Chris Tishler - Reach for the Sun
The smooth jazz samba sounds coming from the speakers are courtesy of Chris Tishler, who sings “We crack some wine and then get cooking, follow with the recipe of our desire.” If you have followed Tishler’s career, this debut album checks off some expected boxes but also suggest his ears are bigger than you may have thought.
The 13-track CD is varied as it is solid. “Let’s Forget” opens relaxedly enough and then erupts into a guitar solo that creates the “Aha!” moment. The searing guitar will show up again later on “Telephone” but is employed sparingly. There are detours; “Wave To Me From the Shore” begins imaginatively like the march of the Oompa Loompas as Tuvan throat singers and cascades into molten hard rock before returning to the opening march.
For the album, Tishler brings in a generous roll call of talented guests including vocalists, Betty Blexrud-Strigens and Liv Mueller. The feline exoticism of “Sahara” features Brian Ritchie (Shakuhachi flute) and John Kruth (ghita)—the song plays like a dream of Eric Burdon spilling wine. “Jasmine Rice” adds Jamie Breiwick, Cecillo Negron, Jr., Joey Santiago and BJ Cuictas to create the aforementioned jazz sound that that blends seamlessly. Instrumentally, the album’s diversity proves a strength, with Tishler’s songwriting tying the many moods together. As evidence, many of the songs are built around an acoustic guitar. The rolling fingerpicked-guitar “Strong Wind” hints Tishler has a few Nick Drake albums on his shelf.
The live-in-the-studio feel of “Keep It Movin’” echoes Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” before it veers this close to David Lee Roth territory, when Tishler’s unleashes a hearty “ALL RIGHT—C’MON!”
While it is Tishler’s name the cover, co-producer/engineer/multi-instrumentalist Jeff Hamilton’s sonic fingerprints are all over the place. It wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine his support gave Tishler license to go beyond his comfort zones. What might surprise you is how often introspection fills songs like “When the Sun Sets,” played all the more mournful with Korinthia Klein’s viola adding color.
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