17 September 2009
New Jersey Jazz Society

There is one word that kept recurring in my mind as I listened to When the Heart Dances (naim Jazz - 112) by pianist LAURENCE HOBGOOD, and that word is sensitive. This 11-song collaboration with bassist Charlie Haden is replete with quietly persuasive jazz. Hobgood has composed three of the tunes, "When the Heart Dances," Leatherwood," and "Sanctuary," my particular favorite, a solo piano piece that picks up steam and passion as it evolves from a hymn-like beginning to a fervid statement of commitment before receding into a final Amen. Haden and Hobgood put their creative minds together to compose a very engaging number that they titled "Chickoree." Hoagy Carmichael wrote so many wonderful, yet diverse songs that it is not easy to place him in a stylistic box. "New Orleans" is certainly one of his most unique and engaging tunes, and Hobgood perfectly captures its reflective mood. Vocalist Kurt Elling and Hobgood have been musical partners for quite some time, and it feels perfectly natural to hear Elling's voice pop up on three of the tracks, "First Song," a Haden original, "Stairway to the Stars" and "Daydream." In keeping with the rest of the album, Elling pulls back on his normal intensity to provide some wonderfully understated and impressive vocalizing. As Hobgood and Haden ruminated on the lovely "Why Did I Choose You," it occurred to me that this would have made a good title track for an album that you would be wise to choose as an addition to your CD library.