Ed Englerth Jazz Quartet

Item: Ed Englerth Jazz Quartet
Author: Justin Wright

(2005)

Reviewed by Justin Wright

Bandcamp

Label Blue Side DownThe Phantom Tollbooth2005

blues jazz jazz fusion

Jazz. Not everything listed under that label (i.e. Kenny G) really fits the bill. The Ed Englerth Jazz Quartet is the real deal.

Jazz should be spontaneous and full of energy. The Ed Englerth Jazz Quartet is a smooth group. They play a style of jazz infused with blues, peppered with some fuzz rock, and true to the spontaneity of the art form.

This CD was recorded in a live fashion; either at shows, or "live" in rehearsals. You can feel yourself sitting there in the coffeehouse absorbing the sounds of The Ed Englerth Jazz Quartet. It's obvious that they have played together a lot. They flow the way that a jam band should.

There is no sense of repetitiveness throughout these ten songs. The energy ebbs and flows from song to song. There is no stand out song, because they are all equally strong. Their cover of War's "Lowrider" was fun to hear. Seventy-two minutes may sound kind of long for a CD, but when it was over, I was ready for more.