Canadian guitarist David Cruz offers a musical calling card on his EP with half a dozen trio performances designed to entice listeners and maybe get himself a few gigs too. Cruz has a clean sound, an easy-going manner of soloing, and the good taste that leads him to program tunes like Sam Rivers’ Beatrice, Billy Strayhorn’s Take the ‘A’ Train, and John Coltrane’s Giant Steps. Sympathetically supported by bassist William Dietrich and drummer Miles Fuller, Cruz makes a strong first impression with this set. His version of ‘A’ Train is sweetly downtempo, bringing out the innate lyricism of Strayhorn’s much-beloved anthem. The vigorous In Hindsight, one of three original tunes, swings hard, with strong solos from all hands. Avery, another Cruz composition, is a tender ballad that lopes along with style. Giant Steps is the quintessential test for a modern saxophonist, and it sounds equally challenging on guitar. With Fuller’s drumming driving the trio, their version is fluid and dynamic, but at just over two minutes, they don’t give themselves much of a chance to improvise. The EP concludes with another Cruz original, Chocolate Blackout, a cheerful mid-tempo number that leaves this listener feeling pretty good. Spend half an hour with David Cruz’s EP and you’ll experience some enjoyable guitar - based jazz. Well worth a listen.
Self-produced; David Cruz (g) William Dietrich (b) Miles Fuller (d); Toronto, ON, February 2019; Beatrice/ Take the ‘A’ Train/ In Hindsight/ Avery/ Giant Steps/ Chocolate Blackout; 27:15. www.davidcruzguitar.com
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