The Chris Vestre Group
Suburban Life (n / a)
Reviewed by Jay Trachtenberg, Fri., Nov. 23, 2007
The Chris Vestre Group
Suburban LifeIt's been two years since Chris Vestre's maiden voyage, Jazz Camp, debuted with its alluring front line of guitar and vibes. That infrequent combination can still be heard on this sophomore effort, but it hardly dominates as before. Instead, the Austin guitarist takes a more adventurous tack with an expanded sound and scope on this set of all new originals. The three principals have returned – vibist Aaron Lack, bassist Chris Maresh, and drummer Jon Greene – but are now augmented by three horns and keyboardist Evan Jacobs, making for a much richer palette. Saxophonist David Chenu stands out on the soulful "Sun & Shade," while Evans glows throughout on piano, Rhodes, and organ. Vestre, for his part, remains a tasteful and understated guitarist who's more interested in contributing to a group sound than grandstanding his talent. He's wonderfully succinct on "You Be You." Vestre's musical vision has matured considerably in two years.