From the first notes of the opening track “Neo & Lego” you can hear that Love Me One More Time is going to make you smile. Roger Chong plays with a great deal of stylish good humor not typical for a guitarist only on his second album. His arrangements entertain the listener without ever going too far. Even on the more active songs, such as “Bordertown,” he never goes outside the bounds of jazzy good taste.
Holding that big guitar on the cover (and having the artist’s name on it in big letters), you naturally expect that the guitar work here will be something special. Well, it is. There is a delicate control and nuance in Chong's playing that makes it more like singing. He articulates when he plays as well as any guitarist out there right now doing this style of jazz. The rest of his ensemble does well also. The keyboard adds a nice off-color touch with some dissonant chording towards the end of “5th Ave.” “The Grandpa Squad” also features a pretty killer piano solo. The drums are always right in the pocket and again, as with the rest of the music, they are never distracting.
If you're not familiar with guitar jazz, this CD would be a great introduction for you. There is none of the musical excess common amongst some jazz musicians. There is just good music well played with a beautiful, smooth tone. Sit back, relax and smile, as you Love [Roger Chong] One More Time.
Key Tracks- Neo & Lego, Bordertown, 5th Ave.
Donny Harvey- MuzikReviews.com Staff
July 14, 2011
