Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Chester Suave - Music For Radio, Film, Television and Other Fantasies, Volume One: Introducing Chester Suave
 | Chester Suave is Christopher J. Sanzo and Jeff Halladay, who were two thirds of the original Rhode Island surf mongers Los Mel-tones. This concept piece features some really nice surf based music, with excellent playing and original writing. Many elements of other genres find their way into the music. This was recorded in 1999 for the purpose implied by the title. |
Picks: Rear View Mirror, Continental Cruiser, The Bookie Man, Senorita Rita, Electric Suaveland, Fantasy Island Cocktail, Spy Matinee, Mr. Shoe, Wojo, Love Bird
Track by Track Review
Paranoid Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
Nervousness implied by angular guitar with a jazzy paranoid edge. It's got a swimming pool suaveness to it, a loungy sensibility, and a surfy reverb. Lots of fun.
Adventurous Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
Faster and on the more surf oriented side. With excellent double picking and constructive noodling, "Continental Cruiser" is adventurous and open road compatible. A little on the angular side, but really cool!
Surf Evasion (Instrumental)
Slow and dramatic, with long lines of Italian double picked pomp and grumpy thumpage. Then, it launches into what surely works for a film scene. Sparkling guitar shimmers with surfability and running scared open country evasion. Very cool.
Surf (Instrumental)
Lovely surf whammy, country whine, cactus shimmer, and a playful melody line make "Senorita Rita" really fun, and very cool. Splashy and surfy, but also quite sophisticated.
Wah Wah Surf (Instrumental)
Awash in wah wah and bass glissandoes, "Electric Suaveland" is like David Axelrod's "Leading Citizen" from The Auction, or maybe Shaft, caught with his pants down at the beach, just in from a harrowing ride on a 20 foot face. Very cool track.
Candle Light Surf (Instrumental)
Island whammy chords presented in dissonant jazzy progressions leave you wondering if "duh blaine" is ever coming. Tattoo is nowhere in sight on this candle lit adventure.
Nervous Surf (Instrumental)
Rhythmically chunky surf with a riff borrowed from Armageddon's "Buzzard" filtered through a jazz combo. Nervous and very interesting.
Storm Surf (Instrumental)
"Mr. Shoe," meet Mr. Wave. Rhythmic and chunky surf for a dangerous afternoon ride on a dark form in the storm. Very different and angular, fluid and menacing. Bongos are added to the mix for a Prisoner feel. Very cool track.
Post Modern Surf (Instrumental)
Deliberate thunder, percussive grumble, piano plunder, guitar swirl, and an intense post modern prog-fusion tone, all delivering an adventurous and melodic almost Frank Zappa-ish track.
Lagoon Surf (Instrumental)
Soft circular notes ring in warm island tourist chords for an afternoon at the lagoon of plenty. It reminds me of "Ebb Tide." Very pretty.