CHAD EDWARDS

WYOMING ROADS

Independent Label

Chad Edwards, piano/organ/composer; Robert Kyle, saxophones/flute; Hussain Jiffry, basses; Kevin Winard, drums/percussion.

The Chad Edwards project comes lilting through space like a gliding seahawk. The very first tune, “Wyoming Roads” is an original by the pianist.  He was inspired by a road trip where he set out to feel Wyoming’s big open skies and endless vistas.  This seven-minutes of song gives his band members an opportunity to shine in a radiant spotlight.  Robert Kyle takes an impressive sax solo, and Hussain Jiffry woos me with his creative bass solo.  Kevin Winard pumps the tune up with his trap drums, locking the rhythm tightly in place.

Chad Edwards is an interesting personality. I would say he is not your average jazz musician.  Edwards grew up in Connecticut and played piano as a child, starting with an interest in rock ‘n roll. By high school, he became interested in jazz, listening to “Birds of Fire” by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, followed by a discovery of John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, and Chick Corea.  That was the right side of his brain talking to him, because upon graduation from high school he went to Princeton University to study physics, ruled by the brain’s left hemisphere.

While pursuing his degree in experimental physics, he was performing as a keyboardist and composer in a funk/fusion band called ‘Slow Burn.’  They released their first record in 1987 and went on tour of the USA and Japan.  In the midst of dividing his time between physics and music, Edwards graduated from Caltech with a Ph. D and found work at the NASA-funded Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, CA. While working at JPL, Edwards met a fellow musician.  Jim Lewis was also a JPL engineer. Lewis invited Edwards to join his band called The San Gabriel 7 in 2003.

Today, finally retired from his 9-to-5 job at JPL, Chad Edwards devotes himself totally to his music.  A tune called “Momma Wanna Llama” is dedicated to his wife who is infatuated with the Llama animal.  It’s a funky blues tune where Edwards plays organ, doubling with Robert Kyle’ s saxophone lines.

The ensemble covers that familiar “Alone Together” composition, arranged as a Boss Nova and once again features the saxophone of Robert Kyle, sounding smooth as velvet.  The Edwards piano solo takes over after Kyles rich solo, with Chad’s fingers dancing happily across the keys. Hussain Jiffry’s electric bass opens an original Edwards composition called “Azure Sky, Sapphire Sea.”  It’s a lovely tune that twists and turns like waves on the Pacific Ocean, and quickly becomes one of my favorite compositions on this album. Kyle puts down his saxophone and picks up his flute to interpret this song.

Chad Edwards offers us an easy listening jazz album, showcasing his sensitive piano playing, his composer skills, and a back-up band featuring some of Southern California’s finest players.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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