The Brian Kinler Band: "Fire Signs" (2025) CD Review

It's been three years since jazz pianist Brian Kinler released his last album, Made From Scratch, and in the interim he's been busy making a new home for himself and his husband in Florida. But several months ago he announced a new album would be coming out, and treated fans to videos for a couple of tracks from it. Now the album, titled Fire Signs, is out. It features all original material composed by Brian Kinler. The music on this album is everything we'd want from this talented pianist, building on the success of the material of previous albums, and adding new directions and dimensions. And, perhaps most importantly, the great passion of his playing, of his approach, is heard on every track. The joy, the warmth, the heart. That is just exactly what we need in these crazy, frustrating and angering times. Joining him on trumpet and flugelhorn is Steve Herrman. String arrangements were written and performed by Andre Mayeux, who also did the horn arrangements and mixed and mastered the album.

The album opens with "Skin In The Game," its title being a phrase I imagine many of us have been thinking about lately, questioning how much we should be invested in what is happening in this country, how much we should be involved, particularly as we get older and feel that time is a bit more precious than it once was. But that phrase can also mean remaining invested in one's own life, still being able to contribute something personal, staying active and taking risks. And it is that more personal realm that this song seems to address. It eases in with an electronic sound, and then the early work on keys feels like dance, perhaps a solo dance. Then the music soon bursts through to another level, as if a personal party has merged with the larger celebration, the larger party that humanity keeps going, even through troubled times. There is a wonderful 1970s influence heard in those vibrant sections. The track moves between these two vibes. Interestingly, the trumpet enters the more personal section, Steve delivering an excellent lead here, taking that section to another level. And then the keys really begin to dance, to move, urging the rest of us to stay active too. We all do have skin in the game, as long as we are still alive.

"The Rails" begins with some pretty, contemplative work on piano. It is tender, touching, almost tentative in its initial steps, and then begins to breathe, to spread out, as if to embrace new circumstances, to embrace surroundings, to embrace one's own life again. There still might be worries, concerns, but the music is prepared, capable of facing them, and so then we are as well. Isn't it wonderful how music is able to do that? This is a beautiful piece, and Andre's string work adds a lot to the power and beauty of the track. It feels like we are all taking in, with each great breath, the beauty of the world, and some of its spirit. Brian changes gears again with "Talk To The Boss," a lively, exciting and totally fun number. This is one of the songs that Brian recorded a music video for. There is a delightful joy and energy to this one. The boss is, of course, one's spouse. I think the first person I ever heard use the term in that way was my uncle Bo, and he still does use it, saying he has to check with the boss. This track also features some outstanding work on trumpet.

The mood changes with "The Pursuit," a song of pain, loss, a track that mourns. But it is a shared loss, not a lonesome one, and the flugelhorn plays an important role in creating that feeling. There is a strong sense of community here, of history. It seems that there will always be causes for such mourning. Humanity has progressed in some incredible ways, and has failed to progress in other profound ways. This is a gorgeous track, the strings adding to its strength. There is a sense of people enduring, even overcoming misfortune and sorrow. That's followed by "Curfew." Do kids still have curfews? Or are they just not allowed out at all anymore? I remember we had a decent amount of freedom, as long as we were home by a certain time. We would always push it, of course, often forgetting about the time. Did we even own watches? I don't know. This track begins in a beautiful place, as if looking around and appreciating the magic of the world, of the evening. It can feel incredibly personal, the world in those moments, and the music does too. Then after a minute or so, it kicks in, taking on something of a dance rhythm. It's like we are completely at home now in whatever world we have discovered and are making it our own. What's interesting is that the track then moves back suddenly to that earlier feel, or rather combines elements from both realms to create another idea. And halfway through the track, things start to swing, to really move, the piano being the driving force, the force that says, Oh yes, we are having some fun, come joins us.

"You Make It Right" is a love song. I hope all of us experience what this song expresses, having a special someone who makes everything right. Sometimes the world comes down to two people, and many of us want more and more of that. Do you ever have that feeling that any time spent away from your love is just wasted, or at least not spent well? It is keenly felt when we become more and more aware of how finite our time is. It is a powerful feeling, and it is reflected in the music here, in its beauty, in its eagerness, in its demand for more. This track contains powerful, soaring moments, and then it ends gently. It is followed by "Fire Signs," the album's title track, which opens with an electronic sound and soon takes on a cool rhythm. There is an interesting energy to this one, with mystical touches, and warmth to his work on piano. Brian is a Leo, a fire sign, and though he doesn't put any stock in astrology, he admits it's fun to look at the horoscope when he comes across it. There is certainly something dramatic, theatrical about this song, and all of it coming from the heart.

Brian Kinler is from the New Orleans area, and much of his music is informed by that location, by the spirit of that particular city. Certainly "Let Them Eat King Cake" is, king cake being a traditional Mardi Gras food. I was in New Orleans for Mardi Gras only once in my life (so far), and it was a wild time. This track contains the fun and joy and playfulness of that time and place, the way it builds and then opens into a delightful celebration. It's like you turn the corner and suddenly find yourself in the French Quarter. I hope that Brian Kinler will book some shows in Los Angeles soon, in large part because I want to see him perform this song. That's followed by "Same Place Twice." I have traveled over much of this country (only have two states left to visit), but not much outside of this country. There are places I do want to return to (such as New Orleans), but I am more eager to explore places I've never been (like Stratford-upon-Avon and Rome), and that's what this song is about. It begins with some pretty work on keys. There is a somber aspect to the approach here, the music seeming to express the majesty of this great world of ours, and also the delicate aspects of life. There is so much to see, so much to learn, and all in such a brief span allotted to us. Check out that seriously cool piano work at the end, when it seems he's at home everywhere, taking a bit of New Orleans to every place he visits. Brian then wraps things up with "Kissed By A Muse," a lively number, one that takes place in a world where everyone is out on the dance floor, where magic happens nightly, where good cheer abounds. In short, the world we want to live in. Let the piano guide you into that world, let that trumpet welcome you.

CD Track List

1. Skin In The Game
2. The Rails
3. Talk To The Boss
4. The Pursuit
5. Curfew
6. You Make It Right
7. Fire Signs
8. Let Them Eat King Cake
9. Same Place Twice
10. Kissed By A Muse

Fire Signs was released on May 20, 2025.