Gilad Hekselman – Downhill From Here (2025) [FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

Gilad Hekselman – Downhill From Here (2025)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 44:05 minutes | 868 MB | Genre: Contemporary Jazz, Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © La Reserve Records

Last year’s outstanding live quartet release Life, at the Village Vanguard by the singular Israeli-born, New York-residing guitarist Gilad Hekselman is a tough one to follow. But hot on its heels comes a new studio recording Downhill From Here – the title is unlikely to be a reference to his peak showing on the live recording.

Although the guitarist-composer is in his element here in an intimate trio setting – check out guitar-sax-drums Trio Grande – with Brad Mehldau’s long-time sparring partner Larry Grenadier and himself effectively dipping into a colourful harmonic palette alongside impactful drummer Marcus Gilmore. Hekselman’s succinct, effortlessly lyrical phrasing owes as much to 1970s singer-songwriter electric and acoustic rock as it does to the classic jazz lineage.He doesn’t forget about memorable song-like melody in the compositions. The opening title track has a 1970s psych-rock edge about it and in direct tribute to one of his inspirations he’s both crunchy and blues-funky on ‘Scoville’. But there’s also an understatedly dreamy take on Bacharach ballad ‘Alfie’ and an original ‘Seeing You’ on which he feeds a gentle fire. Hekselsman might leave certain boxes unticked with current jazz agenda-setters, but he’s arguably one of the most wittily accessible contemporary jazz guitarists around and demonstrates as much on this enjoyably expressive new record.

Tracklist:

1-1. Gilad Hekselman – Downhill From Here (05:52)
1-2. Gilad Hekselman – Navanad (07:14)
1-3. Gilad Hekselman – Be Brave (05:54)
1-4. Gilad Hekselman – Alfie (03:50)
1-5. Gilad Hekselman – Wise Man (05:28)
1-6. Gilad Hekselman – Seeing You (06:36)
1-7. Gilad Hekselman – Scoville (05:37)
1-8. Gilad Hekselman – Like A Wildflower (03:30)

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