Portraits In World Jazz

Album Review

There is something strangely appealing about the sort of light, danceable melodies found on this disc. While the original and catchy tunes by Arthur Lipner impress, the simple harmonies lack the level of sophistication to raise this music to much more than fine background fare. Lipner plays the vibraphones competently, and shines as a soloist. He is in command of his instrument, and if he fails to go out on a limb, he nevertheless never misses a beat. For this recording he has assembled a strong, star-studded group that includes Fred Hersch on piano, Harvie Swartz on bass, Vic Juris on guitar, and Glen Velez on percussion. While the level of performance is universally good, the arrangements fall a bit short and detract from the overall results. In the end, this music makes few demands on the listener, and offers limited delights.