There is something very easy and enjoyable about Lou Caimano’s “Manhattan Twilight.” The instrumental album allows the saxophone to take center stage and Caimano plays with a calm confidence that ensures the music is never too complicated, but always warm.
That’s made quite clear in the opening song of the title. The saxophone’s line is played with a soft touch on the electric keyboards, and the vibrato and pitch bends add a very human quality to the melody. It’s like driving through the city when everyone is asleep at night.
“The Rainforest” continues along a smooth groove and features an old school instrumental R&B style, while “Hoot” provides a more playful approach to Caimano’s playing. It is almost talkative here, with loose improvisations that do not detract from the relaxed nature of the track.
The album also has a good sense of rhythm. There are brighter, syncopated movements in “Camila” and “Happy With You” is much livelier and sunny. These moments are essential for making the records not predictable.
The thing is, Caimano doesn’t seem to be trying to impress people for the sake of impressing people. The saxophone is always in the melody, whether he is holding a note or adding a nice run or a little more movement to the track. He has experience in Broadway orchestras and a long history of playing a variety of styles, which is apparent both in his control of the instrument and in the accessibility of the music itself.
“Manhattan Twilight” is a casual, but highly musically detailed, listen. It provides the saxophone with a strong voice, while enabling each track to establish its own atmosphere, ranging from subdued and introspective to lively and engaging.
