A quick follow-up to the relatively successful
Gypsy Swing, this sophomore album on ARC from
Ismael Reinhardt, current heir to the name of jazz guitar's greatest figure, is a mix of standards and originals in the style of
Django primarily. The overall effect is hit-and-miss, however. Some of the standards are treated lovingly and given their due reverence, and others are given an update in the vein of smooth jazz (complete with soft electronic keyboards and reverb effects). While each group of pieces would by itself be fine, the juxtaposition of the two styles of performance tends to make the more contemporary stylings something of a shallow feel. The guitar work is very nice, though
Reinhardt is occasionally upstaged by guest guitarist
Bireli Lagrene (a journeyman by any standard, but a fine one). German gypsy violinist
Titi Winterstein also makes a couple of noteworthy appearances. A fine album, though a Reinhardt playing gypsy jazz is unavoidably going to spur comparisons to
Django, and that's perhaps too large a shadow for
Ismael to shine in. ~ Adam Greenberg