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Non-Prog CD Reviews

Keith Oxman

Two Cigarettes In The Dark

Review by Gary Hill

If you dig old-school jazz, you should find plenty to enjoy here. This set features a nice variety of sounds and pieces, all set in a vintage jazz style. While most of it is instrumental, there a couple songs that include vocals. All in all, this is a classy album.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) in Music Street Journal: 2020  Volume 4. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2020.

Track by Track Review
I've Never Been In Love Before
A piano led arrangement brings this into being. The horns bring some different angles to this killer jazz tune. The number has some great instrumental interplay and a classy groove. I love the piano soloing later in the piece.
Voss Is Boss
This is a powerhouse jazz jam. It's higher energy than the opener. It is also more intense. It's no less cool, though. This song has a drum workout in the middle of it.
Everything Happens To Me
The first tune with vocals (Annette Murrell), this is a slow moving jazz ballad. It's evocative and pretty. It's also a nice change of pace.
Two Cigarettes In The Dark
I dig this classy jam a lot. It has plenty of mid-tempo jamming that is of the magical variety. The whole vibe and groove oozes cool.
Bossa For Baby
Another killer jazz groove, I really dig a lot of the musical interplay on this thing. There is some smoking hot piano work on this tune, but really that can be said of pretty much everything here. The horn brings some magic, as well.
Murphy's Law Impacts L.E.A.P.
An up-tempo and particularly powerful jazz arrangement leads this out in style. This has some particularly strong horn work. There is a drum solo in the middle of this thing.
Crazy He Calls Me
This number sees the return of Murrell's vocals. This is a fairly slow tune, and I suppose it is a ballad, but it's a bit less "safe" than "Everything Happens To Me." There are some intriguing angles to this piece.
Wind Chill
Another cut that seems ooze cool, the melody lines on this are great. The tune has some cool timing, as well.
Sweet Sucker
A bit less intense, this is no less classy. It's a cool jazz groove with some great instrumental work built into it. I'd say that it might be my favorite piece here. I love how they drop back for a time to let the bass drive it.
Murrellancholy
A pretty balladic number, this is slow moving and tasty. I think that perhaps the previous tune might have made a stronger closer, though.

 

 
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