. But the red and blue discs also serve to showcase Goodman’s prowess as an instrumentalist, composer, and arranger.
The tracks cover a wide range of genres, from up-tempo burners like “No Man’s Land” to Johann Rosenmüller’s Baroque “Sonata No. 12 Adagio.” Goodman takes wonderful excursions on all of them, soloing gorgeously throughout. Alto saxophonists Ben van Gelder (on the blue disc) and Alex LoRe (on the red disc) both turn in stellar performances, supported by the blue rhythm section of bassist Martin Nevin and drummer Jimmy Macbride, and the red rhythm section of bassist Rick Rosato and drummer Mark Ferber, respectively.
