David Kolker
“Tuesday”

This quintet debut release features, Isamu Sato on alto sax, Paul LeFebvre on guitar and steel guitar, Jorge Pertuz on drums, Brett Bass on bass, and group leader Dave Kolker on guitar, vocals, and author and arranger of all the titles included here. It is note worthy that Dave Kolker is a student of NYBS society member and local guitar charmer Larry Baeder.

The album brightly opens with the funky, “Recognition”. The soulful ballad, “You Say” talks about the pressures and the ups and downs of trying to make it as a musician, and starts slowly as Kolker and Isamu build this song into a nice jam. The popular, “Penny Song” is very well written with rock steady guitar playing from Kolker, and great chord changes. Listen to Kolker and Isamu hit all the notes together, and then rock it out. “Girl I Miss You” is a very bluesy ballad, with more great chord changes. Enjoy the hot licks from Kolker on the smokey, “Soul on Fire”. “Two Sides, Same Coin” is a fine straight ahead slow blues. The final cut offers nice steel guitar from Paul LeFebvre on the quiet, “Fallen Angel”.

The David Kolker Quintet has it’s own unique sound and feel,a not too easy to do thing on a debut album by this young bright guitarist. David Kolker is a musician who has a great sense of rhythm, and plenty of nifty chord changes to offer. I particularly enjoyed the fact that just about every song has a steady building and uplifting progression. It seems David Kolker has a good future in front of him, check him out at the Baggot Inn in the West Village every “Tuesday”, and stay tuned for continued growth on his next recording.

Bob Putignano