I could be way off base, but I associate the name John Hart with a much more contemporary setting than the straight ahead sound heard here. Hart's trio includes Bill Moring on bass and Tim Horner on drums. The guitarist offers up a set of tunes which for the most part emphasize jazz classics and standards. For example, the opener is a faster than usual "Here's That Rainy Day". Other evergreens include some fancy simple note dexterity on "April In Paris" and an intriguing reharmonization on "Just Friends". Toss in "Where Or When" and you have some winners from the Real Book. But that's not all. Hart and friends also dip into the Monk bag with excellent results on "Ask Me Now" and the rarely heard "Jackie-ing". The Ellington-Strayhorn delicacy "The Star-Crossed Lovers" is given an appropriately tender reading, and a couple of Hart originals complete the album. Hart keeps everything nicely and repectfully under control. He lets the music speak for itself and never puts too many ingredients in the recipe. There are many groovy mainstream things happening here.
Zoho Music; 2016; appx. 58 min.
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