Daniel Garbin - 2025 - Rising

(49:51; 6X20 Records)




















Track list:
1. Rising 9:00
2. Simi's Bossa 6:05
3. Rolling Hills 5:04
4. Anomisericordo 5:50
5. DSD 7:35
6. Almost Forgotten - Like Satch 7:49
7. Into the Sunset 8:28

Line-up:
Daniel Garbin - guitars, sitar
Scott Litroff - saxophone
Camila Cortina Bello - piano, keyboards
Eddy Khaimovich - bass
Brian Woodruff - drums


US based artist Daniel Garbin has been active as a musician in a number of bands in Europe as well as in the US, and while his professional career is in academics, music has obviously been a central aspect of Garbin's life all along. In the spring of 2025 he released the album "Rising" through the imprint 6X20 Records, and unless I have missed some vital information this is Garbin's first album as a solo artist.

It is an all instrumental affair we get on this production, and jazz is the style of choice throughout. Garbin's speciality is to create elegant and flowing landscapes, and unlike many musicians he will often let his own instrument take a little bit of a back seat. Considering that he is a guitarist, that is a detail of note.

Garbin's guitar will support in elegant manners and take the lead in an equally elegant manner. Wandering, flowing plucked notes being something of a common denominator throughout here, but occasionally also making use of more regular electric guitar solo mannerisms. Always in an elegant and smooth manner though.

Wandering and elegant piano motifs that get a sometime rise in prominence and occasional lead roles is a bit of a systematic feature here too, and the bass also gets to rise and shine on a regular basis here. The sole exception  to this split between lead and supporting roles comes by way of the saxophone, whis is more limited to singular or dual lead instrument roles throughout.

Some of the compositions come with a little bit of additional flavoring to them. The title track 'Rising'  adds a bit of Eastern and Indian exotic sounds to the proceedings, and that the following 'Simi's Bossa' comes with a bit of Latin flavor is probably rather expected. While a number like 'DSD' expands the landscapes explored with a little bit of a funky spirit. Another detail of note is the delightful groove set up by the bass and the guitar on 'Almost Forgotten - Like Satch'.

While my knowledge of jazz is a bit on the limited side of matters, my main impression is that those with an ear and a taste for flowing, harmonic and elegant jazz that hone in on smoothly delivered landscapes will find a lot to appreciate on this production. In particular those who enjoy instrumental jazz of this kind where all the instrumentalists get the possibility to bask a bit in the limelight by way of delivering lead instrument runs.

Olav M. Björnsen, December 2025

Links:
https://dgarbin.com/

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