Paul Bedal Guitar Quartet -- August 2021 Chicago, Illinois

Finding an original pianist who can front a jazz trio and not sound like myriad others is a daunting task. How many jazz pianists have a fresh voice? Well, Reggie Thomas does. His soulful, hard-swinging brand of piano immediately grabs the listener, imparting joy and a positive energy. Ballads? Yes, he also plays those flawlessly and does so in in this outing. Joining Mr. Thomas is a veteran rhythm section with Dennis Carrol on bass and George Fludas on drums. Dennis and George both support and complement Reggie’s piano artistry with excursions of their own. The result is a masterful trio creating exquisite music. The performance was captured with the finest custom (tube) and vintage microphones including a pair of legendary cardiod AKG 414 EB’s on piano, two AKG ULS’s on drums and a single AKG ULS on bass, directly to a highly modified Studer/Revox 8-track master recorder. The result is an audio and musical gem.

Where technology meets art

Paul Bedal Guitar Quartet -- August 2021 Chicago, Illinois

Experiencing jazz that is both high quality yet easy to assimilate is rare, but that is what Paul Bedal and his group has managed here. The music is familiar and accessible (Violets For Your Furs, Sophisticated Lady, Darn That Dream, etc.) yet stands up to deep and repeated listening. The recording itself enhances these qualities by making them even more enticing and desirable. The piano sound alone may be the best put out by IPI on tape. The session was recorded at Pro Musica Chicago, directly to a Studer/Revox custom 8-track deck employing vintage microphones with engineering by Jonathan Horwich and Ken Christianson. This is a wonderful guitar quartet enhanced by very natural and superb sound.