November 2007
Nelson cites a number of influences, including Keith Jarrett and the Bad Plus. I hear plenty of the former, more as an aesthetic signpost than as source of Nelson’s sound, but very little of the latter. One pianist Nelson doesn’t mention is Vince Guaraldi, but Nelson’s playing is immediately likable in the same way Guaraldi’s was, although it’s more complex and rhythmically daring. Nelson’s safety net on Let It Go is Wilson, an adventurous drummer whose feel for the rock rhythms on "Let It Go" is as natural as his jazz chops on the rest of the disc. I would have enjoyed hearing a bit more of Wilson and, perhaps, a little less of Blake, who sometimes veers into smooth jazz. Sara Gararek guests on "Leaving Here," one of Nelson’s tunes. It’s the most convincing jazz performance I’ve heard from her yet. The sound on Let It Go is lively and open, although Nelson could have been pulled back a notch in the mix. If Let It Go has a fault, it is that Nelson seems eager to show how many styles he can play in, including rock, and the disc sometimes feels a little unfocused. Still, more ambition is better than less, and Josh Nelson probably has great things in store for us. GO BACK TO: |
Josh Nelson - Let It Go 
