Pretty watercolors are painted by pianist/composer John Finbury, who actually only plays one song on this gorgeous album, an intimate solo “Waltz For Patty” to close things out. Otherwise he employs Tim Ray at the ivories to team up with an impressionistic team of Eugen Friesen/cel, Roni Eytan/harm, Claudio Ragazzi/g, Roberto Cassan-Vitor Goncalves/acc and guest voice Peter Eldridge on these chamber’d pieces.
The melding of accordion and harmonica creates a bohemian feel, sighing to Ray’s ruminations on “Fantasma” and bohemian for “My Hometown”, forming a misty morning haze on the title piece. Ragazzi’s acoustic guitar creates droplets with Friesen and Ray on the delicate “Halfway” while forming a pizzicato’d pulse on “Black Tea”. All throughout, pastels are chalked onto the sidewalk to create retreats of rhythm and melody. A walk in Givenchy.
Jazz Weekly Review by George W. Harris.