This guy must be the local legend in Seattle, Washington. He's a post-Metheny fusion player with nice phrasing, a strong melodic sense and a talent for composition. His tunes run the gamut from melancholy ballads to burning triplets, from jazzy offerings to slightly New Age fare. Consequently, he doesn't settle on any one particular sound on this album, switching from a warm fat-bodied jazz guitar to steel-string acoustic to solidbody with all the gadgets.
"The Flame" is very Metheny-esque, circa American Garage, while "Typical Fusion" utilizes some familiar Pat Martino intervals, circa Joyous Lake. "Continuous Call" is a straight-ahead jazzy ballad done up in the melodic tradition of Metheny, Van Manakas or Emily Remler while "Another Side, Another Time," with its gentle acoustic strumming, has a distinctive New Age soundtrack quality.
This is a strong album, Lindenmuth's second with his four-piece band for Dark Stream Records. His talents as a composer and player should place him right alongside such contemporaries as Mike Stern, Scott Henderson and Frank Gambale. Of course, Seattle is not New York or L.A., but if Lindenmuth keeps putting out product of such high quality, the word should get around. Maybe Seattle's big secret will soon break out to wider realms.
- Bill Milkowski