In his debut album, Long Way Home, talented musician Don Immel brings the surprisingly diverse trombone into the limelight. Manipulating the musicality of the trombone, Immel creates a contemporary classical and jazz influenced album that easily molds to feature the crooning of his instrument.
A slightly unusual sounding album, Immel easily bends the tones of the trombone against the backdrop of a mellow jazz groove, especially in the title track, “Long Way Home.” Although the tempo only just toes the line of dragging, the improvisations, especially that of the piano, are truly excellent.
Two other standout tracks in Long Way Home are “Fool’s Full Quiver,” which features mellow, rusty vocals and a smooth Latin groove, and “Still in Love,” a poignant track colored by tender piano improvisations, soothing strings, and romantic trombone melodies.
With influences like Sting, Pat Metheny, and Yo-Yo Ma, Immel’s debut album, which features well-crafted, original compositions, is first-rate. Taking his instrument beyond its typical position, Immel’s trombone is almost inspirational; the way in which Immel is able to demonstrate his musical and technical abilities on an instrument that is not typically at the forefront of a jazz album is outstanding.
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Reviewer: C.J. Trent Reviewer's Rating: 8 Reader's Rating: 0 Reader's Votes: 0
