Steve Kovalcheck – Buckshot Blues

I knew nothing about guitarist Steve Kovalcheck, and when you discover a new musician, you immediately find yourself looking into his influences and wondering how he has moved beyond them.

As for Kovalcheck, it’s clear that he belongs to the great tradition that, since Charlie Christian, has included Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell, Tal Farlow, Joe Pass, or more recently the late Russell Malone.

The guitarist’s playing thus offers interesting contrasts between a lyricism devoid of pathos on the ballads and a solid rhythmic foundation on the more upbeat tracks.

A crystal-clear tone and a crisp attack characterize his playing, and he demonstrates great melodic inventiveness in his solos as well as accomplished harmonic mastery.

It must be said that Kovalcheck has secured the company of a veteran drummer who provides him with a support of incomparable energy and refinement: the great Jeff Hamilton.

The latter displays an impressive variety of colors and rhythms on his instrument, making him the focal point of the trio on several tracks.

As for the double bassist, Jon Hamar (about whom I also knew nothing), he fulfills his rhythmic and harmonic role with great confidence and undeniable melodic qualities, which he expresses, among other things, in his solos and his bowing technique.

The repertoire explored by these three outstanding musicians includes a few standards but mainly compositions by the bandleader, some of which bear the mark of the blues, as the album title suggests.

The result is a delightful album that expresses the joy of playing without worrying about trends, from a trio steeped in a timeless tradition where all three members play with obvious sincerity and undeniable skill.