Jim Hagen - Jazzical (2017)

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Artwork by John Lind Whitby

Written by Frank McClure, posted by blog admin

Southern California based guitarist Jim Hagen’s release Jazzical is aptly titled. Hagen is a composer and musician seldom content with limiting himself to just one sound. Instead, the nine songs on Jazzical never pursue purely purist invocations of the jazz genre. Hagen brings a number of elements to bear on these performances and the label “smooth jazz” applies to much of the work here, but it reaches further. Blues, classical flourishes, and different textures make their presence felt from song to song and all of it blends together with a naturalness that, in its own way, strikes more a purist jazz note than any other approach. The nine performances on Jazzical have a beautifully organic quality and never strain for effect thanks to the first class collaborators he’s enlisted to flesh out Jazzical’s musical vision.

The first track “Pismo Beach” has a patient, meditative vibe that’s never dependant on Hagen’s guitar. There is, instead, a fine interplay between keyboards and Hagen’s six string work with them taking alternating turns in the spotlight. Melody is never far away from what Hagen and his cohorts do on Jazzical and the opener is no exception; the lyricism of his guitar playing is simply superb. “D-Tuna” has a much more artsy feel than the aforementioned song and slowly coalesces into form rather emerging full born the first second in. It doesn’t seemingly conform to typical structures, but the band never meanders and “D-Tuna” will ultimately strike listeners as a song that achieves its final effects through accumulation rather than showing all its cards immediately. We’re back in much more overtly melodic territory with the song “Alexandra”. There’s a bit of a preamble before the band launches full on into the song and, once it starts, it has a slightly melancholy air that lingers with listeners long after its conclusion.

The bass line of “On the Scene” clearly illustrates a small turn in musical direction. Hagen and his creative partners go in for a little bit of light funk here and pull it off with great style. The keyboard touches have a lightly playful air and wind themselves around the rhythm section with great finesse. “All Blues” is, oddly, the most traditionally slanted tune on Jazzical. One might expect him to tinker with the form here as he does on many of the album’s other cuts, but this is a relatively straightforward instrumental that emphasizes the keyboards and lowers Hagen’s guitar to a largely supporting role in the mix. The title song is one of the finest moments on this release thanks to how expertly Hagen marries classical guitar color with his jazz inclinations. The presence of acoustic guitar is another key difference and it’s recorded with tremendous warmth. Aficionados of the form and casual music fans alike will find something here to put a smile on their faces. Jazzical is accessible and quite a musical ride.

Grade: A