What a great band Lynch has assembled: Craig Handy on tenor saxophone, Luis Perdomo, piano, Boris Koslov on electric and acoustic bass, Alex Wintz, guitar, Kyle Swan, drums and Murph Aucamp on percussion. These musicians attack Lynch’s compositions with sensitivity and conviction,  displaying a cohesion that could only be achieved by a steady working band.

Starting with the funky track “In The Riv”, Lynch takes the listener on his personal musical journey. The tune recalls (for Lynch and for selected listeners of a certain age) driving to a college jazz festival in a Buick Riviera. Handy, Wintz, Lynch, and Perdomo take turns pushing the boundaries of melodic invention. In the song “High Point Of The Hang,” Lynch recalls how he toured with such great musicians as Horace Silver and Eddie Palmieri. Koslov’s acoustic bass brings considerable dexterity to the performance.

In another tip of the cap to his former employer, Lynch speeds it up for “On The Silver Road”. Lynch’s bright and shining trumpet work enhances this homage, and there’s a wonderful solo by Handy that deserves a trophy for lively creativity.

The lovely ballad, “Greeting On 87th Street”, finds the whole band in fine fettle, ranging from wistfulness of Perdomo and Wintz to the brashness of Lynch and Koslov. All the players contribute mightily in a tune whose languid elegance was inspired by the love of Lynch’s life.

“Sympathetic Vibrations” begins as a cha-cha and quickly changes rhythm several times over. Driven by Koslov’s electric bass and Perdomo’s gorgeous piano, the song exudes a special roller coaster feel.

Normally, an album contains some tracks that don’t meet the standard set by its highpoints. Not so with Lynch’s 7x7by7. All of the cuts, including “Academy Blues” and “Finnegan’s Garden”, contain interesting passages as well as dynamic solos. To my mind, this is the year’s solidest record so far — hard work, not luck, has everything to do with its considerable pleasures.

from https://artsfuse.org