Dan Petty Two Guitars

Dan Petty
Two Guitars
Self-Produced

A guitar player and producer living in Los Angeles, Dan Petty has been a session player and touring musician. "Two Guitars," a gypsy jazz-inspired record focusing on his acoustic playing, is his first recording with him playing both the lead and rhythm parts. One selection features bassist Tim Lefevre, whereas another features the vocal group, The Goods (Lucy Woodward, Holly Palmer, and Michelle Lewis).

Petty certainly is a capable jazz guitarist in the manner of the legendary Django Reinhardt as is audible on the Django compositions that open this recording, "Blues En Mineur" and "Django's Tiger," the rendition of "Tiger Rag" that Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli put together. Set against his vigorous rhythm guitar, Petty displays his adept, clean, and often dazzling, single-note runs and his thoughtfully structured improvisations. Then there is his gorgeous, graceful interpretation of Reinhardt's "Melodie Au Crepuscule." Stephane Jean Wrembel is one of today's leading guitarists in this vein, and Petty lends his talents to a lively rendition of Wrembel's "Bistro Fado." Also outstanding are the Gypsy jazz treatments of Charles Parker's "Donna Lee" and Cole Porter's classic "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To."

Not every track is in the 'Gypsy Jazz' mode. "South American Way," with a vocal from The Goods, has a south of the border flavor indicated from its title. The vocal is adapted from The Andrew Sisters rendition, with Petty playing scintillating guitar behind the vocal and his break. Then there is a stunning interpretation of "Tico Tico." In a completely different vein is a precious rendition of Pat Metheny and Lyle May's "James." Bassist Lefevre is added to the feverish rendition of Mike Stern's "Chromazome."

A charming, graceful take on Reinhardt's waltz "Choti" is the concluding selection on Dan Petty's marvelous, highly appealing debut album.

I received a download to review from a publicist.