The Brian Kinler Band: “Made From Scratch” (2022) CD Review

Jazz pianist Brian Kinler is one of my favorite musicians and composers. He made Los Angeles his home for a couple of decades, and it is there he put together The Brian Kinler Band. The band did not perform nearly frequently enough for my tastes and needs, and then at his recent concert at Kulak’s Woodshed he announced he was moving. To Orlando, of all places. That’s good news for Floridians, who now finally have something positive to say about their state, but not such good news for those of us in California who wonder just when we’ll get a chance again to see him perform. Well, to tide us over until that time, Brian Kinler has a new album out, Made From Scratch. We were treated to a taste of the new material at that Kulak’s Woodshed show, where he played two of these tracks, pieces that came out of that crazy time at the beginning of the pandemic when everything was shut down. Those two tunes, excellent examples of the incredibly strong and moving music he has been creating, got the audience excited for this release.

Brian Kinler opens this album with a fun tune titled “Five O’ Clock Shadow,” which begins with the beat. This one was written during the lockdown in 2020, and I wish my experience of that time had contained even a small fraction of the joy of this music. Partway through, it takes on a funky vibe. This song has a groove that seems to say we can get through this, we can get through any bit of craziness that is tossed our way, just so long as we maintain a sense of who we are and keep our priorities straight and don’t take the less important things too seriously. That’s followed by “Made From Scratch,” the album’s title track, which has a seriously cool opening, featuring Steve Herrman on trumpet. He also performed on the title track to The Brian Kinler Band’s 2020 album, Bragging Rights. What is striking is the joy of this music, of the playing. Listening to this album, we get the sense that no troubles are insurmountable. So maybe we just need to keep this album on constantly. “Made From Scratch” is followed by “Icarus Drowning,” which has a different and surprising rhythm. In the album’s liner notes, Brian mentions this is one of his oldest compositions, but one he didn’t record until now. Well, it is right at home on this new album, in part because of its bright sound, with Brian’s keyboard producing a vibraphone sound at key moments. Steve Herrman delivers some more wonderful work on trumpet here, that instrument interestingly being the focus and driving force of this track at times.

The music changes gears with “The Napkin,” one of the tracks he played at that Kulak’s Woodshed show back in April, and, for me, one of the highlights of that show. It is an absolutely beautiful piece inspired by an equally beautiful moment in his relationship with Steven Parker. When they met, Brian wrote his name and phone number on a napkin. Steven called the next day. A decade later he learned that Steven had kept that napkin, and that was what led eventually to this song. Over the years, some of Brian Kinler’s best material has been inspired in one way or another by Steven, and “The Napkin” is certainly one of his most wonderful compositions. At times, it is gentle and sweet without ever becoming too mushy. It is a song that will remind you of the best moments in your own relationship, a song that will remind you how grateful you are for the love in your life. By the way, there is a picture of the napkin in the disc’s liner notes. Then Steve Herrman delivers some really nice work on flugelhorn on “Keep The Lights On.” It is seductive and sexy, the perfect way to set the tone for this track. I love the way this one builds and grows. Before we know it, we are completely caught up in it. Brian delivers some powerful work on keys. That’s followed by “Tunnel Vision,” which begins by establishing a rhythm. There is an excitement to this piece, and a positive vibe. It is one that might get you dancing. As it reaches its end, it winds down and comes to a gentle landing.

“The World Is A Big Place” is the other of this album’s two tracks played at the Kulak’s Woodshed concert. This piece was inspired by a specific moment near the beginning of the pandemic when Andrea Bocelli performed “Amazing Grace,” and the footage showed various cities of the world, the streets all empty. How the pandemic did not unite us as a people is something that still baffles me. But this composition carries with it a feeling that we are united in our common experiences, and in how we were overwhelmed by the news, the uncertainty, and the strange, persistent beauty of the world. It is an incredibly moving and effective track, and it features a gorgeous string arrangement by Andre Mayeux, who also mixed and mastered the album. It leads straight into “Come Home Soon,” also written during the pandemic when most of us were missing our families. I did not visit my family at all in 2020, making a bad time even more difficult. This song expresses the longing most of us felt, as well as the concern for our families, especially the more vulnerable members. Again, that is something that should have united us. Why didn’t it? The overwhelming feeling of this song is love.

Steve Herrman joins Brian again on trumpet for “Sleight Of Hand,” which has a cool, sexy vibe. There is something smooth about this one at times. Brian Kinler then wraps things up with a pretty piece titled “A Better Life.” A better life is something we all want, and listening to this track, it feels attainable. Or perhaps this music indicates that we already have it. I know my life has gotten exponentially better because of my sweetheart. She has become an important part of my family, and family is what this is all about. As Brian and Steven embark on the next part of their journey together in Florida, it seems that they have everything they need for a joyful and beautiful life. This track seems to not only express that, but to wish it for everyone.

CD Track List

1. Five O’ Clock Shadow
2. Made From Scratch
3. Icarus Drowning
4. The Napkin
5. Keep The Lights On
6. Tunnel Vision
7. The World Is A Big Place
8. Come Home Soon
9. Sleight Of Hand
10. A Better Life

Made From Scratch was released on July 29, 2022.