First Review of Morgan, Fogg, & Grimmett’s This Is What You Want

from www.MuzikReviews.com by Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

Morgan Fogg & Grimmett - This Is What You Want

This is one of those great CDs where I have a hard time figuring out where to start, which is a good omen for the artists.

Morgan Fogg & Grimmett say This Is What You Want, and you know what? It most certainly is. This is a great indie release; there really is not a thing about it that I dislike. It helps to have a deep love and understanding of the jazz idiom to feel this way. Jazz is not and never has been cut and dried. What this band accomplishes in the twelve tracks on this CD is to shine a light on all the best components of the genre. Rather than performing dutifully, they give the genre all the respect it deserves and have fun at the same time.

The three featured artists are Matt Fogg (Piano, Wurlitzer 200A, Hammond C3, and Fender Rhodes) Cheri Gaudet Grimmett (vocals), and Scott Morgan (guitar). Fogg is an accomplished keyboard wizard; he jumps back and forth between the acoustic piano, the fabulous Wurlizter 200A, and to the old standby the Hammond C3. Fogg colors each track with variations on each particular theme through different textures, as if there was a selection of buttons in front of him to push and engage a mood or atmosphere that was appropriate to the lyrics that Gaudet was singing. Gaudet is also a seasoned veteran fronting a unit; she swings with the best of them and gives it her all on every track. Her energy seems to be a good fit for the rock solid instrumentation provided on this release. I really liked her upbeat tone and style; no doubt, she was made for jazz. Laced in between and all around this activity is the guitar of Scott Morgan, a very capable individual, his playing is consistently outstanding and versatile throughout.

I especially enjoyed the opening track, the instrumental “Blues For Steve,” a bluesy shuffle that highlights a band that is in total alignment with each other. Being partial and more critical of instrumentals, because there is only one ingredient to focus on, I am not easy to impress. I must say that the track was very enjoyable and I could have easily listened to an entire CD of this style of music, but then I would be missing the wonderful vocals of Ms. Gaudet. There is just so much to like here! “Huntin’” was one that really perked my ears up because of the rockin’ guitar courtesy of Scott Morgan. It is still jazz mind you and some good solid fusion that lets everyone know that indeed they can cut loose, rock out, and still be a jazz band. I liked “Go Down Moses” too, the title and the words are great, and the melody sublime, a jazz composition does not get much better for simplicity and snappy freshness.

I could on forever about this CD but I won’t. This is a wonderful selection of songs featuring a superb band delivering the goods-it is as simple as that.

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