A soft-toned guitarist whose fresh musical personality includes hints of
Jimmy Raney and
Jim Hall,
Mark Elf toured Europe with
Dizzy Gillespie back in 1987 and has had a strong reputation in musician circles for quite some time. His set for the Alerce label is unusual in that it was recorded in Santiago, Chile with South American musicians. Fortunately the CD is readily available domestically for
Elf is in particularly creative form. Most selections feature the guitarist with a trio that also includes bassist
Ramon Romero and drummer
Alejandro Espinosa. "Body and Soul" adds
Claudia Acuna for a warm vocal while "Sweet and Lovely" utilizes four local horn players. Otherwise the focus is on
Elf and his interplay with his sidemen. Most impressive is the guitarist's clarity on a speedy "Giant Steps" (every note rings out clearly), his quiet unhurried playing on a rapid "Straw Nuff" and
Elf's ability to sing along with his instrument on "It's You or No One."