My review of Joe Locke's Lay Down My Heart - Blues & Ballads Vol 1, today at All About Jazz.

The third of the vibraphonist's (initial) three-record deal with Motéma Music following Signing (2012) - the incendiary Joe Locke / Geoffrey Keezer Group studio followup to 2006's equally nuclear Live in Seattle (Origin) - and his ambitious orchestral collaboration, Wish Upon a Star (2013), Lay Down My Heart is truth in advertizing.

A set of blues and ballads but, with Locke's sensitivity, inestimable chops and ability to get deep into the heart of a song, this is far from an average blowing session. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have pianist Ryan Cohan (back from Wish Upon a Star), bassist David Finck and up-and-coming drummer Jaimeo Brown aboard. Together they turn material (including two terrific Locke originals - ballads both) like the enduring "Making Whoopee" into a greasy song for the 21st century and a fairly literal but all the more perfect for it look at Bonnie Raitt's ballad hit, "I Can't Make You Love Me" into an unexpected centerpiece.


Review here.