Historically, jazz has been big-city music. Jazz started in New Orleans and went on to flourish in a variety of cities -- everywhere from Boston to Los Angeles to Stockholm to Rio de Janeiro. And contrary to what the "Manhattan jazz police" would have listeners believe, New York has never had the market cornered on talented improvisers. But it is safe to say that big cities in general have dominated jazz. So how do you explain the fact that so much of the jazz that guitarist
Bruce Dunlap provides on his debut album,
About Home, is inspired by nature and employs rural imagery? It's quite simple: jazz artists play by their own rules, and
Dunlap's jazz (which incorporates elements of pop, rock, and Brazilian music) just happens to be mindful of nature. While another improviser will find beauty in Chicago's Lake Shore Drive or the London skyline,
Dunlap might find it in the Grand Canyon -- and there's nothing wrong with that. If you equate nature with peace and quiet, that would explain why
Dunlap's playing is as lyrical, airy, and reflective as it is on this fusion/crossover CD.
Pat Metheny (who can also be quite lyrical) is a definite influence, but
Dunlap is his own man. And even though
Dunlap favors an understated, subtle approach, he is still a substantial player -- for
Dunlap, subtle and understated don't mean wimpy or gutless. Of course, a guitarist doesn't have to be nature-minded to come out with an album as lyrical as
About Home; a guitarist could live right in the heart of downtown Chicago and be just as lyrical. But nature is obviously where
Dunlap gets a lot of his inspiration on this promising debut. ~ Alex Henderson