The Toronto Star
Turn Up The Good (Indie)
Rating: 3.5 out of 4 Stars
The sophomore recording by the guitarist leader, who composes all 12 tunes here, is really impressive. It exploits groove and blues and makes good use of Hammond organ pumped by Robi Botos and the simpatico pulse of bass Michael Pellarin and drummer Ben Riley. Meredith-Jones shows off biting phrasing, heaving, heavy lines and a full-blooded tone that should endear him to fans of R&B and rock, as well as Wes Montgomery and John Scofield — not to mention really smart writing skills. He establishes a tough mood from the aggressive opening title track on and keeps it up, with "Falling Back Again" and "Push," all vim and vigour on a thoroughly enjoyable disc — faint worries that fusion was in the air at the start of "Blue Sky Blvd" are quickly expunged. There are three successive Latin-themed pieces for relief before the genre reinhabits contemporary jazzland with the boppish "Dig," the Metheny soundscape of "Good Times Ahead" and the mini-epic "Setting Sun." GC
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