CD Review: Fred Fried and Core - Encore

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Fred Fried started playing guitar late when studying at Boston University. And was influenced by guitar players like Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall and Kenny Burrell as well as piano players like Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea and Brad Mehldau. In fact his guitar style has a distinct piano like quality.

Encore is Fried eight album as a leader and the second with the Core trio format. And yet another opportunity to enjoy Fried eight string guitar. The two extra strings allows Fried to be more creative harmonically and to develop a fuller, richer sound.

As in their first album the emphasis here is on the composition even though each one of the members are accomplished improvisers.

Michael Lavoie on bass and Miki Matsuki on drums provide a strong rhytmic foundation to Fried gorgeous sound and his eleven original compositions.

On the tracks "Spring overture" and "Come each a simple idea" is more traditional straight ahead jazz and bebop. But each piece on this album reflects the diverse influences on Fried music. The Burrell like style in the bluesy "Karenina", the waltz "Three Fall", the kind of flamenco rasgado style on "Sing me a puzzle", the japanese intro and harmonies of "Currents above currents below".

The album ends with the beautiful solo guitar piece "The threads that hold the world".