BEST SEVENTIES JAZZ ALBUM RECORDED THIS YEAR

Eddie Gip Noble - In The Lite of Things - eddiegipnoble.com

Few jazz musicians have the combined R&B-jazz-blues experience of master keyboardist Eddie Gip Noble who has played with dozens of top acts in these genres including Gladys Knight, Patti Austin, Gerald Albright, Wayne Henderson, Johnny Guitar Watson and Etta James.

This illustrious multi-faceted background has led to an exciting hybrid sound on his second solo album, IN THE LITE OF THINGS. On this new recording Noble goes retro and takes Seventies classic R&B and jazz-fusion elements and uses them to create modern instrumental music that features extensive, melodic, traditional-jazz-style-soloing on both acoustic piano and electric piano.

If this album had come out in 1975, it might have been named Jazz Album of the Year. Now, in 2011, listening to it is just a fun, slightly-guilty pleasure, like having an old friend stop by your house mid-week with an expensive, delectable bottle of wine.