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***Tony Scherr's debut solo effort, Come Around, is a collection of beautifully written, heart-wrenching rock songs. The truth of his experiences and a wide range of influences and ideas permeate the cloth of this recording; his use of strings, horns, organ, elastic tempos and a lyrical war-worn warmth are anything but threadbare. After an adolescence spent writing and playing Beatles-influenced rock songs, Scherr developed an interest in jazz, moved to New York and began a prolific career as one of the area's most sought after jazz bassists. Tony's separation from the pop rock of his New Haven, Connecticut, upbringing brought with it a slew of playing credits as a jazz artist: Lounge Lizards, Jesse Harris and the Ferdinandos, Bill Frisell, Sex Mob, and Slowpoke are among the list of collaborators. But while Tony flourished in the New York jazz world, a desire to write and play his own music began to tug at him - rock songs that he could identify with as his own. Although he was writing songs in his late twenties, it wasn't until he was in his thirties, he says, that he began to tell the truth in his songs with the kind of reflective lyrics and the slow rock / free music / country-tinged sounds that inhabit Come Around. Superficially, the record may seem to be a radical departure from Scherr's jazz career, but many elements of Tony's past work add to the rich arrangements and elegant time structures of the songs. The chemistry between the musicians on Come Around is a result of a longstanding history of projects completed together, and the roster is impressive: along with Tony (guitar, vocals) and Peter Scherr (string bass), Kenny Wolleson plays drums and Chris Brown mans the Hammond Organ. Steven Bernstein, Michael Blake, Briggan Krauss and Pete McGuinness provide the horns for "Stuck it Out" and Marcus Rojas, Bill Frisell, Spiro Cardemis, Kyle Kevorkian, Jenny Scheinman, and Jane Scarpantoni make guest appearances on various songs. Recorded by Scherr at his home as part of a collection of limited-edition releases under the name Cardboard Records, Come Around resonates with an intelligence and moody stillness rarely found in rock music. Having spent most of his career in jazz, Tony Scherr's return to rock songs gives birth to a lovely, reflective, atypical style. |
