When you hear Dave Guy play his trumpet you know it is him right away. Like many of the greats before him he has a distinct tone and sensibility that sets him apart from his peers. Unless you are the type to read album credits you may never have heard his name, but you have heard him play. In fact, you have likely seen him play. Whether in person at a show or on national television he has lent his talents to a who’s who list of world famous artists both in the recording studio and on stage. And now, with his first solo LP on Big Crown Records, Dave is stepping from a band’s flank straight to the front—with a well deserved light shining directly on him and his sound.

Dave has played, toured, and / or recorded with Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Pharell, The Menahan Street Band, Lee Fields, Al Green, and Mark Ronson to name a few. But fast forward to now, and you may best know Dave Guy as the trumpeter playing with The Roots on tour, in the studio, and on TV with Jimmy Fallon.

On his new record Dave steps to the front of the stage with a debut album that could have only come from a seasoned veteran. It’s a record that mixes his musical influences with the energies of the city that raised him. A New York jazz record that pushes the boundaries of the genre by incorporating shades of hip hop and soul making it both unique and modern. An album of songs that capture different moods and an invitation into the world as Dave Guy sees it and feels it.

Del has recently been lisening to the album and now shares his thoughts with us on it track by track.

7th Heaven 

This track is gorgeous! It’s got elements of jazz, cinematic scoring, and hip hop. The whole thing just comes together so well, but what can I expect from a member of The greatest live hip hop band to walk the earth? 

A high standard of course. And just for those who don’t know, I’m talking about The Roots. 

Dave Guy brings his horn to bear over a track packed with dusty drums, a pleasing synth chord stab to open up the proceedings, a piano, percussion, a subby bass holding down a great pocket as well as playing along with the notes in the intro… there’s a flute fluttering in there too…

Being a piano player my favourite part is at 1:04 the piano is played like a harp as part of the solo, which I guess is not an accident given the title of the track! 

The trumpet solo doesn’t disappoint at 1:48! 

I keep going back to listen to confirm what I’m hearing and this track is just genius. 

Nice way to open the album! 

Footwork

Now the brushes come out for this one. The drum intro has a bit of a reggae groove but then it settles into a Latin groove, with a tinge of African flavour to it, the percussion comes to the forefront – congas, tambourine… the bassline is walking! Over this groove? 

Well, yeah of course. 

Dave’s trumpet solo is something that’s full of joy, very playful, you could just imagine this would be used in a film scene where a couple are dancing – a challenge if you like. Every time the close up of each person happens then that’s where the progression happens… 

Aptly titled! 

I’ll Follow You 

This starts off with piano and drums, a nice contrast in the groove, and guitar. The chords are played higher up on the piano so it gives the track a nice ring to it. I love the percussion layer to this, and the guitar playing isn’t intrusive! 

Morning Glory 

This next one has a shuffle groove to it, totally locked in, the synth from the first track is back again, and is trading off with harmonised phrases on the trumpet. The bounce really gives this flavour as the accent is on the 2 and 4. 

The melody of the trumpet solo at 1:07 doesn’t strictly stay on time with the shuffle, and that twists my brain a little bit but I love it!

This is probably my favourite track on the album.

Pinky Ring 

This one begins with a bit of squelchy synth goodness, I reckon there are some vintage analogue synths at play with some tweaks here and there to give it a nice warm feeling – and a bit of layering to give it that umph. 

The bass does a lot of work here, it reminds me of 10CC’s “I’m Not In Love” where it goes off on its own, the drums are a slowed down beat similar to “Immigrant Song”, but it’s not intrusive and it’s a locked in beat. The trumpet comes in late in the song, which means Dave has thought hard about how this is put together, the trumpet comes in at around 0:51, with the drums keyboards and bass laying low for a bit. What intrigued me about the drums though is that they’re pitched really low especially the snare, like as if it’s muffled, same with the toms, and it so pleasing to the ear. Again that hip hop/jazz relationship is coming through.

Diamond Encore 

The pace is taken down slower still on this and we are back to that soundtrack feel again. It reminds me of a Tarantino film, and I hope Dave gets the call. This one prowls!

Again the rhythm section are doing some great work here, I love that bassline! The voicing of the horns is so nice! I like the fact there’s a touch of delay on Dave’s trumpet for the solo too. Definitely a contender for my second favourite track. 

Still Standing 

Unusually for me I just looked at the credits. Usually I do this by track 3 and I make a note of who’s doing what – the co-writer on this is Homer Steinweiss – I’ve been a fan of his for a little while now and I’m assuming he’s playing drums on this project. 

This track has some distortion to thicken up the bass, the rim shot is keeping the time here and the drums have a slightly laid back groove, it reminds me of the Motown groove from “Reach Out”, add to that some clapping that’s not your usual 2 and 4. It sounds SO good, you can just imagine. 

Dave Wants You 

This has such a trippy feel to it, the chord progression throughout is just two, and the separation is just a semitone. The main melody sticks in your head for ages too, it’s one you can’t help but hum! Again another favourite cut from the album, especially since it features one of my favourite trumpet performances on the recording. Also there’s a vocal that comes in and it sounds so sultry. I’m definitely now a fan of Shannon Wise. I love what she did here!

Drony Boy 

This starts off with a synth chord, it fades up, and there’s a sustained trumpet note nicely drawn out….

The synth at the beginning sounds like it’s been passed through a phaser, and seems to swell it’s 

When everything gets started it’s nice and slow but there’s a subtle change in tempo as the track gets going, you can just chill out on this track alone.My favourite part of this comes in at around 2:!8 because the flavour changes picking up a different section of the track – up until 2:42 where it just goes back to its original mood…

Stunning. 

Quesodillas 

This has an interesting sound to it, it starts off with a guitar riff and the drums have been eq’d in a way that it sounds like it’s coming from another closed room  – think Adele “Hello” and you get the picture. The overall feel has a bit of a Latin groove to it, slight off beat to it too which really attracted my ears. Dave is really good at plucking melodies out of the air! 

The Green Door 

The synth bass on this has got me going! Wow! Very Stevie Wonder in terms of the tone, I also love that arpeggio on the electric piano. What got me though was the drum intro, then the brass come in with those killer arrangements again! But let’s listen to those drums, they’re a combination of acoustic and analogue sounding ones – you’d think for a minute that can go right or go wrong but… listen to the fill at around 1:22 – very 70s sounding drums by the way. I like the sound of that kit a LOT! 

Ruby’s Rubies 

This is anthemic if I can call it that. The single C held down while the trumpet plays the solo gave me spine tingles it kind of reminds me of the kind of thing you’d hear at the Olympics as the athletes come into the stadium, or better still the opening of a Marvel movie.

This is epic. 

You could hear a Morgan Freeman voiceover on this for sure; this has such a regal feel to it… 

While this is could be considered as the intro in my mind to something it also works so well as the outro for the album, it tells me that this is not done. 

Mr Guy? I need more. 

The trumpet is such an important instrument. It is symbolic, even in the bible where trumpets are sounded by angels, it plays an important part in military bands. It’s a herald’s instrument. 

Dave Guy has given me a bigger appreciation for this on this album.

Review by Del Osei-Owusu

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