Frank Goodman - All the Way Down
Pure Music

By Ben Ohmart (more articles from this author) 2000-09-01

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Artist: Frank Goodman (frankx11@aol.com)
Title: All the Way Down
Label: Pure Music
Genre: Soft Jazz

I'm in the midst of my 5th listen to the intensely sensual, satisfying, night tune 'Day or Night', which could easily be a ballad for NSYNC or one of the etc. young hunk harmony groups of the modern era. If I had to pick a hit of the cd, this would have to be the one.

Where most jazz specialists treat the piano as the main instrument, Frank puts the guitar to work, hires on some vibes (for the smooth 'Angel Eyes'), gets his friend Jeff Coffin in on alto flute (see the Perfect Day music of 'I Love The Way That You Love Me'), and keeps Sam Bacco banging away on the soft bongos or whatever beat it takes.

But first we've gotta open up with 'That's The Thing About A Woman', which has such clean production you'd swear you're in the recording booth with the man, as he snaps his fingers and somehow strings along his hip acoustic guitar like a happy street musician.

A dozen songs, 45 minutes, everything at least co-written by Frank. His subtle voice is the Mel Torme equivalent of a nervous elf. The blues inspired 'Jesus Loves Me' shows the nakedness of his vocal creativity. Simple, optimistic, regardless of where the sun shines; yes, even though the sound and playing is top notch, the voice is the star. You've heard the old joke about 'he's so great, he could sing the phone book'. Well, I can imagine winding up in NYC one night, tripping into a dark club, and finding Frank working on the soft H's.

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