For his 8th album as a leader (and 2nd for PosiTone Records), guitarist and composer Will Bernard went into the studio with a crackling rhythm section (drummer Allison Miller and bassist Ben Allison), organist Brian Charette, and saxophonist John Ellis. While Bernard is often found in situations where he is called on to be “funky”, his PosiTone recordings have given him the space to expand.
“Out & About” gives the listener much to chew on. Bernard composed all the tracks and there’s a great deal of interaction throughout as well as impressive melodies for participants to “play” with. The presence of Ben Allison actually gives the composer more melodic voices to work with (his previous recording had Charette supplying the bass lines on organ) and Bernard uses the bassist to great effect. Listen to the short guitar-bass duet on “Not Too Fancy“, Allison’s strong solo on the Latin-infused “Habanera“, and his solid support on the ballad “Pan Seared” to hear how much the bassist adds to the session
Brian Charette is a plus to any recording, surprising the listener with his many tones and good background work. He can roar and whisper, often in the same cut – listen to his swells behind the guitar solo on “Homeward Bound.” His solo on “Full Sweep” is short but so exciting as he romps over Ms. Miller’s dancing rhythms.
The presence of John Ellis enlivened the first PosiTone CD and does the same here. His liquid lines an warm tones on pieces such as “Next Guest” and “Homebody” mesh well with Bernard’s excellent rhythm guitar and counterpoint. He can “rock out” as well; his bluesy frolic over the guitarist’s “wah-wah” support on the CDs frisky opener “Happy Belated” is wonderfully funky.
Will Bernard is a guitarist who rarely, if ever, wastes notes. On “Out & About“, he cedes a good amount of the solo space to his talented band. Yet, he’s there supplying supportive chords and lively melodies. When the guitarist “steps out”, his clean, quite clear, tone and well-formed solos steer clear of cliches and often are quite adventurous. Best of all, Bernard can write compelling melodies, even on “groove-based” tracks. It’s a pleasure to listen to such mature music and have such a good time doing so.
